FAQEverything you need to know


  1. Will this event even happen?

    COVID will hopefully be ok in October - of course things can change but we a lot of space and we will comply to the government and hotel rules that will apply, so it will be a save event.

  2. Is this an online event?

    We don't like online hackathons, so this is not an online event and also will not be. If it is not safe to organise it we will be postponed to next year.

  3. What is a Hackathon?

    In general a Hackathon is a social coding event that brings together computer programmers like software developers, graphic designers and user interface specialists along with industry process experts and professionals to identify issues and create software solutions within 24 hours.

  4. Who can participate?

    Everybody is welcome. No matter if you are an entrepreneur, a professional or a student. You don’t have to be a programmer and you certainly don’t need to have a degree in Computer Science! Specifically, we are looking for hackers, coders, makers but also for innovators, engineers, creative people, designers, data geeks and startups. Because our challenges are not only limited to programming! We will nevertheless hand select the participants and tell you on October 1st latest if you are invited to participate.

  5. How can I get involved?

    Go ahead and visit the Hackathon page and book your place. Have another question that didn’t get answered here - send us an email or participate in our Hackathon Community!

  6. What is in for me?

    Learning new skills, looks good on your CV, networking, winning cash prizes, working as a team, meet great people, have great food and having fun! A Hackathon is a great event even if you are not lucky enough to win - we know because we have lost many of them :)

  7. How are the winners selected?

    There are two main parts of the winner selection:

    1. Independent Jury rating participants by considering implementability, potential & impact, presentation skills and creativity
    2. Technical check if you have developed the technology on sight and special points for teams who try out new cool stuff (we want to avoid that startups present technology they have already developed before to stay fair)
  8. Who will be judging?

    The judge panel composition will be announced closer to the date of the hackathon.

  9. How many people should a Team be?

    A team should be between 2-5 people, if you don’t have a team yet you can still apply because you will have the chance to join a team onsight.

  10. What are the costs of participating?

    FREE. Free for spectators. Free for participants.

  11. Is there reimbursement for travel?

    We have a very limited budget and cannot give travel reimbursements, we are sorry.

  12. Do we sign up as individuals or as a team?

    You can sign up as an individual or as a team. If you sign up as an individual, the Techfest Albania team will put you with a group beforehand and you can communicate on the Hackathon Community

  13. Is the hackathon open to anyone?

    Application is open to anyone over the age of 16, if you can participate will be decided by the hackathon organisation team.

  14. Will there be wireless internet access?

    Yes, there will be.

  15. Can we use any programming language?

    Yes.

  16. What should I bring?

    Bring your laptops, mobile phones, Kinects, Oculus Rifts, Leap Motions, wearable computing devices, to whatever inspires you or you want to work with.

  17. Is there support available?

    The environment at the Hackathon is designed specifically to encourage everyone to have fun and help each other. If you’re ever stuck on anything, speak to an organisation team member who might be able to help. Team mates and other participants are on hand too, as this is a collaborative environment.

  18. What if I don’t know anybody there?

    Dont worry - you will find your team right there. Beforehand the best way to get to know people is to set up a team atHackathon Community and see who is around. This is a great way to meet new people.

  19. Are there any online platforms where I could share my ideas prior to the event?

    Yes. Join: Hackathon Community There all our hackathon participants organise their team conversations and keep them private if needed.

  20. Will there be food?

    Yes, food and beverages will be provided throughout the event - this is something we will spend our budget on!

  21. I have a question or concern what should I do?

    Contact us. Don’t be shy! We are here to help and create a great atmosphere.

  22. What is the Program/Timetable?

    Please check the agenda on the home page, small changes might occur.

  23. Where will the Hackathon take place?

    The Hackathon will take place at the Rogner Hotel in Tirana, Albania. The exact address is Bulevardi Dëshmorët e Kombit • Postal Code 1001 • AL-Tirana

  24. Can i also join remotely?

    No, we want this hackathon to be an onsite event so remotely joining as well as working with a remote team is not allowed.

  25. Do all team members need to be present in person?

    Yes, every team member should be present. If a team member cannot be present during the pitch or can only come later please tell us and we will find a way to manage! This is not an online event.

  26. Can i only participate in one challenge?

    You will have to select one challenge and there are limited spots per challenge, if you can combine challenges you can but you still get judged by the criteria for the single challenge.

  27. When do i get the data information needed?

    We will send you additional information beforehand and contact you before the hackathon. Before you apply please make sure that you have time on the particular weekend and your colleagues have time as well. We will call you and check additional questions with you if necessary. More information in our Hackathon Community

  28. When do I get more information on the specific challenge?

    We will provide additional information about the challenge directly at the hackathon event to ensure fairness, so preparation is not necessary. If you are a startup working on that particular use case you are very welcome to join, but still you have to create all the code and system at the hackathon, the presentation of something you have already done is not the idea.

  29. Who is keeping the intellectual property of my solution?

    You and your team that develops the project is the owner of the intellectual property and project. We do encourage making the code open source or sharing of code with others in the community, but it is not required to participate in the event. Before the Presentations our technical team will do a quick technical check to make sure that you created your project at the hackathon. You are allowed to use open source libraries, your own libraries etc. to develop your solution!

  30. What about confidentiality of information?

    If you don’t want to distribute your code base that is ok, if you don’t want to present your project, then a hackathon might not be the ideal place for you to work on that idea. We will take photos at the event and you will sign a document that allows us to use those pictures for social media. So if you don’t want to be on any pictures please tell us beforehand!

  31. What is the cancelation policy?

    It is a bummer if you cancel before and you will cause us a lot of work, but there are many reasons why cancellation can happen. So please apply only if you are certain that you want to participate and be committed to come to save us a lot of work!

  32. How about the accomodation?

    We have a big room for the teams to work on the projects with an outside area. You can stay overnight and there will be some possibilities to lay down and have a sleep unconfortable. It is a hackathon nevertheless, so when you need your own bathroom you can stay at the Hotel for a reduced price of 85€/night. You can of course always leave the venue or go home at night.

  33. What is the problem we will be hacking to solve?

    Details of the specific challenges will be announced on the day of the event.

  34. Are we allowed to use third party components like open source libraries etc. to implement a solution - are there limitations on component licensing?

    You can use any software, provided these are declared in the presentation and are being used lawfully i.e. under licence.

  35. Is there a Code of Conduct?

    You can find our Code of Conduct here: Code of Conduct

  36. I have another question that is not answered in your FAQs, what should I do?

    Please and us the question and we will update this list so that everybody profits from the answer. You can use the Hackathon Community for that.