When you are thinking about developing your hackathon team, you might just consider the technical members such as your developers and designers. That would be a mistake. There is more than the formal product that goes into winning a hackathon. Making the product is merely the first step.
Time Management
Hackathons are often done under strict time limits. These are deadlines that you will not be able to extend so it is important to have everything done by the end. Your non-technical teammate will serve as a leader who will coordinate everyone so that you will make sure you are making the progress that you need to make.
Marketing
The product is only worth what you will be able to show it’s worth. An article from Hackernoon references the importance of marketing your product during the hackathon stage. They wrote that one time during their hackathon a product was only in concept stage. However, the team had advertised so much that the audience for their product was clearly there. That team ended up winning.
Communication
Another avenue to consider when it comes to forming your team is the final presentation. The difference between a good and bad presentation can be the deciding factor for your success or failure. Imagine if an essential feature of what you produced in the hackathon was left out of your presentation. This would lead to confusion about what your product is capable of. Zoheb Davar recounted a blog for Medium of his hackathon success that was partly due to his ability to present his team’s product.