What is the experience of winning a hackathon and immediately connecting with a team to create innovative solutions?

Anastasiia Lukianenko shares valuable insights on what it’s like to win HerHackathon and find a team that you can immediately create innovative solutions with. She also reminisces about the beautiful memories from her time winning first place with her team „Harvest Hero“ in our all-female hackathon. The team created a solution for a challenge presented by John Deere. Their app assists farmers in making informed decisions regarding harvesting and field management, maximizing their potential harvest and revenue.

We reflect on the best moments and victories and look forward to the fantastic developments and moments that await us in the coming months.

How did you feel after winning HerHackathon 2023?

We were very happy, when our team name was announced as a winner, I guess I even screamed and we started to hug each other, because emotions were overflowing. However, I needed to leave the celebration part as I had to catch a train immediately after the ceremony. Sadly, this limited my time to fully relish the victory and engage in deeper conversations with both my team and other participants about future projects. Despite the unexpected turn of events, the realization that we bonded so well within the first day of the hackathon made the win even more special and memorable.

Do you have any tips on how to win?

To maximize your chances of winning a hackathon, it’s crucial to have a coordinator role inside the team. Coordinator divides the main task into smaller, manageable parts for each team member, ensuring efficient collaboration. Also, there must be someone responsible for a visually appealing presentation of the project results. Coordinator does regular check-ins every 2-3 hours for progress monitoring, quick adjustments and seeing the full picture of the system.

It is very important to start from achieving small, tangible milestones, showcasing graphics, schemes, or test videos to provide visible evidence of your team’s progress. The key to a good presentation is to make a user-friendly prototype that is working somehow (maybe not full functionality) from start to the end.

One of the essential factors is to both have clear goals and be able to adapt/develop the approach to what is needed and what is possible. By talking to mentors and challenge owners and by making the best use of all the diverse skills and experiences within the team. For this it’s crucial to be a flexible team player with the product value in mind.

What tips would you give to someone participating for the first time?

For someone participating in a hackathon for the first time, it’s crucial to embrace self-confidence and not be intimidated by your own skill level. Take responsibility for completing your assigned tasks, ensuring that you contribute actively to the team’s progress. Persistence is key – don’t give up, even if immediate results seem elusive. Solutions could emerge in the final hours, so stay focused and resilient. Engage with mentors regularly, discussing your ideas and seeking their guidance, as their experience can provide valuable insights and steer your project in the right direction.

What made your team stand out?

We had results on each part of our system – working ML model, graphics, a user-friendly prototype of the app interface, an architecture for the entire system, and a captivating presentation. What made us stand out even more was our ability to articulate the significance of our product and outline clear strategies for its monetization. It is very important to show the strategy of our project’s broader implications.

What was your favorite moment of the event?

While the moment of realizing our victory was undeniably a highlight, my favorite moment of the event was the curiosity about other projects presentations and their solutions to challenges. Witnessing not only our success but also hearing about the innovative accomplishments of all teams was truly inspiring. The diversity of ideas and the remarkable progress made by all participants in just two days created an atmosphere of shared achievement.

Would you participate again?      

Absolutely, we would enthusiastically participate again if the opportunity arises. Being part of this event was a great experience, where you can learn from such an innovative community, understand what the world’s needs and also bring solutions to nowadays problems. If the dates align, we would gladly embrace the chance to be part of this hackathon again.                  

What does HerHackathon mean to you?

HerHackathon holds significant personal value for each of us as it brings a newfound confidence and curiosity to explore further opportunities in the tech projects. Also, the event has served as a gateway to an inspiring network of individuals from diverse spheres. Establishing connections with talented professionals across Europe has not only broadened our perspective but also laid the foundation for potential collaborations and future projects. In essence, HerHackathon symbolizes not just a single accomplishment but a catalyst for ongoing growth, learning, and a powerful women network.