What happens beyond hackathons?
Kuva: Martin Sommerschield
Katja Hagman ja Heli Hidén
City of Espoo
6Aika Growthecosystems
Background
6Aika and the City of Espoo developed a tool that any city can use while planning to either host or participate in a hackathon. The tool includes a process description and a checklist of what the city should consider before and during a hackathon. The specific goal from a business point of view is to answer the question “what happens beyond hackathons” and provide paths to how the city can best support the further development of hackathon ideas until they are commercialized
1. HACKATHON PREPARATIONS
CHALLENGE
BASKET / IDEA
PORTFOLIO
MENTORING
GATHERING
THE
ORGANIZING
TEAM
PREPARATIONS
& ARRANGE-
MENTS
SETTING THE
FOCUS
SELECTING THE
WINNERSPITCHINGINFORMING
WHAT KIND OF
A HACKATHON?
Hackathon
agreement
When is a hackathon a suitable method?
How does the city benefit from hosting a hackathon?
What kind of data is available in the city? Are there
open data and / or interfaces that can be utilised?
Owner
Substance Expert
Hackathon Expert
Strategic Expert
IT Expert
Procurement Expert and Lawyer
Marketing Expert
Other Facilitators, Mentors and Judges
Judges
Decision
Awards
Starting point and goal
Refining the challenge
Participant profiles and teams
A preliminary plan for what happens after the
hackathon
Pilot environments
Budget
Contract templates
Competition material
Communication and marketing plan
Guidance Briefing the team before and during the event
Digital information channel
Revealing the challenge
Pitching
2. HACKATHON EVENT
Organising a hackathon or participating in a hackathon
company event?
Careful preparation and guidance enable
a smooth continuum after hackathons.
Contracts
*) The durations are estimations
At least half a year should be set aside for Hackathon preparation.
A hackathon typically lasts 1-3 days.
OTHER
METHODS OF
DEVELOPMENT
LARGE
ENTREPRISE
STRATUP
PROGRAMS
BUSINESS
ESTABLISH-
MENT &
SERVICES FOR
ENTREPRE-
NEURS
THE TEAM / HACKER
CONTINUES WITH
THE CITY
(co-creationt /
recruitment)
THE TEAM DOES NOT
CONTINUE
DEVELOPMENT
TEST
free of charge
3-6 m
IDEA & TALENT
POOL
(limited / open)
4Q
PILOT
Subject to
payment
6 m <
CITY
CONTINUES
DEVELOPMENT
INDEPENDENT-
LY OR WITH A
PARTNER
IMPLEMEN-
TATION
OTHER
MARKETS
LOCAL
BUSINESS
SERVICE
ADVISOR
2 w
ee
ks
FOLLOW-UPMEETING
TEAM / HACKER
CONTINUES
DEVELOPMENT IN
THE INNOVATION
ECOSYSTEM
City’s
development
right
Agreement for
pilot and
implementation
Test
Agreement
Simultaneous
development
BUSINESS
SERVICES
INTERNATIO-
NALIZATION
ACCELE-
RATORS
INCUBATORS
RDI
ACTORS
1-2 m 3 m
Ap
plica
tio
n tim
es a
nd
pro
gra
m d
ura
tio
ns
va
ry fro
m w
ee
ks t
o m
on
ths
3. AFTER
HACKATHONS
The team does not continue development
The team / hacker continues with the city
The team / hacker continues develompent in the innovation ecosystem
Contracts
*) The durations are estimations
Steps & checklist
1. HACKATHON PREPARATIONS
CHALLENGE
BASKET / IDEA
PORTFOLIO
GATHERING
THE
ORGANIZING
TEAM
PREPARATIONS
& ARRANGE-
MENTS
SETTING THE
FOCUS
WHAT KIND OF
A HACKATHON?
Hackathon
agreement
When is a hackathon a suitable method?
How does the city benefit from hosting a hackathon?
What kind of data is available in the city? Are there
open data and / or interfaces that can be utilised?
Owner
Substance Expert
Hackathon Expert
Strategic Expert
IT Expert
Procurement Expert and Lawyer
Marketing Expert
Other facilitators, mentors and judges
Starting point and goal
Refining the challenge
Participant profiles and teams
A preliminary plan for what happens after the
hackathon
Pilot environments
Budget
Contract templates
Competition material
Communication and marketing plan
Organising a hackathon or participating in a hackathon
company event?
Careful preparation and guidance enable a smooth continuum
after hackathons.
At least half a year should be set aside for Hackathon preparation.
OTHER
METHODS OF
DEVELOPMENT
SETTING THE FOCUSWHAT KIND OF A
HACKATHON?
PREPARATIONS &
ARRANGEMENTS
CHALLENGE
BASKET / IDEA
PORTFOLIO
HACKATHON
AGREEMENT
City challenges and baskets
The city can organize open challenge competitions
for its different sectors. The ideas are collected in a
challenge basket / idea portfolio and the best
challenges are selected for further development.
