Everyone should do a hackathon a year

It's a micro-world where you can see a lot of the product cycle happen in a weekend. Nothing can keep your startup skills sharper than one of these.
1. The Idea

• It better be good, you're going to be suffering a lot over it.
• Bounties and prizes give you goals, features, integrations. They help you decide on which tech you're going to build because then you opt in to their bounty.

2. The Team

• Get ready to be lean, take on a lot of work, get disappointed and still support each other because it takes a team to get to the best place.
• Leadership, compromise, proactivity... there is no slacking in a hackathon

3. The Scissors

• Everyone starts optimistic. Soon you realize you're not going to have time to do half the shit you set out to do.
• Cutting off stuff becomes crucial. These are hard moments - you might be half way through the implementation and throwing it away hurts... but the end goal is what matters: end with a product that you can be proud of, with the limitations that you are given.

4. The Pitch

• You've built something cool? Well, nobody is going to know unless you manage to get the judges excited about it!

A good product with an excellent pitch has more chances than an excellent product with a mediocre pitch

5. The Feedback

• Nobody is going to test your product in a weekend, but you often get to receive fast, brutal feedback with judges, mentors, and peers that mimics market response.

6. The Network

• Meeting potential cofounders, future collaborators, or even investors! The serendipity of hackathons is underrated

Overall, the constraints you find in a hackathon are gold. They force you to deliver fast, learn how to ship something end-to-end (even if it's kind of duct taped) and deal with lack of sleep, pressure and the inevitable setbacks that you will find.

Sign up for a hackathon at least once a year and keep your skills sharp.