On February 1st, the Organic team showcased their innovation prowess at the New Future Ventures Hackathon, held at the Winslade Park offices. Four members of our team eagerly participated in this event organised by New Future Ventures, a platform uniting minds to explore and solve challenges in the field of artificial intelligence.

For those not similar, a Hackathon is a dynamic event where diverse talents come together to brainstorm ideas and devise solutions within their respective fields. This particular Hackathon revolved around the realm of AI, with participants arriving armed with problems seeking AI-driven solutions. Our primary objective was to ideate and construct a tool geared towards enhancing the efficiency of our SEO team. The event not only encouraged collaborative synergy but also fostered the generation of novel ideas that might not have surfaced otherwise.

99 problems, real-life challenges ain’t one

Hackathons have surged in popularity, especially in the tech industry, as a means of tackling real-life, time-sensitive challenges. More than 50% of these events become recurring due to their efficacy in addressing pressing issues. While typically associated with tech experts, Hackathons are inclusive, drawing insights from professionals across various fields. This diversity leads to a rich pool of ideas, with participants offering their unique perspectives on problem-solving.

Why hackathons work well

Hackathons are successful because they’re different from regular work setups. They create a lively and helpful atmosphere. Because of limited time, people have to work in a new way, making fast decisions, thinking carefully, and putting tasks in order of importance.

The reason Hackathons work well is that they have a clear goal for each event. This means everyone involved is working towards the same thing, using the given time to come up with good solutions together.

Our key takeaways

Our time at the Hackathon was exciting and energising. Besides learning a lot, it gave us a solid idea for our clients and a chance to make our internal work better. Even though our tool was just a test, it showed us where we could improve and gave us important insights. One big lesson was that it’s better to break hard problems into smaller parts, making it easier to solve step by step.

The workshop taught us that making quick and effective solutions is a skill that needs time and practice. Hackathons, like the one we were in, are great for developing skills, working together, and getting better at solving problems. This experience not only helped us connect with people who share our interests but also showed us that problem-solving is a continuous learning process that improves with collaboration.This collaborative way of working isn’t new to us; it’s how we developed our carbon tool.

We know tech is always changing, and we can use these skills to keep improving our own tools, website, and, most importantly, help our clients better.