The most suitable development method (e.g.
hackathon) is selected for each challenge.
When to arrange/ participate in a hackathon?
Hackathon is a great tool especially when
completely new ideas are wanted from outside of the
organization. Alternatively, a hackathon can be
arranged to gather solutions to a very specific
problem. Hackathons are also often organized
based on open data / interfaces that are available.
Deciding to arrange / participate in a hackathon
• Decision making and practices for organizing a
hackathon vary from unit to unit.
• Preparations take approximately 6 monts.
Hackathon incentives
• The city can encourage its employees to
arrange / participate in hackathons by setting a
budget intended specifically for hackathons.
How does the city benefit from hackathons?
• Hackathon teams potentially create new
innovative businesses and employ citizens.
• Hackathon is a good channel for marketing.
The event can be used to promote new
technologies that are used by the city or to
attract new employees for example.
• Hackathons should be used to develop the core
services of the city.
Initial goal
• What are the desired outcomes of the
hackathon? What kinds of opportunities for
further development can be provided?
Refining the challenge
• Hackathon always carries the risk that a
suitable solution may not be found.
• Refining the challenge requires a lot of effort.
The challenge should not be too broad nor too
narrow. The challenge should be specific
enough, but there should also be left room for
ideas.
• The challenge must not be unclear or obscure.
• Self-organized hackathons often have a more
specific challenge that provides outcomes that
meet with the precise need of the organizer.
Who should be involved to refining the
challenge?
• The challenge is defined by the city's own
hackathon expert together with sector
management. Other persons in the unit may
also be involved.
• A hackathon company may provide support for
setting the challenge, if participating in their
hackathon.
Setting a challenge together with an external
partner:
Shared challenges (e.g. 6Aika cities together) create
credibility and a multiple amount of opportunities for
further development.
• A wide range of experts are needed at different
stages of the process. The roles and
responsibilities need to be clearly defined.
• It needs to be checked if the experts are
available if the event takes place during a
weekend.
Owner / customer
• The owner has a decision-making role at
various stages including: setting the challenge,
judging, evaluating tests and pilots as well as
deciding for implementation.
• The owner must commit to the entire process
so that the solutions end up to be further
developed after the hackathon. If there is no
clear ownership, then the hackathon outcomes
are easily forgotten or the responsibility is
shifted to the Hackathon Expert.
Organizing team:
• Substance Expert
• Hackathon Expert (gives advice related to the
practical arrangements)
• Strategic Expert
• IT Expert (IT and data)
• Procurement Expert and a Lawyer
(procurement models and contract templates)
• Marketing Expert (commits to the job for at
least one year. The task involves marketing
before and after the event)
• Other Facilitators, Mentors and Judges etc.
(Other participants must be trained and
recruited)
Taking part in a ready-made hackathon or
organizing your own?
A. Deciding to participate in a ready-made
hackathon:
• Events typically take place during weekends.
• It is possible to have several challenges from
different sectors of the city.
• The hackathon company helps with the
arrangements (e.g. setting the challenge).
Nevertheless, participating requires a lot of
work – “it is like organizing an event within an
event.”
• Participation costs a lot of money. On the other
hand, it requires less work compared to
organizing your own event.
• The challenge is often only presented at the
event, so that the teams can not prepare for it.
• The participants are selected by the company.
• There are a lot of student participants.
B. Deciding to organize your own hackathon:
• It is a good idea to organize the hackathon by
yourself, if there is a specific existing challenge
that you hope to solve.
• Typically there are fewer (maybe just one) and
more specific challenge(s). Thus, the outcomes
are easier to predict.
• You get to decide the time and date by yourself.
• The workload is bigger.
• You need to invest in recruiting the participants
and you get to choose them by yourself.
Business Finland can be asked for help incase
you are looking for international participants.
• Existing companies / start-ups often take part in
these types of hackathons with an existing
solution that they want to market to the city.
• Ready teams are more prepared and commited
to the development paths after the hackathon.
The procurement process needs to be planned ahead by
evaluating the value of the hackathon, of the potential test, pilot
and implementation. The appropriate procurement procedure
needs to be selected and the documents need to be prepared.
Budget
• In addition to the cost of organizing the event, budgeting
should also take into account prizes, giveaways, and
further development paths.
• In principle, the owner pays for the event, since it benefits
most of it.
• Events can also be organized in co-operation with different
sectors, whereby costs are paid from a cross-administrative
budget.
Agreement templates
• Acquisition laws are very strict and lawyers always review
the contracts. It is not advisable to outsource the
procurement process.
• The templates and materials used in the process can be
planned in advance, but the substance is missing.
