What is a hackathon?

A ‘hackathon’ is typically a 12–48-hour event where cross-functional teams of coders, developers, strategists, data scientists, subject-matter experts and innovators collaborate to intensively solve a challenge in a condensed timeframe.

The goal is to develop new ideas, tools or Platforms; often culminating in a working prototype or conceptual pitch

Hackathons have historical roots in tech culture. The first official hackathon occurred in 1999 in Calgary, but informal collaboration events date back to groups like the Homebrew Computer Group, in the 1970s, where the first Apple computer was introduced.

Hackathons today span diverse industries and objectives and not all are tech orientated. One of the most inspiring hackathons run by the author was a game jam (a game development focussed hackathon), whose aim was to accelerate cures for cancer by gamifying cancer data analysis; producing scientifically accurate results thanks to water tight algorithms.

The principles and format of hackathons remain broadly the same regardless of the subject matter. In the legal sector, they have gained traction as a tool for innovation, access to justice, and engagement