Organizers
How To Run A Hackathon Builders Trust
A practical checklist for organizers: get verified, write a sharp brief, fund real prizes, judge fairly, and follow through after the demo.
By HackVillage Team · · 5 min read
The best builders are picky about where they spend their weekends. They choose hackathons with real prizes, clear problems, and organizers who follow through. Here is a practical checklist for running a hackathon on HackVillage that builders will trust and come back to.
Get Verified Early
Your organization needs business verification before its first deposit. Request it from the prize vault page as soon as you create your first hackathon. The HackVillage team usually reviews it within 48 hours, and verified organizers carry a Verified Organizer badge on their hackathons.
Write A Problem Worth Solving
- Name who the problem affects and why it matters now.
- Pick up to three categories, such as Fintech or HealthTech, so the right builders find you through the category filter.
- List the roles you need so teams can form around them.
- Keep the rules short and specific: team size, stack limits, and IP terms.
Set Prizes You Can Fund Today
Set a prize for each place, with a minimum pool of KES 10,000. You fund the full pool plus our 5% fee before the hackathon goes live. Decide whether each prize pays half on the day and half on a milestone (the default), or pays in full on the day.
Add A Cover That Tells The Story
Upload a cover image from your hackathon page. Covers are 1600 by 900 pixels. Choose a photo at least 1200 by 675 pixels and we will crop and resize it for you. Cards show a wider slice, so keep the main subject near the middle.
Judge Fairly And Kindly
Invite judges and set a scorecard before the hackathon ends. Every judge scores every project against the same criteria and leaves each team a strength, an improvement, and a next step. Builders remember hackathons that taught them something.
Follow Through After The Demo
- Announce winners promptly. Half of each prize pays out on the spot.
- Deliver hackathon photos within 48 hours. Missing that standard costs your trust score 10 points.
- Confirm each winner's milestone within 30 days so the rest of their prize is released.
Your trust score and track record appear on every hackathon you host, so following through is how you build a reputation builders notice. Host a hackathon when you're ready.