An initial plan for the development paths
• The goal is to start testing the outcomes of the hackathon
as quickly as possible. Preliminary plans with testing
environments need to be made before the hackathon takes
place.
• Some of the outcomes might not be tested or used right
after the hackathon. The ideas should be stored and
returned to according to an annual plan.
Marketing plan
• A marketing plan should be made for before, during and
after the event.
• It is worth investing in, because the multiplier effects can be
enormous for both the teams and the city.
• Pre-marketing is important especially if the event is self-
organized. It will help to attract more participants to the
event.
• IPR and possible variations for
different levels of outcomes (idea
vs. product) should be clearly
communicated during enrollment.
• Hackathon companies have their
own contract templates that need to
be revised from a city perspective.
In principle, solutions are based on
open data and IPR is owned by the
teams.
• As a public entity, the city of Espoo,
for example, is not interested in
IPR. With the consent of the team,
the city will be granted access and
the rights for further development.
• Strict requirements, especially
without compensation, can expel
participants.
1. HACKATHON PREPARATIONS
GATHERING THE
ORGANIZING TEAM
1. Which sector is arranging the hackathon?
2. Who decides for arranging the hackathon?
3. For what purpose is the hackathon arranged?
How does it support the strategy and goals of
the city?
4. What do you want to achieve with the
hackathon and what are its goals?
5. What kind of data does the city have that
could be used during the hackathon? Check
for open data and / or interfaces to use.
Whose permission is needed for using and
accessing data?
6. Is the help of a Hackathon Expert needed?
What do you need help with?
1. Describe the challenge:
2. Link to strategic objectives:
3. Desired outcomes (open or specific):
4. Preliminary testing and / or piloting
environments:
What kinds of resources are needed? If the event
takes place during a weekend, check that it is ok for
the employee and his superior.
Team members and tasks:
1. Owner
Name:
Superior:
Work estimate & tasks:
2. Substance Expert
Name:
Superior:
Work estimate & tasks:
3. Hackathon Expert
Name:
Superior:
Work estimate & tasks:
4.Strategic Expert
Name:
Superior:
Work estimate & tasks:
5. IT Expert
Name:
Superior:
Work estimate & tasks:
6. Procurement Expert
Name:
Superior:
Work estimate & tasks:
7. Lawyer
Name:
Superior:
Work estimate & tasks:
8. Marketing Expert
Name:
Superior:
Work estimate & tasks:
1. Are you going to participate in a ready-made
hackathon or will you organize the hackathon
by yourself? Justify the answer by reflecting
on previously set goals.
2. What kind of hackers are you hoping for?
3. Can they sign up as a ready team?
4. Can they prepare for the event? When will the
challenge be revealed?
Development paths:
1. What happens after the hackathon (e.g.
testing and piloting)? What do you wish to
happen?
2. Preliminary testing or pilot environments and
contacts:
3. Annual plan and forum for revisiting
hackathon outcomes:
Competition material
1. Who is responsible for the material?
2. What data and interfaces are used?
3. What other material is used?
4. How to access the material? Whose
permission is needed?
5. By what date should the material be ready
for the hackathon?
6. What language is the material in?
7. How is the data shared with the hackers?
(technical format):
8. Is it provided to them in advance before the
event?
Marketing plan
1. Who is responsible for marketing?
2. What languages are used?
3. Graphic design (+ logos):
4. Physical materials (poster / brochure /
stand):
5. Which social media channels do you
communicate with? (contents, hashtags)
6. What other media channels do you use?
(newsletter…)
7. Is there a need for a website or facebook
event pages?
Procurement and contract templates
1. Is a business ID required from the
participants?
2. Who is responsible for the contracts? Check
them with the lawyer.
3. Are you you going to participate in a ready-
made hackathon? If yes, check the contract
templates and adjust them if needed. (As a
public entity, the city of Espoo, for example,
is not interested in IPR. With the consent of
the team, the city will be granted access and
the rights for further development.)
Budget
1. Who is responsible for the budget?
2. What budget is the cost of the hackathon
and the cost of the development paths linked
to?
3. How big is the budget for the different units
bellow?
Fill in:
1. Event:
Contents:
Budget:
Type of contract:
Additional Information:
2. Prize:
Contents:
Budget:
Type of contract:
Additional Information:
3. Test:
Contents:
Budget:
Type of contract:
Additional Information:
4. Pilot & implementation:
Contents:
Budget:
Type of contract:
Additional Information:
5. Simultaneous development with the
Innovation Ecosystem:
(Contents:)
(Budget:)
Type of contract:
(Additional Information:)
1. HACKATHON PREPARATIONS: CHECKLIST
SETTING THE FOCUSWHAT KIND OF A
HACKATHON?
