Ask HN: Suggestions for Hackathon Prizes?

2 pointsshreythecray2 comments

I am planning a hackathon (https://courier-hacks.devpost.com/) and am trying to level up the prize game with a budget of $2k. Do you have any recommendations for prizes (small or big) that would motivate you to participate?

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I prefer anything that can be converted to cash. I like that first price is $1000 in cash (which I technically, I mean legally have to pay taxes on). The resell-able Airpods are nice, too. LEGO and gift cards can work.

The hackathon started yesterday. Is the plan to change the prizes?

Check with an tax advisor - there might be a way for your company to procure prizes without paying VAT and writing them off as advertising expenses, so you could get merchandise worth $2.5k for just $2k. Maybe you already did that. I think something more off the beaten path, eg. a Remarkable [1] or a Fairphone [2] would draw attention and maybe you can even get a discount for promoting their brands with your event?

[1] https://remarkable.com/

[2] https://www.fairphone.com/en/

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