Hackathons and Tech TalksIf you are a student at a technical university and you want to do something different from your coursework, something to learn from, teach others and create something fun – then starting a tech club and hackathon event is the perfect way to go.
LauzHack, a student-run tech club at EPFL (a leading technical university in Switzerland), has achieved great things in just a few years. Started in 2016, the club has already organized 7 in-person hackathons, 2 online hackathons and over 33 tech talks and workshops.
How Did It All Start?
LauzHack started with a simple conversation. While the club’s founder was doing his masters, an old friend who studied with him at Jacobs University suggested – “Why don’t we do a hackathon at EPFL?” There were no such events at EPFL at that time. They talked to the Computer Science Association, and gradually built a strong team. This is how LauzHack was founded.
What is the Purpose of LauzHack?
The purpose of this club is very clear – to provide a platform where students can learn, create, and work on their ideas without any fear or shame. There is no fixed theme of the events here, but the focus is on learning and creating something new. As time passed, the level of events and the quality of projects kept increasing as both students and technology were developing more.
How to Build a Strong Team?
The success of any club depends on its team. It is important to have clear roles in the team. For example, the LauzHack team consists of people responsible for different tasks:
- Sponsorship and corporate funding
- Food and beverage arrangements
- Social media and marketing
- Event merchandise such as t-shirts or stickers
- Finance arrangements
- IT and technical support
- Event logistics
- Judging and prize distribution
Starting small is not a bad thing, but rather a sign of wisdom. If you don’t have enough resources at the beginning, start small and then expand slowly.
How to Use Digital Tools?
Along with a good team, it is also important to use the right tools. For example:
- Google Drive / Notion – for sharing documents and planning
- When2meet – for scheduling meetings
- Telegram / Discord – for connecting and keeping the community active
- Luma or Google Forms – for event sign-ups
When you organize an event, make sure to create a public page for it. If you don’t have the time or skills to build a website, platforms like DevPost are very useful where you can easily list your event.
How to Plan an Event?
Now let’s talk about planning your event. First of all, decide:
- How many people will attend?
- Do you want to invite a speaker?
- Do you want to organize a workshop or a competition?
- Do you have a place or will you have to ask someone?
- Do you need funding?
If you have a low budget, then a classroom, a friend’s apartment, or a professor at the university can be asked for a room. Start with a small event, then as trust and network grow, it will be easier to get a bigger place and more budget.
How to Raise Funding and Sponsorship?
Finding sponsors can be a bit difficult in the beginning because you do not have any track record. But you can try:
- Partner with a big club
- Join international organizations like MLH (which brands like GitHub can join themselves to)
- Go to job fairs and other hackathons – you can find HR and campus recruiters
- Contact people like “Tech evangelist” or “Campus recruiter” on LinkedIn
A tip: If a company is not willing to provide funding, just sponsoring a meal is a huge help. And if you are ordering from a particular pizza shop frequently, talk to them to see if they will give you a discount in exchange for social media promotion.
Workshops and Talks: A Chance to Learn Continuously
LauzHack also started workshops and talks in 2018 to give students the necessary skills. From 2023, these workshops started happening every week. In these workshops, students learn not only for the hackathon, but also for their course, research and work life. Such sessions give confidence to students and encourage them to believe in their own abilities.
If You Want to Build a Community, You Need to Engage People
A good club is one that engages people. So, create an identity for your club right from the beginning. Let people know what your purpose is. Put up posters, post on social media, collaborate with other clubs, and most importantly – provide an easy way to sign up. Be it a Google Form or a link to Luma.
Take photos at every event and post them on social media. Make sure to include an option for photo consent in the signup form.
Last and Most Important Thing – Be Courageous
Things will seem difficult in the beginning – you will email a lot of people, most will not respond. But don’t give up. Keep a document of who you contacted and when, so that you can keep track. And as you become more successful, it will become easier to add others and get sponsorship.
Conclusion
If you have a good idea, a strong team and real passion, you can start something like LauzHack in your college. Whether you are in EPFL or in any other college in India Student-driven technology events at the Engineering College can not only help you learn but also help many students like you in a better direction.
So talk to your friends, form a team, and start planning your first dream event today. Start small, but dream big – this is where change begins.