PREPARATIONS &
ARRANGEMENTS
CHALLENGE
BASKET / IDEA
PORTFOLIO
GATHERING THE
ORGANIZING TEAM
HACKATHON
AGREEMENT
MENTORINGSELECTING THE
WINNERSPITCHINGINFORMING
Judges
Decision
Awards
Guidance Briefing the team before and during the event
Digital information channel
Revealing the challenge
Pitching
2. HACKATHON EVENT
A hackathon typically lasts 1-3 days.
INFORMINGSELECTING THE
WINNERS
Revealing the challenge
• If the challenge is revealed before the event, for
example, when the registration opens,
participants will have a better chance to
prepare. Optionally, only the theme behind the
challenge can be revealed.
Pitching
• A sufficient amount of time must be reserved for
practicing the pitch.
• Pitching is part of marketing too and it is be
important to be physically present in the event.
• In ready-made hackathons, the importance of
pitching is emphasized, because the
participants get to choose the challenge that
they will participate in.
Briefing the teams
• A Q&A session is arranged before the event in
order to provide information on the topic.
• The event should be marketed well so that as
many people as possible will attend.
• The city should invite a sufficient number of its
experts to answer the questions.
• Participants can ask questions outside the
event via a selected communication
application. One should reserve plenty of time a
few weeks before the event for answering those
questions.
Marketing the development paths
• There should be as much information as
possible before and during the hackathon.
• Many participants do not know about the
options and possibilities.
Attending clinics before and after the event:
• Clinics are events for identifying the interests or
needs of the hackers / teams and offering the
correct services to meet their demands.
Briefing the mentors
• Mentors are experts of a specific topic (theme
or technique).
• Mentors must be trained for the task before the
event.
• Mentors do not have to be city employees. In
that case, they must be given a short brief
about the city and the specific sector.
• One info-session is enough. Otherwise, the
task takes too much time and commitment.
• Mentors need to be introduced to each other
and to the teams so that they know which
questions each is best to answer.
Advising the teams
• Finding the teams at big hackathon events can
be challenging. The mentor should be outgoing
and approach the teams spontaneously.
• The mentor is not involved in solving the
problem, but sparring teams. The mentor
answers questions that clarify the challenge,
but not those that guide the team toward a
particular solution.
• The mentor ensures that the participants do not
drfit away from the given challenge.
• From further development point of view, the
teams should be guided to think about the
market potential of their solution.
• Mentors can also be involved later in the
development paths.
Judges
• There may be several judges and at best, the
owner participates in it.
• In a ready-made hackathon, judges may come
on behalf of the organizer. If they come from
outside the city organization, they must be
introduced to the subject. They must ask the
owner for his opinion too.
• The judges should be present throughout the
event so that they can better evaluate the
teams.
Decision
• The decision must be made in a very short
time. Therefore, it is a good idea to prepare the
speech beforehand. A possible Midway pitch
will also help to prepare for the final judging.
• The novelty value of the ideas, their relevance
to the challenge and the activity during the
hackathon are all things that should be
evaluated.
• Even if 1-3 winners are chosen, it does not
mean that other ideas are left out from the
development paths.
Prizes
• There may be multiple prizes e.g. recruitment,
money (e.g. 50% after the event and 50%
during development paths), the possibility to
test, pilot or implement the solution.
• Participants will get a reference that is valuable
as such.
Other arrangements
• Collect and store the final outcomes.
• Collect contact information and bank details for
the prize and for the development paths.
• Agree a meeting with the team in order to
discuss the development paths.
2. HACKATHON EVENT
MENTORINGPITCHING
1. Who is responsible for writing the pitch?
2. Who is responsible for pitching?
3. Is the help of the Hackathon Expert needed?
1. Who is responsible for arranging the Q&A?
2. When and were does the event take place?
3. Which experts are invited from the city to
answer the questions? Arrange a briefing
session for the experts before the event.
4. Who will answer the participants’ questions in
other channels?
5. How are the participants invited?
6. Will the participants be provided with an
infopackage? When? In what form?
7. Who creates the info package?
8. Will you attend or organize any clinics?
Who is responsible for inviting and briefing the
mentors?
Mentors:
1. How many mentors? The minimum amount?
2. Who are the mentors?
3. Are they city employees?
Briefing:
1. When and where will the briefing session take
place?
2. What background information and materials
are shared with the mentors?
3. What are the responsibilities of a mentor?
4. What kind of presence is expected from the
mentors?
5. Thank you gifts for mentors?
1. Who writes the speech?
2. Who will announce the winners?
3. What is the evaluation criteria?
4. What is given as a prize?
5. Where to collect and who collects contact
information and bank details?
6. Who agrees the meetings with team
members? When will they be held?
7. Who collects the outcomes? Where are they
stored?
