It would help if your budget permits regarding rewards and goodies for hackathon events. However, on a digital event, investing too much money in the shipment and fulfillment of swag and prizes is not as worthwhile as it may be for an in-person event. 

When deciding what to give, the most important factor to consider is how to use your resources wisely. Read on to learn which fantastic incentives you can give for your next hackathon. 

Prizes 

Prizes are an excellent way to thank hackers for their efforts. It's crucial to think about why you're providing a prize, what kinds of actions it rewards, and how you'll motivate those behaviors before choosing them. 

No one likes to be perceived as stingy, but rewards reveal a lot about who you are as a group and why you are there in the first place, and they have a significant impact on the whole atmosphere of your event.

The Ideal Rewards 

Cash rewards are convenient for digital events, but a monetary reward has a substantially lower perceived value than conventional prizes.

Consider ordering prizes after your event so that you can mail them straight to the winners.

The best prizes aren't always made up of money. People primarily driven by the competition and prospective reward are more likely to enter contests with rewards.  

On the other hand, awesome hacker-focused gifts are a fantastic way to advertise your group and bring it together. What do your awards say about your neighborhood?

For most hackers, an Oculus Rift, despite its $350 price tag, has a considerably higher perceived worth than its real monetary value since it delivers additional fun even after the event has ended. It's also not something they'd go out of their way to buy if they had the same amount of money.

These awards establish a positive link between their everyday use and the event, which is a significant gain for event organizers looking to set their hackathons apart from the competition. There's also a chance to make some amazing content by showcasing what individuals construct with the prizes they won at your hackathon, which is a win-win situation for everyone.

Cash is more likely to be spent on everyday needs and forgotten as soon as it is obtained since it is neither innovative nor helpful. Interesting and helpful incentives give hackers an educational experience, which is one of the main reasons they attend hackathons in the first place.

Swag 

If you don't have the funds to give something to everyone, you may send a box to each university club that took part and have them manage the distribution when it's safe to assemble again. This should keep shipping (and labor) costs low while allowing you to spend your money on something more impactful.

With these hackathon tips guide in creating fantastic incentives, you're more than prepared to host your hackathon event! 

Giving Great Incentives Lead to Good Hackathon Results 

Although there is no one-size-fits-all method, the ideas listed above should assist you in maximizing your rewarding efforts when you conduct your activities for hackathons. 

Hackathon.com is the world's largest online hackathon community, with over 2000 hackathon organizers and 10 million+ innovators from all over the world. Get the best hackathon tips for hosting and attending by reading through our blog!