Organize Your Hackathon

Internal or External: Which Hackathon Format Fits Your Goal?

Feature	External Hackathon	Internal Hackathon
Who participates	Outside developers, entrepreneurs, designers	Your own employees
Best for	Building an ecosystem around your platform or brand	Training teams, kick-starting internal projects, culture change
Typical outcome	Prototypes built on your API/SDK, new community leads	Internal innovations, cross-team collaboration, upskilled staff
Running since	2010 (800+ hackathons)	2012 (150+ hackathons)

External Hackathons: Build an Ecosystem Around Your Platform

Inspire your team and start building an ecosystem of external developers and entrepreneurs. It takes time to generate open innovation; external hackathons are the fastest way to start.

Hackathon participants collaborating around laptops during an in-person event

ExperimentDevelop and test prototypes in just 2 days

NetworkConnect with entrepreneurs and developers, and build lasting relationships

InspireShow your internal teams how startups actually work

How an External Hackathon Runs

Project Kickoff

A kickoff meeting with a team dedicated to your needs to establish common purpose, address your priorities, and outline project milestones together.

We define the format of the program, the event experience, the desired audience, and the overall objectives together. This kickoff enables our project manager to design a complete workback schedule of the production phase and create a list of all necessary steps for the success of your project.

F2F or virtual meeting set up by a project manager
Dedicated logistics management to keep planning and event delivery running smoothly
Delivery of a general workback schedule and project dashboard consisting of all tasks, owners, and deadlines
Delivery of a cue-sheet that defines the resources (human and logistics) required

Participant Recruitment

Based on the profiles you're targeting, our communications and outreach team defines a structured and consistent communication plan to maximize the number of attendees.

We have proven expertise in sourcing specific profiles to maximize the quality of your event. We reach out to potential participants based on their skills, the programming languages they master, and their domains of expertise, sourcing the best developers, designers, engineers, and marketers to generate the best teams possible at your hackathon.

Creation of a dedicated website + registration portal: design, copywriting, and integration included
1:1 recruitment strategy, plus BeMyApp and external community sourcing, university networks
Media plan creation and management / tailored social media strategy and management
4 weeks of communication, follow-up, and recruitment managed by our outreach department

Ideation and Training

Leverage the weeks preceding your hackathon to train registered developers on specific technologies and help innovators refine their ideas.

We put a lot of effort into training participants before your event; a great startup is, after all, a great idea. The ideation phase lets mentors from your company connect with idea generators and help them find real product/market fit for your customer segment. We can also train developers on specific SDKs/APIs if necessary, so they arrive prepared at the hackathon.

If online: we set up a fully branded ideation platform 4 weeks before the event, where experts connect with registrants through an ideation forum, webinars, and 1:1 mentoring sessions
If IRL: the week before the event, we organize a training night for all registrants, starting with an ideation session, followed by a technical workshop

Hackathon

We are the global leader in organizing hackathons, capable of producing and managing your white-label hackathon anywhere in the world.

Over 48 hours, participants collaborate to build innovative projects around your theme or technology. Our events are fully tailored and white-labeled to align with your brand; we handle the entire production so you can focus on connecting with participants.

Entire logistical production, including the venue, catering, technical setup, and IT providers, are handled by our logistics staff
On-site entertainment and participant management handled by our emcees
Deliverables also include event timing, show flow, judging process management, and mentor management
1 BeMyApp senior project manager committed to the success of your event

Incubation

We launched an incubation program and methodology to foster the development of a project from prototype to final product.

Our 8-week program is created and run by a team of startup experts with 5+ years of experience in the field. We set up an online platform and manage the progress of incubated teams daily, and recruit external mentors to provide 1:1 coaching on the technical, design, and strategic needs of participants.

Incubation virtual platform setup, design, and online support
Daily/weekly follow-up and deadline management
Setup of coding sprints, workshops, and webinars tailored to participating teams

Launch

We have the expertise and a network of experts to boost the launch of new startups by helping them land their first clients.

Our internal business acceleration specialists organize a tailored 8-week program consisting of business experiments and tailored PR actions. Drawing on our large client base creates a win-win: companies connect with disruptive startups, who in turn get their first clients.

Platform setup, design, and online support fully managed by our staff
Daily follow-up and deadline management
Setup of workshops and experiments with potential clients

Acceleration

Time to raise funds. At this step, startups need capital to grow and scale.

We've developed our own network of venture capital firms interested in investing in disruptive startups. We make the introductions, plan the meetings, and make sure startups are ready to give their best; we can also arrange meetings with your own corporate VC funds.

Platform setup, design, and online support fully managed by our staff
Daily follow-up and deadline management
Setup of VC meetings and workshops based on the needs of the teams

Internal Hackathons: Kick-Start Projects With Your Own Team

Change your company’s mindset and bring new skills to internal stakeholders with a hands-on approach. Internal hackathons are the fastest way to kick-start internal projects within two days.

