Frequently Asked Questions

  • Q: When is the hackathon?

  • A: The event starts on Wednesday, September 21st, 15:30 and concludes on Friday, September 23rd, 13:30.

  • Q: Where does the hackathon takes place?

  • The Hansen House, Center of Design, Media and Technology, Gedalyahu Alon St. 14, Jerusalem.

  • Q: What is a hackathon?

  • A: A hackathon is an event in which computer programmers, graphic designers and others collaborate intensively on software projects. DataHack is specifically focued around data-driven projects.

  • Q: Do I need to pay?

  • A: No, participating in DataHack is completely free. We'll also supply you with food and a place to rest.

  • Q: How can I find a team?

  • A: After registering you'll be able to log into our team creation platform, and examine open teams.
    You can also join our Facebook group to find partners or simply a team to join!

  • Q: Can I join without a team?

  • A: Definitely. After registering, you can either join a team through our registration system, dedicated Facebook group or even find partners during our preparation event or the hackathon itself, or simply work on a solo project.

  • Q: What should I bring?

  • A: A laptop and a charger. It’s also a good idea to bring a sleeping bag/blanket/pillow. We will take care of the rest.

  • Q: I'm not sure I'm experienced enough.

  • A: We want participants with different skill levels at DataHack! Some of our participants last year were undergrads with no experience at all, and we intend to have some this year as well. Mentors will be available onsite to help you tackle the challenges you are facing. This is a great opportunity to learn and sharpen your skills!

  • Q: I think I might be too experienced for this.

  • A: We hosted many highly experienced individuals as participants in DataHack 2015, including faculty members from computer science and statistics and industry professionals with years of experience. There is no such thing as too experienced for a hackathon. :)

  • Q: Where can I sleep?

  • A: We will provide you with mattresses; you'll bring the sleeping bags. It will be like a giant nerdy slumber party!

  • Q: Will food be provided? Will it be Kosher?

  • A: Ludicrous amounts of food will be provided, free of charge, throughout the event! And it will all have Rabbanut-issued Kashrut certificate.

  • Q: Will a separate sleeping arrangement for women and men be available?

  • A: While the main sleeping hall will probably be shared, we will make smaller rooms available for those uncomfortable with it.


Rules & Projects

    Q: Are there limits to team size?

    A: Yes. There is no minimum size (so one-person teams are allowed), but the maximum team size is 5.

  • Q: Who are the judges?

  • A: Judges will be a panel that includes academics, designers and developers. We are currently in the process of determining judges. An official notice will be given at a later date.

  • Q: How will the competition work?

  • A: All teams will get to present their project to a team of first round judges. A small number of teams - those scoring the highest at the first round - will then get to pitch their projects in our closing event, in front of a small panel of our finals judges - and all other attendants - which will select the three winning teams.

  • Q: By what criteria will projects be judged?

  • A: Generally, projects will be judged by level of innovation - especially in the use and processing of data, technical complexity and level of completeness. For product-aimed projects, product-realted aspects (such as design, UI, market fit and even a sketch for a viable business model) will also be considered.

  • Q: If I'm tackling a sponsored challenge, can I still take part in the main competition?

  • A: Yes. While you can't work on a separate project for the main competition, you may present you challenge project both before the challenge panel and before the main competition panel.