2. HACKATHON EVENT: CHECKLIST
INFORMINGSELECTING THE
WINNERSMENTORINGPITCHING
LARGE
ENTREPRISE
STRATUP
PROGRAMS
BUSINESS
ESTABLISH-
MENT &
SERVICES FOR
ENTREPRE-
NEURS
THE TEAM / HACKER
CONTINUES WITH
THE CITY
(co-creation /
recruitment)
TEST
free of charge
3-6 m
PILOT
Subject to
payment
6 m <
IMPLEMEN-
TATION
OTHER
MARKETS
LOCAL
BUSINESS
SERVICE
ADVISOR
TEAM / HACKER
CONTINUES
DEVELOPMENT IN
THE INNOVATION
ECOSYSTEM
Agreement for
pilot and
implementation
Test
Agreement
Simultaneous
development
BUSINESS
SERVICES
INTERNATIO-
NALIZATION
ACCELE-
RATORS
INCUBATORS
RDI
ACTORS
1-2 m 3 m
Ap
plica
tio
n tim
es a
nd
pro
gra
m d
ura
tio
ns
va
ry fro
m w
ee
ks t
o m
on
ths
THE TEAM DOES NOT
CONTINUE
DEVELOPMENT
IDEA & TALENT
POOL
(limited / open)
4Q
CITY
CONTINUES
DEVELOPMENT
INDEPENDENT-
LY OR WITH A
PARTNER
2 w
ee
ks
FOLLOW-UPMEETING
City’s
development
right
3. AFTER
HACKATHONS
The team does not continue development
The team / hacker continues with the city
The team / hacker continues develompent in the innovation ecosystem
Contracts
*) The durations are estimations
THE TEAM DOES NOT
CONTINUE
DEVELOPMENT
IDEA & TALENT POOL
(limited / open)
4Q
CITY CONTINUES
DEVELOPMENT
INDEPENDENT-LY OR
WITH A PARTNER
MEETING
CITY’S
DEVELOPMENT
RIGHT
Internal meeting
The outcomes are place on a roadmap.
Meeting with the teams
• A meeting is held with the team to discuss
further development paths. The meeting should
be pre-arranged within the next 2-3 weeks after
the hackathon. Otherwise the team may be
difficult to reach. The meeting can also be
arranged via Skype.
• The meeting is one of the most important
stages of the development paths. The interests
and the readiness of the team / hacker are
discussed.
• Different development path possibilities are
discussed. The discussion must be as open as
possible and the realities related to durations
and requirements should be brought up.
• A local Business Service Advisor can be invited
to this meeting or a following one, if the team /
hacker shows intrest towards entrepreneurship.
• Lack of experience within hackers is one of the
most common obstacles on the way of the
development paths. Loose team structures are
also a challenge.
• After the meeting, the team will be asked to
send a plan / proposal for the development
path.
The team may refuse to develop the results for a
variety of reasons.
• If the team does not want to continue, then the
city should have possibility to continue working
on it either independently or with another
partner. This should be clearly communicated
from the start.
• As a public entity, the city of Espoo, for
example, is not interested in IPR. With the
consent of the team, the city will be granted
access and the rights for further development.
• Ideas can be collected in an Idea Pool. New
opportunities for further development can be
found.
• Contact information of identified talents can
also be presented, if the person gives the
permission.
Some of the outcomes might not be used right after
the hackathon. The ideas should be stored and
returned to according to an annual plan.
• The city should have clear guidelines for when
and in what form the outputs can be distributed.
• The city can continue to develop the outcmes in
university courses for example.
3. AFTER THE HACKATHON / THE TEAM DOES NOT CONTINUE DEVELOPMENT
FOLLOW-UP
1. Who saves the outcomes of the teams?
Where are the files stored? Do you need
technical support for it (e.g. format)?
2. When is the internal meeting? Who should
participate?
3. A roadmap is prepared in the internal
meeting. Are the final outputs suitable for the
intended testing environments?
4. When is the meeting with the team(s)
member(s)? Where is it arranged (e.g.
Skype)? Which actors from the Innovation
Ecosystem are invited to the meeting?
5. What is the maturity of the idea / prototype,
the motivation of the team and the readiness
for the development paths?
6. Is the team asked to make a proposal / plan
for the development paths? When is thenext
meeting? Who should be invited?
1. Does the city want to continue to develop the
outcomes? If yes, then who will ask the team
for permission to continue developing the
outcomes.
2. Who will ask the team for permission to add
contact information and the ideas to the
Talent and Idea Pool?
1. How, where and when can the final outputs be
shared and further developed?
1. Who saves ideas in the Idea Pool?
2. Who adds the talents to the Talent Pool?
1. Who invites the team?
2. When is the meeting held?
Evaluate the development paths and the roadmap:
1. What has been done so far? How
successfully?
2. What should be done next?
1. With whom is the development continued
(e.g. Universities)?