Participants working together during a corporate hackathon

EducateTrain your team on new skills and foster a startup mindset

PilotKick-start more projects faster and identify internal innovators

Cross-pollinateGet technical employees, marketers, and sales teams working side by side

How an Internal Hackathon Runs

Project Kickoff

A kickoff meeting with a team dedicated to your needs to establish common purpose, address your priorities, and outline project milestones together.

F2F or virtual meeting set up by a project manager
Dedicated logistics management to keep planning and event delivery running smoothly
Delivery of a general workback schedule and project dashboard consisting of all tasks, owners, and deadlines
Delivery of a cue-sheet that defines the resources (human and logistics) required

Internal Communication

We provide support in identifying the internal stakeholders you need to involve in this operation and help you craft the most engaging communications plan to get them on board.

We have deep expertise in sourcing and onboarding targeted profiles to maximize the quality of your event. We reach out to potential participants based on their skills, the programming languages they master, and other domains of expertise, sourcing the best developers, designers, engineers, and marketers to generate the best teams possible at your hackathon.

Analysis of your internal communication tools and creation of a strategic communications plan
Content creation: internal newsletters, social networks, and intranet
Direct marketing option: promotional materials and on-site promotion (i.e. office cafeteria, lounge room, etc.)

Ideation and Training

Leverage the weeks preceding your hackathon to train your participants on a specific tool or mockup software. Inspire your teams.

We're determined to train participants before your event to help them achieve the best results. We inspire teams by bringing in entrepreneurs (reverse mentoring), final users, or your top managers; the goal is to expand their creativity when it comes to meeting your business needs in terms of innovation.

If online: we set up an ideation platform 4 weeks before the event, where experts connect with registrants through an ideation forum, webinars, and 1:1 mentoring sessions
If on-site: the week before the event, we organize a training night for all registrants, starting with an ideation session, followed by a technical workshop

Hackathon

We've been organizing internal innovation operations since 2013, focused on developing internal synergies between corporate IT teams and their operational managers.

Over two days, your business and tech teams collaborate and build valuable prototypes for your customer segments or to improve business processes. We ignite and teach the startup mindset by implementing intense pace, key deadlines, and agile methodology.

Entire logistical production, including the venue, catering, technical setup, and IT providers, are handled by our logistics staff
On-site entertainment and participant management handled by our MCs
Deliverables also include event timing, show flow, judging process management, and mentor management
1 BeMyApp senior project manager committed to the success of your event

Ideation Challenge

A completely innovative concept we started in 2014, ideation challenges resemble hackathons, but involve non-technical teams and develop creativity.

The format encourages your non-technical managers to create product mockups (applications, web services, etc.). We train them on specific software beforehand, and a pool of external designers is recruited to provide on-site support. They live the same experience as a traditional hackathon and can come up with great POCs ready to be developed and implemented.

Entire logistical production, including the venue, catering, technical setup, and IT providers, are handled by our logistics staff
On-site entertainment and participant management handled by our MCs
Deliverables also include event timing, show flow, judging process management, and mentor management
1 BeMyApp senior project manager committed to the success of your event

Technical Incubation

We launched an incubation program and methodology applicable to internal projects inside our client companies.

Our program (adjustable depending on the nature of the project) is fully managed by our startup experts. We use the same methodology as for an external incubator, including a digital incubation platform, follow-up with each team, and individual coaching sessions.

Incubation platform setup, design, and online support fully managed by our staff
Weekly follow-up and deadline management
Setup of coding sprints, workshops, and webinars based on the needs of the teams

Mockup Incubation

The best teams from the mockup-athon polish and test their mockups over the course of one month, with the support of experts and mentors.

This phase lets you test the mockups with final users and highlight the project(s) that show real business potential. Teams are mentored by our experts, and our project managers set up online/on-site business experiments to test the mockups. We can also outsource and manage an external agency to handle development of the selected project(s).

Incubation platform setup, design, and online support fully managed by our staff
Weekly follow-up and deadline management
Setup of individual coaching sessions and business experiments

What Happens After the Hackathon?

Most hackathon organizers stop when the weekend ends, but BeMyApp doesn’t.

The strongest teams move into incubation, where experts help them finalize their projects, then into launch, where they attract their first customers, and finally acceleration, where BeMyApp helps them raise money and grow.

If your goal is a working prototype your company actually uses, not just a demo, then this is the part that matters most.

See how this fits into a full corporate innovation program →

Why Companies Choose BeMyApp to Run Their Hackathon

Tailored Events

Every event is customized to your corporate identity; our project managers work with you on every detail.

Complete Service

One dedicated team handles project management, logistics, recruitment, and technical/design assets. You need one stakeholder on your side, not five.

Scalable Worldwide

With our team and ambassadors based around the world, we can run your hackathon in almost any country.

A Network Built Since 2010

Our expert and evangelist network shows up as mentors and trainers, ready to make your event count.

White-label and sponsored hackathons, coding challenges and media buying to evangelize devs around the Salesforce1 platform.

An external hackathon aimed at “hacking the house” by using an SDK to connect devices to state-of-the-art home appliances.

