From idea to prototype in 48 hours

Design Sprint Hackathon

A fusion of Hackathons and Design Sprints - two powerful innovation methods for rapid idea generation and early stage validation.

WHAT SETS IT APPART?

In contrast to regular innovation events, our design sprint-powered Hackathon focuses on strategically chosen challenges, involves experts, promotes sustainable results via an internal team of change agents, and ensures early stage validation.

What is a Design Sprint Hackathon
Design Sprint Hackathon

How to ensure Innovation Hackathons succeed every time

Successful innovation events transform routine work into exciting projects, leaving participants inspired and eager for more. Our events give your employees a genuine sense of purpose, making them feel valued and showing that the hackathon is more than just a simulation, but a platform for real impact.

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Focus on the right problems - teams work on well-defined challenges relevant to both business and employees.
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Use a standardized process, easy to adopt, allowing your teams to consistently replicate results.
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Remove the notion that only 'hackers' can join. Open up the creative problem-solving arena to everyone in your company
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Capitalize on local culture and resources to infuse innovation and drive participation.

Our Approach

We've revamped the typical hackathon approach for long-lasting results, by combining the power of rapid ideation and prototyping with the rigour and inclusivity of user-centred design.

In just 2 days mixed-skill teams will prototype and validate new, bold concepts that align with both your business strategy and your customer needs.

Moreover, your own team of change-makers will be there to guide participants in this creative endeavour, making sure the innovation achieved is not only effective but also consistently replicable.

Workshop Sneak Peak
Expected Outcomes
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Targeted Impact

Teams are not just brainstorming; they're solving problems that matter. Each challenge in the hackathon is connected to your strategic objectives.

Structured Creativity

Structured Creativity

Teams are not waiting for inspiration to strike. Over the span of two days they follow a structured sequence of activities designed to spark creativity and boost collaboration.

Tangible Solutions

Teams will leverage AI to create realistic prototypes at speed, capturing the essence of their best ideas. No-code required.

User-Centricity

Each challenge we take on is deeply grounded in genuine user needs, ensuring the solutions are both inventive and applicable.

Innovation Hackathon Journey

Challenge Selection

At the heart of every successful innovation event is a strategically chosen challenge. Without it, the bright ideas created during these events risk fading into oblivion, never to be developed further. Our focus on well-defined, business aligned challenges ensures that every idea generated has the potential to become something more - a tangible, meaningful innovation that resonates with the organization's mission and the participants' aspirations.

  • A set of well-defined, strategic challenges
  • Commitment and buy-in from sponsors
  • Clear Challenge Briefs
Duration: 4-hour Problem Framing Workshop

Pre-Hackathon Planning

The success of a hackathon hinges not just on great ideas, but on the right mix of people bringing those ideas to life. In this phase, we place immense importance on curating the participant list and matching the right skills and mindsets to the challenges at hand. We don't just choose participants; we thoroughly onboard them before the hackathon. This ensures that participants are not just present but are genuinely engaged and motivated.

  • Selected participants based on skills and expertise
  • Pre-formed cross-functional teams
  • Pre-hackathon briefing with the teams
Duration: 2-3 weeks

Build an Internal Team of Change Agents

We assist organizations in creating their own teams of expert design sprint facilitators. Our training, trusted by industry leaders like RGA, Roche, SAP, and PwC, emphasizes immediate skill application through immersive learning experiences. We also equip this core team with standardized playbooks and tools to ensure consistent excellence across various innovation events.

  • Ambassadors skilled in creative problem-solving and workshop leadership
  • Standardised practice across diverse innovation hackathon events
Duration: 5-day Bootcamp

The 3-Day Design Sprint Hackathon

Diverse teams of experts come together to tackle a variety of business challenges. They work in parallel, guided by the Design Sprint process – a structured, creative method originally developed by Google. It's a collaborative environment, where teams prototype and test ideas directly with customers.

  • A structured framework
  • Functional AI-powered prototypes
  • Real customer feedback
Duration: 3 days

Post-Hackathon | Demo Day

Demo Day is all about showing off what we've built to the those who make the big decisions. It's impactful because instead of guessing what customers want; teams get  to show what actually works.

  • Engaging pitches with real impact
  • Stakeholder feedback & action plan
  • Recognition and festivity
Duration: 2 days  
What to expect during the Innovation Hackathon?
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Structured ideation
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Focused challenges
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Lots of fun
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Time pressure
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Energetic sessions
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AI-powered prototypes
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User-centricity
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Customer-tested solutions
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Effective cross-functional teams
Ready to learn more? Let's talk!
"Thank you, DSA, for your energy and commitment in supporting the SAP devXchallenge teams across various locations around the globe. Your guidance helped spark an 'out-of-the-box' mindset and excited us about making real change"
CAMERON ROUSE, INNOVATION MANAGER | DEVXCHALLENGE @SAP
Case Studies and Effective Strategies
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Ready for big wins at warp speed?

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