Checklist for the F10 FinTech Hackathon in Singapore

Prepare:

Make sure to get enough sleep the night before the Hackathon as sleep-deprivation may be a temporary side effect of the 48-hours event.
The three Platinum Sponsors SIX, Julius Baer and Zuhlke as well as F10 in cooperation with corporate partners from Swiss financial institutions each provide a challenge for the Hackathon. These challenges are related to actual problems the finance industry is facing. Teams can pick one challenge and develop innovative solutions – or realize their own ideas. Have you fully understood the four challenges?
In case you want to realize your own idea: be prepared to present your vision to potential team members.
Hackathons are great opportunities to connect with like-minded people. You can connect with inspiring people from all over the world, make new friends and may even meet your future business partners to found a Startup with. If you attend a networking event without knowing who will be in attendance, you can miss opportunities to meet interesting people because you don’t recognize them or have no idea how to start a conversation with the person you are interested in. Before coming to the Hackathon, scan the list of sponsors, partners and companies present. Do a quick research on the participants you would like to connect with.

Pack:

Check:

Make sure you know how to get to Li Ka Shing Library at Singapore Management University where the Hackathon starts on Friday, 21st of September 2018, at 4.00 pm. Please be on time.
Address: Li Ka Shing LibrarySingapore Management University70 Stamford Road178901 Singapore
If travelling from another country: are your passport and visa for Singapore ready? Don’t forget to keep airfare or bus tickets as you will have to present them to get your travel reimbursement.
There is room for sleeping bags at SMU’s Li Ka Shing Library. Hackathon participants who wish to stay at a hostel or hotel have to organize the accommodation at their own cost.
Food and drinks will be offered at the Hackathon, so you don’t have to bring anything to eat or drink.

Team:

How diverse is your team? We strongly recommend the Hackathon participants to form complementary-skills teams to benefit as much as possible from each team member’s talents and abilities. Develop innovative solutions, learn from your team mates and exchange knowledge with people from other countries and continents. How diverse is your Hackathon team? Besides different skill sets, teams should also aim for cultural and gender diversity as diverse teams perform better than homogenous groups.
Does everybody follow the same vision? Working in diverse and complementary-skills teams at the F10 FinTech Hackathon in Singapore provides a unique opportunity to get access to the latest global FinTech trends and meet like-minded people with different backgrounds but one common goal: to reshape the global finance world.

Networking:

Talk to people outside your professional bubble at events. This will enhance your general knowledge, increase your confidence, lead to unforeseen business opportunities and raise your profile – which makes you more attractive to interact with.
Show interest in other attendants, mentors and sponsor: Studies have shown that most people feel more connected to their conversation partners if they are good listeners. Show interest in your contacts, ask relevant questions, listen actively and show that you understand what the other person is saying. You don’t have to remember every single fact but memorize the central idea. This will help you reconnecting at the next occasion you meet and makes following-up after the event easier.
Make a list of your new contacts after the F10 FinTech Hackathon, add every person you rate as valuable to the list. This knowledge can be helpful in opening a conversation the next time you meet and in establishing a long-term business relationship.