We’re about a month away from the first Hack’n Jill hackathon and getting more excited by the day. We’re so lucky to have a great, supportive community of startups and developers — #siliconalley FTW!
For those of you on the fence, here are some answers to commonly asked questions:
What kind of app would we make?
Our theme is #HackYourSummer. Think about what makes summer great — from going out and being active to chilling at home with friends — and be inspired to make it even better. Here are a couple examples:
- A mobile app to find all the best rooftop bars or cafes with outdoor seating and wi-fi
- Photo sharing that “summer-fies” any picture — add a beach ball, sunglasses, or a pina colada
- A tool for organizing events with your friends like going to a show, or taking a trip to the beach, or staying in for a Game of Thrones viewing marathon
- A way to discover outdoor events like fitness classes, movies, or shows
- A drink and food matching database for epic summer barbeques
- A program to mash up your favorite playlists with similar songs
We’d love to have an idea bank of the most popular ideas – share your ideas with us in the comments!
What technologies/languages can be used?
Anything that works on the web or in a native mobile app.
How are the teams formed?
You pick your teams. Team size and composition is flexible but we encourage diverse teams of half men and half women since you know, that’s kinda our whole thing 
. On Friday night, there there will be a combination of API demos and mixer activities. There you can meet people in a low-key way. Hopefully by the end of the night, you will have a good idea of who your team on Saturday will be.
What size will teams be?
There are no firm rules — if everyone wants to join together to make one giant team, we won’t stop you! But it’s easier to work in smaller groups; we expect that teams will end up around 4-6 people.
What are the prizes?
We will have some API prizes, including a Jawbone Jambox from Mashery, as well as cash prizes for the top apps. If you know anyone who would like to be an api partner or general sponsor, we’d love to work with them — please email us at partners@hacknjill.com.
Will there be laptops available to use if I don’t have one?
Probably not. In addition to the practicalities of having loaner laptops, there are too many potential development environments to adequately support. However, do let us know if that’s something you’d be interested in, either in the comments or email hi@hacknjill.com.
What level should I be to get the most out of the experience?
While we hope that you come out having learned a lot, teaching is not a focus. We want a collaborative, inclusive, and fun experience for everyone so regardless of level, you can get a lot out of it. However a beginner would probably have to put more in to get the same amount out.
Other questions? Leave a comment, tweet us @hackjill, or email hi@hacknjill.com.
We hope to see you there! Sign up now at: http://hacknjill.eventbrite.com/