We ran a series of global events alongside the Tizen developer program, where Samsung was one of our key clients.

A series of hackathons around the world ran as part of the Cisco DevNet developer program.

External hackathons and incubators to developer their own IoT startup ecosystem focussing on Home, Mobility, Family, Travel, and Health.

External hackathons to invent the future of entertainment followed by an internal hackathon to bring the startup mindset inside their company.

External hackathons aimed at reinventing the future of luxury and optimizing supply chain processes based on Louis Vuitton’s business needs.

An external hackathon gathering 3rd party developers to build apps on the Verifone Commerce Platform, followed by a 3-week online incubation.

The recruitment of new leads for their GDGs in the UK and a dedicated hackathon around open data.

Full developer programs dedicated to IoT and Realsense including hackathons, incubators, meetups and digital campaigns.

Numerous hackathons and incubators to generate content on their app stores. Microsoft is also a technology partner at many of our events.

An internal hackathon aimed at creating mobile application concepts around Vodafone’s business needs while improving team cohesion.

An internal ideation to encourage Frito-Lay’s teams (division from Pepsico) to come up with new innovative solutions in terms of marketing.

A series of internal and external hackathons as well as incubators around open data.

An external hackathon to raise awareness among developers on their Bud Lab and foster the creation of innovative ideas around the Smart Bar theme.

An external hackathon where millennials shaped and built the future of healthcare using Microsoft Azure (technological partner).

See moreLess clients

What Our Hackathon Clients Say

From global airlines to telecoms to financial services, teams that need a hackathon that actually delivers keep coming back to BeMyApp.

“Having done a Hackathon ‘in-house’ previously, I can say with confidence that our partnership with BMA offered our participants a better experience... and raised the quality of submissions.”

David Jenness, IBM

“The BeMyApp team is exceptionally supportive and professional.”

Jay Burris, Intel

“The team provided great technical support... We particularly appreciated the fact that you were able to solve any issues quickly and proactively.”

Chiara Lucia, Xylem

“They are essential for a successful event.”

Maarten Greve, KLM

“They were resourceful, responsive and helpful throughout the process.”

Sandy Koh, Changi Airport

1 / 5

Client case study

Inside the n8n AI Workflow Hackathon

More than 120 builders gathered in San Francisco for a two-day event focused on AI-powered workflows using n8n’s low-code automation and AI Agent tools. The event concluded with 29 teams pitching projects and four winning teams.

Who Runs Our Hackathons

Justin Langley

CEO Project Strategy & Consulting

Cyril Attia

Founder

Lucas Bockstedt

Director of Production

Holly Walker

Director of Operations

Sydney Collins

Project Manager

Makenna Berry

Communication Manager

Brandon Latta

Sales Representative

Kiana Walker

Project Manager

Alexa Hummel

Account Executive

Book a Call With Us →

Frequently Asked Questions About Hackathons

Organizing a hackathon starts with a project kickoff to define your goals, audience, and format, followed by participant recruitment and a period of ideation and training so attendees arrive prepared. The event itself typically runs 48 hours, with logistics, judging, and mentorship handled throughout.

The strongest hackathons don't stop there; the best projects move into incubation, launch, and acceleration so they turn into something real, not just a weekend demo. See our full step-by-step process for external and internal hackathons above.

Cost depends on format (virtual, in-person, or hybrid), participant count, venue, and whether you add incubation after the event; BeMyApp scopes each hackathon individually after understanding your goals, so ask for a quote based on your specific format.

An external hackathon opens participation to outside developers and entrepreneurs to build an ecosystem around your platform, while an internal hackathon uses your own employees to kick-start projects, train new skills, and change how your teams work; both typically run over 48 hours.

A well-run hackathon needs project kickoff, participant recruitment, and ideation/training before the event itself. Most BeMyApp hackathons are planned over several weeks to allow time for proper recruitment and mentor preparation, not just event logistics.

The best hackathons don’t stop at the weekend. BeMyApp offers incubation, launch support, and acceleration so the strongest teams can keep developing their prototype into something your company can actually use or invest in.

Both! BeMyApp runs in-person, virtual, and hybrid hackathons depending on your team’s location and goals.

BeMyApp has organized 800+ external hackathons and 150+ internal corporate hackathons since 2010, across 35+ countries, making it one of the largest hackathon organizers globally.

A hackathon is a technical, code-based building sprint, while a mockup-athon, a BeMyApp format introduced in 2014, gives non-technical teams the same experience using mockup and prototyping software instead of code, making it usable across your whole organization, not just engineering.

A hackathon is a fast, intensive build sprint, typically lasting 48 hours, where participants form teams and build a working prototype from scratch.

An innovation challenge (or online competition) usually runs over a longer period, days or weeks, and focuses on developing and refining a single idea or solution to a defined problem rather than racing to build something in one sitting.

BeMyApp runs both formats, choosing the right one based on whether your goal is fast prototyping (hackathon) or deeper problem-solving on a specific challenge (online competition).