3. AFTER THE HACKATHON / THE TEAM DOES NOT CONTINUE DEVELOPMENT: CHECKLIST
THE TEAM DOES NOT
CONTINUE
DEVELOPMENT
IDEA & TALENT POOL
(limited / open)
4Q
CITY CONTINUES
DEVELOPMENT
INDEPENDENT-LY OR
WITH A PARTNER
MEETING
CITY’S
DEVELOPMENT
RIGHT FOLLOW-UP
LARGE
ENTREPRISE
STRATUP
PROGRAMS
BUSINESS
ESTABLISH-
MENT &
SERVICES FOR
ENTREPRE-
NEURS
THE TEAM DOES NOT
CONTINUE
DEVELOPMENT
IDEA & TALENT
POOL
(limited / open)
4Q
CITY
CONTINUES
DEVELOPMENT
INDEPENDENT-
LY OR WITH A
PARTNER
OTHER
MARKETS
LOCAL
BUSINESS
SERVICE
ADVISOR
TEAM / HACKER
CONTINUES
DEVELOPMENT IN
THE INNOVATION
ECOSYSTEM
City’s
development
right
Simultaneous
development
BUSINESS
SERVICES
INTERNATIO-
NALIZATION
ACCELE-
RATORS
INCUBATORS
RDI
ACTORS
Ap
plica
tio
n tim
es a
nd
pro
gra
m d
ura
tio
ns
va
ry fro
m w
ee
ks t
o m
on
ths
THE TEAM / HACKER
CONTINUES WITH
THE CITY
(co-creation /
recruitment)
TEST
free of charge
3-6 m
PILOT
Subject to
payment
6 m <
IMPLEMEN-
TATION
2 w
ee
ks
FOLLOW-UPMEETING
Agreement for
pilot and
implementation
Test
Agreement
1-2 m 3 m
3. AFTER
HACKATHONS
The team does not continue development
The team / hacker continues with the city
The team / hacker continues develompent in the innovation ecosystem
Contracts
*) The durations are estimations
THE TEAM / HACKER
CONTINUES WITH THE
CITY
(co-creation / recruitment)
TEST
free of charge
3-6 m
MEETING
TEST
AGREEMENT
Internal meeting
The outcomes are place on a roadmap.
Meeting with the teams
• A meeting is held with the team to discuss
further development paths. The meeting should
be pre-arranged within the next 2-3 weeks after
the hackathon. Otherwise the team may be
difficult to reach. The meeting can also be
arranged via Skype.
• The meeting is one of the most important
stages of the development paths. The interests
and the readiness of the team / hacker are
discussed.
• Different development path possibilities are
discussed. The discussion must be as open as
possible and the realities related to durations
and requirements should be brought up.
• A local Business Service Advisor can be invited
to this meeting or a following one, if the team /
hacker shows intrest towards entrepreneurship.
• Lack of experience within hackers is one of the
most common obstacles on the way of the
development paths. Loose team structures are
also a challenge.
• After the meeting, the team will be asked to
send a plan / proposal for the development
path.
Co-Creation
The city reviews the team's development plan.
Recruitment
Many take part in hackathons hoping to find a job.
Recruitment in cities can be stif and slow. Further
opportunities for recruitment need to be explored.
Note
Only a part of the team might continue to develop
the outcomes.
• The type of test is selected on a case by case
basis. The contract type is selected
accordingly.
• The option of a pilot can be included in the
contract.
• The final outputs of the hackathon are typically
early stage ideas or concepts.
• During the tests, the end product is co-created
to fit the city's needs.
• The tests are used to evaluate if the solution
has potential in practice.
• The tests provide teams / hackers important
information about the real context of use.
• The functionality and suitability of the solution
to the city organization is evaluated.
• In the 50% / 50% model, the second part of the
prize will be paid.
• If the solution is not pilot-ready after the test,
the team can be guided to other services of the
Innovation Ecosystem.
The city sector together with the owner decide on
the acquisition following the standard procurement
process.
Note
• The templates and materials used in the
process can be prepared in advance, but the
substance can only be filled in later.
• It is difficult to speed up the process. Thus, the
team must be prepared to commit to the
process for a longer period of time.
3. AFTER HACKATHONS: THE TEAM / HACKER CONTINUES WITH THE CITY
FOLLOW-UP
AGREEMENT FOR
PILOT AND
IMPLEMENTATION
IMPLEMEN-
TATION
PILOT
Subject to
payment
6 m <
• Ready or almost ready products are piloted.
• The pilot is tied to procurement and implementation.
• The purpose of a pilot is to ensure that the product is set for implementation from the overall architecture
point of view.
• It is still possible to make small changes to the product during the pilot.
• The pilot and its effectiveness is evaluated.
• Implementation will be carried out after a successful pilot in accordance with the procurement agreement.
1-2 m3 m
1. Who saves the outcomes of the teams?
Where are the files stored? Do you need
technical support for it (e.g. format)?
