TrackHack Austin 2016

See event website

TrackHack™: the Proximity ID Hackathon is the first-ever hackathon focused solely on the proximity ID technologies that power the Internet of Things. Whether radio frequency identification (RFID), Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and beacons, or near field communication (NFC), these proximity ID technologies, merged with cloud-based applications enable complete interaction between the physical and digital worlds. We are looking for developers, designers, idea folks, and pitch masters to conjure up the best proximity id applications possible. 

Schedule

  • Friday 6pm-9pm - Registration, idea pitches, team forming. 
  • Friday 9pm - Participants can stay, start hacking, hangout all night. 
  • Saturday 8am - Doors open, breakfast. 
  • Saturday 9am - Project entries due on TrackHack portal. HACKING BEGINS 
  • Saturday 12pm - Lunch. Sponsor presentations. 
  • Saturday 4pm - Stretch break.
  • Saturday 8pm - Dinner. Organizer presentations.
  • Saturday 12am - Caffeine break.
  • Sunday 4am - Towel Hour.
  • Sunday 8am - Doors open, breakfast. 
  • Sunday 9am - Project demo videos due on TrackHack portal. HACKING ENDS
  • Sunday 9am-12pm - Theater doors open. A/V testing. Pitch practice. 
  • Sunday 12pm - Lunch in Theater. Welcome judges.
  • Sunday 2pm - Project presentations. 5min setup. 2min pitch/demo. 5min Q/A. 
  • Sunday 4pm - Judges deliberations. Winners announced. 
  • Sunday 5pm - Closing remarks.

Rules

  • Build something using proximity ID technologies.
  • Don’t build something you’ve made before.
  • At least two people per team, but no more than four.
  • You’ll need to show a live demo on stage.
  • Show us how you did it, leave no doubt the work is yours.
  • Your project will be made public on our site.
  • Grant our sponsors Right of First Refusal to acquire your idea.

Prizes

  • 1st place - $5000
  • 2nd place - $3500
  • 3rd place - $1500

Scoring

  • Working Solution - Hack uses proximity ID tech and live demo works. (25%)
  • Technical Merit - Challenges overcome during build are clear and noteworthy. (25%)
  • Originality - Hack brings something novel to life. (20%)
  • Business Case - Hack built with a business model in mind. (15%)
  • Look and Feel - Apealing UI and an easy user experience. (15%)

FAQs

Why does hacking end so early on Sunday? This isn't typical of hackathons. 
We scheduled the hacking to end at 9am on Sunday purely as a suggestion for hackers to consider. This is because HW hackathons depend heavily on the demo working on stage. This takes a lot of setup and planning to get right. That's why we wanted to provide ample time for teams to access the stage where demos will take place and prepare their demos. You're more than welcome to keep working all the way up to your presentation time but it's the team's responsibility to make sure A/V failures don't happen. If they do, no extra time will be given.
 
Can I stay overnight throughout the event?
Details coming soon.  

What are my transport/parking options getting to the event?
Details coming soon.
 
Do you provide any travel reimbursement? 
We're still working with sponsors to get the event fully funded so can't promise any reimbursement at this time. If things change as we approach the event (as they sometimes do), then we will be able to offer things like reimbursing travel. TBD.

What can/can't I bring to the event?
The space is limited. Hardware should be kept to a minimum to avoid clutter. Things like laptops, screens, handheld power tools, soldering stations, power strips, and HDMI cables are good things to bring. Review our master list of everything we'll have on site.
 


We are big brother artwork

Location

TBD
Austin, United States

Dates

From 11th March 2016 - 05:00 PM
to 13th March 2016 - 08:00 PM

Prizes

1st place - $5000
2nd place - $3500
3rd place - $1500