Hackathon Participants - Undelivered Prizes & Unfair Practices

Day 95 - Hackathon community: if you’ve been burned, this is your chance to speak. I came to San Francisco 3 months ago to explore startups. Hackathons quickly became my training ground. I’ve won 10+. I’ve lost 10+. And losing has never bothered me. Every time I lose, I ask what I could have done better, learn, and come back stronger. I try to talk with all the judges unless the reason is very clear to me. But recently, I started hearing stories from builders that felt different. Prizes not delivered. Credits promised but never received. Rules changing. People being told “next week” again and again until they eventually give up. A huge part of the hackathon community is students and people looking for jobs, internships, and opportunities. I was that international student 10 years ago. I know how hard it is to speak up when you feel like the person on the other side controls opportunities you may need. And if we stay silent, it will keep happening. So I’m asking the hackathon community for help. If you attended a hackathon and were promised a prize, credits, or something else that was never delivered — or if something happened that you genuinely believe was unfair — DM me. I don’t want rumors. Bring screenshots. Bring messages. Bring the event page. Bring evidence. For the next 48 hours, I want to hear your stories. I’m not naming anyone right now. First, I want to understand whether these are isolated incidents or whether there is actually a pattern. If there is no pattern, I’ll say that too. But if there is one, we should make sure the people responsible are held accountable so the next student doesn’t have to stay quiet. Hackathons should be a training ground for the next generation of builders. Not a place where builders are taken advantage of. If this resonates with you, please comment or repost so it reaches the people who need to see it. I look forward to your support ! Best regards, Ali - a random dude in a town.