Hackathons have been rising in popularity, even despite pandemic restrictions. Hackathons have long since gone digital and are even starting to incorporate machine learning into the challenges.
Hackathons may not be as dramatic as the ones we see on TV, but the challenges are just as puzzling, exciting, and ambitious. With recent changes, we don’t typically know what we’re in for. Here is a short guide on what goes on in machine learning hackathons.
The Rise of Virtual Hackathons
Virtual hackathons are organizations’ solutions to restrictions caused by the recent situation. It paves the way for companies to come together, share ideas, and innovate. It is a great platform to help developers and programmers create practical applications based on what they have learned or are learning.
This has revolutionized the way hackathons operate. Making the move to be remote is forecasted by experts to grow even further in the coming years. The hackathon management software market is growing even bigger, expected to reach as much as 292.2 million dollars.
Machine learning hackathons, in particular, are becoming a more preferred type of hackathon in the industry. It provides timely, modern scenarios that are sure to keep participants on their feet.
Hackathon Management Software
There are a lot of benefits to investing in hackathon management software. If you are planning on hosting on your own, here are some of them to consider:
- Cutting down on big costs typically related to hosting physical hackathons, e.g. transportation, location, management staff, and more.
- Wider audience reach, thanks to the digital platform
- Better accessibility for team and participant coordination
- More time for participants to create quality deliverables
Machine Learning Hackathon Origins
Machine learning hackathons are actually quite different from your average product or coding-focused hackathons. Its origins emerged from online hackathon platforms like MachineHack and Kaggle, with the goal of creating a product that improves upon its existing iterations.
It was a great way for machine learning enthusiasts and researchers to learn more about the trade and share their experiences with others. Machine learning hackathons became a place wherein experts could utilize their skill set to provide solutions to pressing issues.
With the help of online hackathon management software, participants get the chance to work with the necessary tools to solve the given problems. Participants say that it is also a place where you can build your network as you strive to work towards similar goals.
How to Face Machine Learning Problems
So, what goes on in a machine learning hackathon? There are tons of new case studies given to hackathon participants. These are just some of the solutions you can expect to take as a participant in such a hackathon:
- Feature engineering, encoding, scaling, and selection
- Checking distributions of target variables
- Cleaning the dataset
- Cross-examination of models, insight analysis from graphs
- Model application and fine-tuning of features
In comparison to coding or product-focused hackathons, these types can challenge participants to come up with creative solutions. While previous hackathons used clear, straightforward processes to attain the goal, machine learning hackathons are more result-driven. This gives participants enough leeway to come up with innovative approaches.
Machine Learning Hackathons: The New Frontier
A staggering majority of companies today use hackathons to empower their developers to think outside of the box. Machine learning hackathons are becoming the humble beginnings of innovative tech solutions.
If you want to host one of the biggest hackathons in the US, you can do so with the help of Hackathon.com. We provide a range of services aimed at assisting you in organizing a corporate hackathon, whether external, internal, or online. Check out our Corporate Services page to get started!
