HackHQ
HackHQ is a dedicated hackathon management platform that consolidates submissions, judging, and live results into a single tool, replacing fragmented spreadsheets and email workflows. Organizers can launch an event in 30 minutes by pasting a link to their event page, with the platform automatically drafting prizes, tracks, and judging criteria. Judges and participants need no accounts, and results are calculated instantly when the final vote is cast.
- Events
- Software Only
Funding
Founders
Founder details are not available yet.
Product
Problem
Hackathon organizers spend over 20 hours on logistics instead of mentoring teams, juggling 4+ tools across spreadsheets, forms, and email. Manual tallying of scores after voting closes creates delays and errors, leading to disorganized events and uncertain results.
Solution
HackHQ provides a dedicated hackathon platform that handles submissions, judging, and live results in one place. Organizers can set up an event in 30 minutes by pasting a link to their event page, and the platform drafts prizes, tracks, and judging criteria automatically. Judges score from any device without accounts or training, while participants get real-time confirmation of their submissions. The platform calculates results instantly as the final vote comes in, eliminating manual tallying and formula errors. This unified approach replaces fragmented workflows and lets organizers focus on mentoring teams rather than managing tools.
Target Audience
Primary customers are hackathon organizers at universities, developer communities, and companies running internal hackathons, innovation challenges, or pitch competitions. The platform has also been used for major events at Y Combinator HQ, including hackathons with hundreds of participants and dozens of judges.
Features
- Custom submission forms with flexible fields, team and member assignment tracking, and competition track enrollment
- Submission deadlines with automated enforcement
- Multiple judging modes including rubrics with custom criteria and weighting, top picks, and audience voting
- Mobile-optimized judge interface with live voting progress and per-judge tracking
- Live leaderboard updates and one-click winner assignment with instant final results
- No accounts required for participants or judges, reducing friction for all stakeholders
- Platform automatically drafts prizes, tracks, and judging criteria from an event page link