Guides · July 5, 2026
How to host an AI hackathon: a guide for organizers
How an AI hackathon differs from a regular one, where to get sponsors and API credits, and how not to drown in wrappers around chat models.
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News, announcements and guides from the Stavleak team.
Guides · July 4, 2026
How to use AI at a hackathon: vibecoding that leads to victory
How to squeeze the most out of Cursor, Claude, and Copilot over the weekend, where AI helps and where it sinks teams, and what the jury asks about it.
Guides · June 30, 2026
How to organize a hackathon from scratch: an 8-week plan
We break down step-by-step what to do two months before the start, who to invite to the team, and how to run the entire event in one place instead of ten different services.
Guides · July 4, 2026
How to evaluate projects in the era of AI and vibecoding
How to set up criteria when one person builds over a weekend what a team used to make, and how to distinguish a product from a wrapper.
Guides · July 3, 2026
Vibecoding tools: what to set up before the hackathon starts
A working set of AI tools for the team, how they differ, and how to avoid losing access at the most critical moment.
Guides · July 2, 2026
How to come up with an AI project, not just a wrapper over ChatGPT
Why wrappers lose, how a real product differs from a prompt with an interface, and how to find an idea that ten other teams won't bring.
Guides · July 1, 2026
How to prepare for a hackathon as a beginner: a fluff-free checklist
What to learn in advance, what to bring with you, and how not to get lost at your first hackathon.
Guides · June 27, 2026
How to make a hackathon project pitch that people will remember
The structure of a three-minute presentation, why demos are more important than slides, and common mistakes that cause strong projects to lose.
Guides · June 24, 2026
How to build a hackathon team and not regret it by Saturday morning
Which roles are actually needed, where to look for teammates, and how to spot the red flags that someone will let you down.
Guides · June 20, 2026
How to attract hackathon participants without wasting your advertising budget
Effective recruitment channels, why registration does not equal attendance, and how to retain people from start to finish.
Guides · June 16, 2026
Time management at a hackathon: how to survive 48 hours and make it
An hourly plan, the rule of stopping development on time, and why sleep is part of the strategy, not a weakness.
Guides · June 12, 2026
Where to find sponsors for a hackathon and what they actually need
Why "give us money for the event" doesn't work, how to price sponsorship packages, and what offer closes the deal.
Guides · June 5, 2026
Evaluation criteria at a hackathon: how to judge fairly and without scandal
How to assemble a jury, create a clear scale, and not fall out with participants at the award ceremony.
Guides · May 28, 2026
How much does it cost to host a hackathon: a budget without rose-colored glasses
We break down the real expenses of offline and online hackathons in tenge and show where the budget leaks unnoticed.
Guides · May 22, 2026
Hackathon ideas: how to come up with a project that the jury will love
Where to get ideas, which projects win more often than others, and why you should ruthlessly cut down the scope of your concept.