Sparks for Innovation

Why Hackathons Work and How to Organize One
Erscheinungsjahr 2025
ISBN: 978-0-231-21468-1
Verlag: Columbia University Press

Buch, Englisch, 232 Seiten, Print PDF, Format (B × H): 140 mm x 216 mm

Hackathons—participatory gatherings in which people with various backgrounds and experiences come together to address a challenge or create something new in a limited period of time—have become an important part of today’s technological, social, and business landscapes. They originated in IT and have since spread into other fields including medicine, law, biology, environment, education, and civic engagement. How and why can hackathons drive innovation? How can they challenge the status quo? What role can they play in an organization’s strategy? Under what conditions are hackathons most effective, and what are their limitations?

Maciej Rys—a hackathon leader and scholar with extensive experience in the field—offers a step-by-step guide to organizing successful hackathons and understanding their dynamics. He examines the evolution of hackathons from niche programming marathons to versatile platforms fostering technological advancements, entrepreneurial ventures, and social change. Drawing on extensive research, including observations and interviews from dozens of events worldwide, this book provides data-driven insights into the hackathon ecosystem. Rys shares practical lessons for organizers, participants, and mentors ranging from planning to inclusivity through sustaining momentum afterward, emphasizing both individual and group levels. Readers will learn how to build better hackathons that attract more participants, and they will gain a deeper understanding of the dynamics of innovation. For both hackathon veterans and those new to the field, Sparks for Innovation helps readers develop new skills, discover new possibilities, and achieve new breakthroughs.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Rys, Maciej

Fachgebiete

• Wirtschaftswissenschaften Betriebswirtschaft Management Entscheidungsfindung
• Geisteswissenschaften Design Produktdesign, Industriedesign
• Mathematik | Informatik EDV | Informatik Programmierung | Softwareentwicklung Programmierung: Methoden und Allgemeines

Über Autor(innen)

Maciej Rys is a lecturer at the University of Information Technology and Management in Rzeszów, Poland. He has been involved in more than one hundred hackathons with tens of thousands of participants from all over the world. Rys is the founder of Smogathon, a global initiative combating air pollution through technology, and HackYeah, one of the largest hackathons in the world.