Sparks for Innovation

Why Hackathons Work and How to Organize One

Maciej Ryś (Autor)

Buch | Hardcover

232 Seiten

2025
Columbia University Press (Verlag)
978-0-231-21468-1 (ISBN)

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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 Ryś—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. Ryś shares practical lessons for organizers, participants, and mentors ranging from planning to inclusivity and 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.

Maciej Ryś 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. Ryś is the founder of Smogathon, a global initiative combating air pollution through technology, and HackYeah, one of the largest hackathons in the world.

Introduction to the Book and the World of Hackathons
1. Innovation, Invention, and Commercialization
2. Innovation Frameworks
3. The Rise of Hackathons
4. Hackathons’ Innovative Black Box
5. Hackathons’ Shortcomings, Their Importance, and How to Address Them
6. Summary and Ten Steps to Organize a (Great) Hackathon
Conclusion: There Is No Rose Without Thorns
Appendix: Research Details, Methodology, and Analysis
References
Notes
Index

Erscheinungsdatum	23.04.2025
Zusatzinfo	4 images, 6 tables, 2 text boxes
Verlagsort	New York
Sprache	englisch
Maße	140 x 216 mm
Themenwelt	Mathematik / Informatik ► Informatik
Themenwelt	Wirtschaft ► Betriebswirtschaft / Management ► Unternehmensführung / Management
ISBN-10	0-231-21468-5 / 0231214685
ISBN-13	978-0-231-21468-1 / 9780231214681
Zustand	Neuware