Our very first in-person London Hackathon is complete! On April 15th, the SODA squad had the pleasure of teaming up with Ex-Military Careers and the amazing Code Institute to orchestrate a hackathon to remember.
Following the success of our Dublin hackathon, we saw a prime opportunity to bring the action to London this year – More than thirty competitors made their way to our Farringdon office at the crack of dawn, ready to put the coffee machine to the test and go head-to-head in a software showdown.
The aim of the hackathon was clear: Our teams were to create an app that supported veterans’ mental health, and they had just shy of 12 hours to do it.
Each app was scored in five categories:
1. Impact on Veterans’ mental health
2. User experience and accessibility
3. Creativity and innovation
4. Scalability and sustainability
5. Presentation and communication
By partnering with Ex-military Careers, our hackathon got the chance to make a real impact in the mental health space for the veteran community, a space that’s so often overlooked and misunderstood.
After a long day of hacking, the results were finally in! Every team had a superb skillset to offer, and the atmosphere was undeniably electric as people relished the chance to work in person. With its remote jobs, digital learning opportunities, and siloed teams, the tech world can be a lonely place. The hackathon represented the perfect time to come together and bridge that divide.
Congratulations to our winning team, the Piccadilly Pythons, and to everyone who took part, it was a joy to see all of your hard work and innovation pay off.
A huge thank you to the team at Code Institute, and to everyone who set their alarms for a dreadful hour on Saturday morning, we would do it again in a heartbeat…and we will! so watch this space (you can check out our LinkedIn for regular updates here).
You can find out about the university credit-rated, industry-recognised courses on offer from Code Institute here. Perhaps it’s time to try out a hackathon of your very own?
If you’re interested in getting involved with Trust in SODA’s events, expanding your network, uncovering career opportunities, sharing knowledge, raising awareness for impactful causes, and connecting with other thought leaders in the industry, get in touch with the team today, we’d love to hear from you. In case you want to find out more about our events, take a look at our social hub here.
Before You Go…
What makes a hackathon so great? Hackathons are an ideal event for anyone wishing to build connections in the industry, sharpen their technical skills and implement their knowledge in a real-world setting. The day brings together people from all different backgrounds in an inclusive, supportive and friendly environment.
It’s normal to feel shy or like your skills aren’t quite up to scratch yet, but don’t worry, everyone is learning, and everyone is there to offer their support. Typically, people of all different skill levels attend hackathons, from beginners to experts, all working together to develop their apps and take home first place.
