Our top tips to building a successful Hackathon team.
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Building your team
Successful projects often begin with a well-formed team. Here are the steps you should follow to assemble a strong team for the Imperial Hackathon.
1. Identify potential teammates
Start by speaking with classmates or friends who share an interest in STEM, innovation or entrepreneurship. If you can't find anyone in your school to form a team with, email us at imperialhackathon@imperial.ac.uk and we can help match you with other participants.
2. Discuss the challenges
We recommend that you talk to the university guidance counsellor or science teachers at your school to discuss the Imperial Hackathon challenges and your project ideas.
This can help to make sure that your project is viable, well-considered and grounded in the science before you begin.
3. Aim for complementary skills
A strong and balanced team is diverse, with members bringing different strengths to the table. For example, while a team of developers can get a lot done, a well-balanced group with a range of skills can often build a better solution.
Think about bringing together people with different skills and experience when you form your team:
- Technical skills: experience of coding, engineering or scientific research.
- Science and research skills: experience in mathematics, physics, biology or chemistry.
- Creative skills: experience in design, communication or generating ideas.
- Organisational skills: experience in planning projects, time management or leadership.
4. Join our online workshop in October
At our workshop, you can learn more about the Imperial Hackathon challenges, meet the judges and connect with other participants. If you’re still forming your team, this is also a great opportunity to find potential teammates from other schools.
Your Hackathon team checklist
Here are the essential steps you should take to hit the ground running once you’ve formed your team.
1. Name your team and assign roles
Agree on a team name and the challenge you want to tackle. You should also
assign everyone in the team a role so each member knows their area of responsibility.
2. Establish clear communication
Agree how you’re going to communicate about your project and how often. Setting up a group chat on WhatsApp or WeChat makes for easy, regular communication.
3. Define your team goals
Discuss what you hope to achieve during the Hackathon. Is your goal to win, learn a new skill, create a proof of concept or build your network? Defining your goal will help you stay focused.
4. Get started early
Start discussing project ideas, expectations and timelines as early as you can. Teams who plan ahead are often more confident, competent and prepared.
5. Do your research
Research your chosen challenge, identify potential APIs or datasets you might use and brainstorm different solutions. This groundwork will save you valuable time during the competition.
What happens next?
Register the members of your team, your roles and your initial pitch in team application by 24 October 2025.