OUR MISSION

Seeding emergent innovation

We believe true breakthrough innovations and creative solutions to our global problems occur when vastly different people, technology, ideas and skills are mashed together. Our events & initiatives aim to curate fun serendipity via the juxtaposition of ideas across the spectrum of all disciplines.

Transform regional communities

Regional communities face many unique problems around local employment opportunities, ageing populations and skill shortages. We help these regional areas to ignite a grassroots culture of innovation and entrepreneurship by mixing diverse local and outside talent with the latest technology.

Mash thought silos

Our society is structured in a way that isolates people, their skills, knowledge and ideas into industry silos where only incremental innovation can occur. Since 2012 we’ve taken a truly multidisciplinary, generalist approach to help s/mash these silos and cross-pollinate ideas.

Bottom-up grassroots bazaar

The cathedral-like, hierarchical nature of our education systems, government institutions and corporate workplaces tends to stifle innovation and increase risk-aversion. Hackagong is bottom-up, decentralised and experimental to enable people and organisations to play without fear of failure.

Ongoing commercial partnerships

Businesses and organisations struggle to generate innovative ideas or creative solutions to their problems. The traditional hackathon solves this but most projects are immediately abandoned. We facilitate commercial partnerships to enable more projects to have an ongoing positive impact.

Bring people together

Hackagong was originally created in 2012 with the goal of bringing together the physically segregated arts and IT students at the University of Wollongong. We wanted to change the stereotypical culture clash between these groups to spark new ideas and unexpected creativity.

Build collaborative ecosystems

Too often hackathons and innovation initiatives become hyper-competitive to the detriment of the wider community, particularly in regions with smaller populations. Our strategies focus on open, collaborative ecosystem development with ongoing impact over one-off events.

Trailblaze hackathon initiatives

Hackagong has 5+ years of experience and learnings from 30+ events. With new niche hackathons sprouting weekly, we’re leading the way by experimenting with novel formats, encouraging much more multidisciplinary input, and ensuring projects continue to have an impact post-event.

REGIONS

Wollongong – Bega – Newcastle – Sydney – Batemans Bay – Melbourne – Adelaide – Perth – Parramatta – Canberra – Hobart – Bowral – Ulladulla – Cooma – Wagga Wagga

 

Want to transform your region?
Contact us to run your own local Hackagong

TIMELINE

Hackagong Bega

Australia’s bush hack

Bega, May 2016

MindShift Demo Day

Pitches + Hackagong showcase

Wollongong, Sep 2015

Hackagong 2015

inc Australia’s 1st VR competition

Wollongong, Sep 2015

Hackagong3D

Pure 3D printing competition

Wollongong, Aug 2015

Hackagong 2014

inc Australia’s 1st AR competition

Wollongong, Nov 2014

HackagongX Code

Apps for UOW students

Wollongong, Sep 2013

Demo Day 2013

Expo at WIN Entertainment Centre

Wollongong, Jul 2013

Hackagong 2013

inc Australia’s 1st 3D printing competition

Wollongong, Jul 2013

Hackagong 2012

Australia’s 1st multidisciplinary hackathon

Wollongong, Nov 2012

MindShift Demo Day

200+ visitors @ Regent Theatre

#BlenderFestival

Hackagong 2015

160 competitors across 49 teams

$150,000 in prizes

Winner: The Locationiser (LIDAR)

Hackagong3D

50 competitors across 16 teams

$3000 in 3D printer prizes

Mini hackathon experiment

Hackagong 2014

150 competitors across 45 teams
$100,000 in prizes

Winner: Infobahn (3D printed IoT hatchery)

HackagongX Code

27 competitors across 7 teams

$10,000 in prizes

Mini hackathon experiment

Demo Day 2013

500+ visitors @ WIN Entertainment Centre

50+ Hackagong teams & local startups

#IllawarraDigital Expo

Hackagong 2013

100 competitors across 34 teams

$32,000 in prizes

Winner: Peereo (education platform)

Hackagong 2012

90 competitors across 27 teams

$10,000 in prizes

Winner: Giftling (crowdfunding for gifts)

LAMP Diagnostics

DIY screening tool for bacteria and viruses

Currently being refined and commercialised

Hackagong 2015

Whack-A-Mole (Lime Rocket)

Smartphone-controlled multiplayer game

Accepted into Muru-D, now rolling out to screens everywhere

Hackagong 2014

SideProjectors.com

Second-hand startup marketplace (4000+ listings)

Extensive media coverage (HuffingtonPost, TechFeed +)

Hackagong 2013

Liquid Co

3D printed first prototype at Hackagong

$17,816 KickStarter + $63,550 KickStarter + LiquidCo.com

Hackagong 2013

Giftling

$100,000+ raised on the gifting platform

Used by KidzWish Foundation & Australian Greens

Hackagong 2012

PARTNERS & SPONSORS

A few of the awesome partners and sponsors who have supported us

LATEST UPDATES

Silicon Valley to Bega Hackagong

on May 06 2016

Read More

Hackagong announces winners for the biggest Hackagong yet!

on Oct 08 2015

Read More

Sponsor Watch: Commonwealth Bank

on Sep 24 2015

Read More

CONTACT US

If you have any questions about Hackagong or how to organise one in your town, please get in touch below or email [email protected]






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