2. When is the internal meeting? Who should
participate?
3. A roadmap is prepared in the internal
meeting. Are the final outputs suitable for the
intended testing environments?
4. When is the meeting with the team(s)
member(s)? Where is it arranged (e.g.
Skype)? Which actors from the Innovation
Ecosystem are invited to the meeting?
5. What is the maturity of the idea / prototype,
the motivation of the team and the readiness
for the development paths?
6. Is the team asked to make a proposal / plan
for the development paths? When is thenext
meeting? Who should be invited?
1. Who is part of the development team?
2. What kinds of roles and tasks do the team
members have?
3. How well does the plan meet with the needs
of the city?
4. What kinds of concrete goals are set untill the
follow-up meeting? What criteria is used for
evaluation?
5. Who accepts the plan?
1. What kind of a test is arranged?
2. Updating the plan and agreement templates.
3. Who is responsible for updating the material?
1. What happens during the test?
2. What is the goal of the test?
3. Where is the test carried out?
4. Is there a need to make arrangements in the
physical testing environment?
5. When does the test take place? For how
long?
6. What kind of informing needs to be done?
7. Who are the contact people of the testing
environment?
8. Who are involved in the tests?
1. Who arranges the follow-up meeting?
2. When and where?
3. How did the test work from the company and
the testing environment point of view? What
kind of criteria is used?
4. Is the solution useful for the city?
1. Updating the plan and agreement templates.
2. Who is responsible for updating the
material?
THE TEAM / HACKER
CONTINUES WITH THE
CITY
(co-creation / recruitment)
TEST
free of charge
3-6 m
MEETING
TEST
AGREEMENT
3. AFTER HACKATHONS: THE TEAM / HACKER CONTINUES WITH THE CITY: CHECKLIST
FOLLOW-UP
AGREEMENT FOR
PILOT AND
IMPLEMENTATION
IMPLEMEN-
TATION
PILOT
Subject to
payment
6 m <
1. What happens during the pilot?
2. What is the goal of the pilot?
3. Where is the pilot carried out?
4. Is there a need to make arrangements in the physical piloting environment?
5. When does the pilot take place? For how long?
6. What kind of informing needs to be done?
7. Who are the contact people of the piloting environment?
8. What kind of evaluation criteria is used?
9. Who are involved in the tests?
1-2 m3 m
THE TEAM / HACKER
CONTINUES WITH
THE CITY
(co-creation /
recruitment)
THE TEAM DOES NOT
CONTINUE
DEVELOPMENT
TEST
free of charge
3-6 m
IDEA & TALENT
POOL
(limited / open)
4Q
PILOT
Subject to
payment
6 m <
CITY
CONTINUES
DEVELOPMENT
INDEPENDENT-
LY OR WITH A
PARTNER
IMPLEMEN-
TATION
City’s
development
right
Agreement for
pilot and
implementation
Test
Agreement
1-2 m 3 m
LARGE
ENTREPRISE
STRATUP
PROGRAMS
BUSINESS
ESTABLISH-
MENT &
SERVICES FOR
ENTREPRE-
NEURS
OTHER
MARKETS
LOCAL
BUSINESS
SERVICE
ADVISOR
2 w
ee
ks
FOLLOW-UPMEETING
TEAM / HACKER
CONTINUES
DEVELOPMENT IN
THE INNOVATION
ECOSYSTEM
Ap
plica
tio
n tim
es a
nd
pro
gra
m d
ura
tio
ns
va
ry fro
m w
ee
ks t
o m
on
ths
Simultaneous
development
The team does not continue development
The team / hacker continues with the city
The team / hacker continues develompent in the innovation ecosystem
Contracts
*) The durations are estimations
RDI
ACTORS
BUSINESS
SERVICES
INCUBATORS
INTERNATIO-
NALIZATION
ACCELE-
RATORS
3. AFTER
HACKATHONS
• Large entrprises often search for partners
that can implement pilots in a more agile
manner. This is done as venture capital
investments for example
• Large entreprises have their own
hackathons and and co-creation
opportunities.
• The progress of the team / hacker is
evaluated and the next steps are
discussed.
• In the 50% / 50% model, the second part of
the prize will be paid.
• A person from the city can continue to
mentor the team also in the Innovation
Ecosystem as a non-commercial actor.
• The local Business Service Advisor guides
to national and international networks.
• The company may have full access to
Business Finland’s services at a later stage
when the team has an established
company that wants to enter the
international market.
• The city can help companies to access
national markets in Finland through Aika
ecosystem network for example.
• Marketing effort is of great importance. City
channels have large audiences compared
to small companies.
TEAM / HACKER
CONTINUES
DEVELOPMENT IN THE
INNOVATION
ECOSYSTEM
MEETING
Internal meeting
The outcomes are place on a roadmap.
