Phase 1 Manages ITC Hackathon: iTech 2015

by  EVENTFAQS Bureau Marketing | July 16, 2015 | News

Phase 1

Phase 1 managed the ITC Hackathon: iTech 2015 in Bangalore on July 4 and 5. The Hackathon is a property of ITC InfoTech and is a 30-hour non-stop programming face-off between 33 short listed teams from across the country. The event was amplified through a social media campaign also run by the agency.

Phase 1 came on board to manage the event after ITC approached the agency with a brief for a Hackathon, a first of its kind event for ITC. The idea was to create an experiential program with engagements that would make it more than just a technical event – something bigger and more engaging. Ideas for the event came from both the agency and ITC, with the agency suggesting live coverage via twitter.

Remarking upon the management of the event, Oum Pradutt, Founder & MD, Phase 1 Events & Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. said, “This was a landmark event for Phase 1, considering iTech2015 was the first ever IoT Hackathon to be held in Bangalore. Embracing digital has always been a part of the Phase 1 culture and bringing it into iTech2015 helped us achieve the amazing social media coverage that took the event to a whole new level.”

Phase 1’s responsibilities included the management of the launch of iTech2015 Property, the thematic design and the look and feel of the event, participant engagement over 30 hours, keeping the entire facility functional to enhance the experience of participants, the creation of a gaming area for participants, and engagement on Social Media.

The event was kicked off with an AV that was triggered by Sushma Rajagopalan, CEO & MD, ITC InfoTech. Right after, participants were directed to the Hackathon arena. Energizers were conducted every few hours to ensure that the participants stayed active and alert through the Hackathon. Six teams were shortlisted to demonstrate their prototypes to the jury. The grand prize was a cheque of INR 2Lac, while two second place winners won 1 lac each and two third place winners took home INR 25000.

The event reached out to more than 5000 students, 1000 early stage startups and 10,000 entrepreneurs, professional developers and tech enthusiasts. On-ground promotions were conducted before the event at IoT forums. Challenge categories for the creation of a prototype were retail, manufacturing, supply chain, agri and ‘open’ category. The Hackathon saw more than 800 registrations, and more than 180 idea submissions.

The Twitter campaign involved leveraging three key influencer accounts (@ITCInfotech, @Phase1xperiences and @timesofkieran) and onboarding local and international influencers with large follower bases. In addition to social media, the event was featured in mainstream print dailies including the Bangalore Mirror, The Hindu Business, Deccan Herald, Business Standard and Mint.