QuickBooks Connect $100k Hackathon

We are so excited you have chosen to participate in the QuickBooks Connect Hackathon. The hackathon will bring together talented developers, designers, and entrepreneurs to compete over 36 hours by designing innovative applications to solve small business problems by leveraging the QuickBooks platform.   This Hackathon is a pre-conference event exclusively for people who have registered to attend the QuickBooks Connect Conference. Haven't signed up yet? Go to the QuickBooks Connect Conference page to register and be sure to select the optional Hackathon activity http://quickbooksconnect.com/.   Track 1: Existing Apps: If you have an existing SaaS small business app, build an innovative integration with the QuickBooks platform to make your app even more powerful and useful than before. Track 2: New Apps: Create a solution to a real problem faced by small businesses while leveraging the QuickBooks platform. This brand new app will integrate with QuickBooks Online and address a real world customer pain point. Track 3: Solutions for Non-Profits: For existing or new apps, create a solution to a real problem faced by non-profits by leveraging the QuickBooks platform. Add QuickBooks platform functionality to your existing SaaS app, or build a brand new app that leverages the QuickBooks platform. Either way, your solution addresses a real pain point for non-profits.   Grand Prize: A Grand Prize will be awarded to the best overall winner. The Grand Prize winner cannot also be a track winner. •  Track 1: Total potential value of $20k $5,000 cash (to be shared evenly among 1-5 team members). Also, if the winning app is published on the QuickBooks App Store, Apps.com, by May 2, 2016: $15k in marketing spend with an Intuit-approved agency.   •  Track 2: Total potential value of $20k $5,000 cash ( to be shared evenly among 1-5 team members). Also, if the winning app is published on the QuickBooks App Store, Apps.com, by May 2, 2016: $15k in marketing spend with an Intuit-approved agency.   •  Track 3: Total potential value of $20k $5,000 cash (to be shared evenly among 1-5 team members). Also $5000 cash to be donated to a charity (dev chooses from Intuit-approved list). Also, if the winning app is published on the QuickBooks App Store, Apps.com, by May 2, 2016: $15k in marketing spend with an Intuit-approved agency. •  Grand Prize: Total potential value of $40k $10,000 cash (to be shared evenly among 1-5 team members). Also, if winning app is published on the QuickBooks App Store, Apps.com, by May 2, 2016: $30k in marketing spend with an Intuit-approved agency.   Here’s the detailed schedule (subject to serendipity): Sunday, November 1: 08:00 AM - 10:00 AM - Arrivals, registration, breakfast 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM - Welcome and Small Business, Non-Profit Panels 11:30 AM - Coding begins 12:00 PM - Lunch 01:30 PM - 5:30 PM - Breakout Sessions 06:00 PM - Dinner TBD time - “Accountant Encounters” – get direct feedback on your app ideas 7:00 PM - “How to Pitch Your App” session **Through the night Snacks and raffles Although staying overnight isn’t required, we highly recommend it. Monday, November 2: 08:00 AM - Breakfast 09:00 AM – Iterating with Feedback from your Customers **Perfect Pitch coaching throughout the day 12:00 PM - Lunch 12:00 PM - “Accountant Encounters” – get direct feedback on your app ideas 03:00 PM - Hacking ends! 03:00 PM - 04:30 PM - Preliminary Judging 6-8pm #Unicornlibations Reception (quench your thirst and appetite before /during the finalist pitches) Tuesday, November 3: Winners announced   •  Quality and Design 33.3% (0-10 points) How elegant is the design? How well is the QuickBooks platform leveraged? How deep is the integration?   •  Impact 33.3% (0-10 points) How effective is the app at addressing the specific customer pain point? Can the team demonstrate proof points with real customer feedback?   •  Innovation 16.7% (0-5 points) How innovative is the solution? Are there similar solutions in the market? How is this different?   •  Simplicity 16.7% (0-5 points) Ease of use of app, and ease of understanding of app purpose. Is the application straightforward to use and is the UX/UI easy to use and appealing? Can the team explain it clearly?   Kaydee Peterson Ben Kepes Satya Patel Owner, Peterson Business Services Industry commentator, investor, adviser, board member Co-Founding Partner of Homebrew The official rules are here: All participants must sign their agreement to these rules upon arrival at the hackathon in order to participate. Fresh Code Rule: All code developed as part of the QuickBooks Connect Hackathon must be FRESH–that’s how we keep these things fair. Before the start of the QuickBooks Connect Hackathon, developers can create wireframes, designs and user flows. They can also come with hardware. But to keep things fair, all code must be written onsite at the QuickBooks Connect Hackathon. Other than that, almost anything goes and you can use any coding languages or open-source libraries you’d like. IP Ownership: Participants will own the rights to their work.  Code Review: Winning teams may be subject to a code-review usually following the event or immediately after demos. Team Size: Teams of up to 5 humans are allowed. You can also add 1 cyborg, Furby, drone, or Sphero. Teams may be created at the event, or prior to the event on hackathon.io.  Submissions: Projects must be submitted to Hackathon.io, which projects should be submitted on.  DEMO your hack: You must demo your hack in order to present. Don’t be scared if you didn’t finish… it’s okay long as you tried your best. You will have a maximum of 3 minutes to demo, 2 minutes for judges’ Q&A.   Code of contact : https://developer.intuit.com/docs/qbc2015_code_of_conduct NO ADD’L PUR. OR PYMNT NEC. TO ENTER OR WIN. Enter in person by 11:00am PST on 11/2/15. Must be 18+, paid attendee, and present at QuickBooks Connect 2015 Hackathon in San Jose, CA during 11/1-11/2 to participate. For complete details and prize descriptions see Official Rules. Void where prohibited. Sponsor: Intuit Inc., Mountain View, CA.