13Hacks

Welcome to 13Hacks! As we head into 13Hacks (January 23rd to 25th at Anna Head Hall, UC Berkeley), please read this email carefully — it contains essential information for you to prepare for the hackathon. Friday Arrival (Mandatory) Please arrive on time at 10:00 AM on Friday at Anna Head Hall. Team formation begins immediately, and late arrivals will not be able to join a team of their choice. Punctuality is expected throughout the hackathon. Our venue for all three days is Anna Head Hall: 2537 Haste St, Berkeley, CA 94720. What to Expect 13Hacks is an innovation sprint. You’ll be building under time pressure, iterating quickly, and building real products in a tight timeline. On Sunday (Demo Day), all teams will pitch to an audience that includes Startup founders and Tech professionals. At the end of the pitches, Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three teams. Please wear business casual attire on Sunday. WhatsApp Group – Main Communication Channel Please join the 13Hacks WhatsApp Group, which will be our main form of communication throughout the weekend. Please join ASAP and introduce yourself. This is where team formations would begin prior to the hackathon. Join the WhatsApp group here: [WhatsApp GC Link]. Team Formation — Project Submissions Over the next week, take time to think critically about real industry problems or pain points you’ve observed and a high-level solution for how they might be addressed. As part of team formation, you’ll submit this through the Project Idea Form. View the rubric and tracks provided in the welcome packet when thinking about painpoint and product idea. Your submission does not need to be fully fleshed out — a clear pain point and a product idea is enough for now. You are not locked into the problem, product, or track you submit. Iteration and pivots are expected. Deadline to submit the form is January 19th at Midnight! Read the Welcome Packet Please review the Welcome Packet in full – it contains critical information, including the full itinerary, rubric, and what to bring. Important Links: Product Idea Submission Form, Welcome Packet. We’re excited to lock in and turn ideas into reality!