Meeting with the teams
• A meeting is held with the team to discuss further
development paths. The meeting should be pre-
arranged within the next 2-3 weeks after the
hackathon. Otherwise the team may be difficult to
reach. The meeting can also be arranged via
Skype.
• The meeting is one of the most important stages of
the development paths. The interests and the
readiness of the team / hacker are discussed.
• Different development path possibilities are
discussed. The discussion must be as open as
possible and the realities related to durations and
requirements should be brought up.
• A local Business Service Advisor can be invited to
this meeting or a following one, if the team / hacker
shows intrest towards entrepreneurship.
• Lack of experience within hackers is one of the
most common obstacles on the way of the
development paths. Loose team structures are also
a challenge.
• After the meeting, the team will be asked to send a
plan / proposal for the development path.
3. AFTER HACKATHONS: TEAM / HACKER CONTINUES DEVELOPMENT IN THE INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
LOCAL
BUSINESS
SERVICE
ADVISOR
SIMULTANEOUS
DEVELOPMENT
• For the city, it is desirable for the team to
continue the development independently, as
teams potentially create new innovative
businesses and employ citizens.
• Teams can use the Innovation Ecosystem
Services at any stage.
• The team needs to find out whether different
actors and programs have contractual
commitments and can participate in them at the
same time.
• It is not profitable for the team to develop a city-
only service if it intends to use other Innovation
Ecosystem Services, many of which are aimed
at wider and possibly international markets.
• The local Business Service Advisor evaluates
the situation of the team / hacker and guides to
the most suitable services.
FOLLOW-UPOTHER
MARKETS
LARGE ENTREPRISE
STRATUP PROGRAMS
• Business Finland seeks for IT Experts,
Software Experts and Startup Entrepreneurs
(Talent Boost). Business Finland has
developed a Startup kit, which aims to make
it easier for foreign companies to settle in
Finland. (e.g. getting a permit and practical
issues such as opening a bank account in
Finland).
• Business Finland also offers Tempo funding
for Finnish start-ups, SMEs and midcap
companies aiming for international growth.
BUSINESS
ESTABLISH-
MENT &
SERVICES FOR
ENTREPRE-
NEURS
BUSINESS
SERVICES
INTERNA-
TIONALI-
ZATION
ACCELE-
RATORSINCUBATORS
RDI
ACTORS
33. AFTER HACKATHONS: TEAM / HACKER CONTINUES DEVELOPMENT IN THE INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM: CHECKLIST
1. Who directs teams to the startup
programs of large entreprises?
1. Who from the Innovation Ecosystem will
participate in the follow-up meeting?
2. Who from the city will attend the follow-up
meeting?
3. When and where will the meeting take
place?
4. How is the progress of the teams
evaluated?
5. What kind of continuation is offered to the
team?
1. Who promtes the teams / hackers / in the
marketing channels of the Innovation
Ecosystem and the city?
2. Who will promote the teams / hackers /
companies in national and international
networks?
TEAM / HACKER
CONTINUES
DEVELOPMENT IN THE
INNOVATION
ECOSYSTEM
MEETING
LOCAL
BUSINESS
SERVICE
ADVISOR
SIMULTANEOUS
DEVELOPMENT
1. What are the concrete goals untill the follow-
up meeting?
1. Who finds out about any contractual
obligations? (Team?)
1. Who directs the team to the local Business
Service Advisor? How?
FOLLOW-UPOTHER
MARKETS
LARGE ENTREPRISE
STRATUP PROGRAMS
BUSINESS
ESTABLISH-
MENT &
SERVICES FOR
ENTREPRE-
NEURS
BUSINESS
SERVICES
INTERNA-
TIONALI-
ZATION
ACCELE-
RATORSINCUBATORS
RDI
ACTORS
1. Who saves the outcomes of the teams? Where
are the files stored? Do you need technical
support for it (e.g. format)?
2. When is the internal meeting? Who should
participate?
3. A roadmap is prepared in the internal meeting.
Are the final outputs suitable for the intended
testing environments?
4. When is the meeting with the team(s) member(s)?
Where is it arranged (e.g. Skype)? Which actors
from the Innovation Ecosystem are invited to the
meeting?
5. What is the maturity of the idea / prototype, the
motivation of the team and the readiness for the
development paths?
6. Is the team asked to make a proposal / plan for
the development paths? When is thenext
meeting? Who should be invited?
6AIKA – KASVUN EKOSYSTEEMIT: YRITYSTEN KASVUN MAHDOLLISTAMINEN KUUTOSKAUPUNKIEN YHTEISTYÖSSÄ
Thank you for your cooperationour innovation ecosystem actorsand stakeholdersKatja Hagman [email protected]
Heli Hidén [email protected]
#MakeWithEspoo #6Aika #Growthecosystems