The way we interact at work has evolved far past the 8am boardroom meeting and the cafeteria run-in. Remote teams are status quo, and we’re more likely to instant message our colleague at an adjacent desk than we are to turn around and start an IRL conversation.

Understanding that modern workflow and team collaboration have migrated online, Cisco created Spark, a virtual meeting room platform that allows employees to switch seamlessly between messages, video calls, and real-time whiteboarding sessions. Having a single unified platform for all team communication channels is a game-changer — but there are countless new ways you can build with Spark to help teams support each other and their clients in the best way possible.

In this hackathon, Cisco wants you to experiment with the Spark developer tools to reimagine the way healthcare, education, and sales professionals interact with each other and their customers. Build an app, API integration, or chatbot that transforms communication in these industries for $25,000 in total cash prizes (plus the potential to make a huge impact on billion-dollar marketplaces).

Need some ideas? Check out our category page & start thinking about how your code can upgrade collaboration in hospitals, classrooms, and sales-driven businesses.

Eligibility

This hackathon is open to:

  • Individuals, and teams of individuals, who have reached the age of majority in their jurisdiction of residence at the time of entry
  • Organizations that, at the time of entry, have been duly organized or incorporated and validly exist, and employ 50 or fewer people 
  • The competition will welcome submitters from around the globe. However individuals or organizations may be disqualified if they are based in a nation, state, province, or territory where U.S. or local law prohibits participating in the competition or receiving a prize. This includes individuals, who are residents of, and organizations domiciled in Brazil, Quebec, Cuba, Sudan, Iran, North Korea, Syria and any other country designated by the United States Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control.
  • Organizations with over 50 employees may compete for the non-cash Large Organization Recognition Award.

Employees of the Cisco, Devpost, and contractors currently under contract work for Cisco or Devpost are not eligible.

Requirements

Build a Cisco Spark application, integration, or chatbot using the Spark developer tools that fits into one of the following categories: Healthcare, Sales, or Education.

 

 

Submit all the following assets:

  1. Demo video (hosted on YouTube, Vimeo, or Youku). Your video should include a demo of your working application via a step-by-step visual demo. See our recommended format here.
  2. Images. Please submit at least one image/screenshot of your application.
  3. Github repo. Include your code and some documentation.
  4. Access. A way to access your working application for judging and testing by providing a link to a website, functioning demo, a Spark Depot link, or the Spark address assigned to your bot. If your website is private, you must include login credentials in your testing instructions.

Hackathon Sponsors

Prizes

$25,000 in prizes

Best in Healthcare

• $8,000 USD
• Virtual pitch to Cisco execs
• Submission featured in DevNet blog
• Cisco Spark Ambassador
• Speaking slot at local DevNet Express event
• Swag bag with shirt, stickers, and gadgets
• Exposure on Cisco Spark & DevNet social channels

Best in Sales

• $8,000 USD
• Virtual pitch to Cisco execs
• Submission featured in DevNet blog
• Cisco Spark Ambassador
• Speaking slot at local DevNet Express event
• Swag bag with shirt, stickers, and gadgets
• Exposure on Cisco Spark & DevNet social channels

Best in Education

• $8,000 USD
• Virtual pitch to Cisco execs
• Submission featured in DevNet blog
• Cisco Spark Ambassador
• Speaking slot at local DevNet Express event
• Swag bag with shirt, stickers, and gadgets
• Exposure on Cisco Spark & DevNet social channels

Popular Choice

• $1,000 USD

Devpost Achievements

Submitting to this hackathon could earn you:

How to enter

How to Enter:

  1. Register for the Cisco Spark
  2. Create developer account on Cisco Spark.
  3. Visit the Resources page to learn more about the Spark APIs, and how to get started.
  4. Build your website, app, bot, or integration.
  5. Shoot your demo video of your functioning Spark app - check out these tips for making your video!
  6. Submit your app, including your code with documentation, on ciscospark.devpost.com before July 25th at 5:00PM EST.

Judging Criteria

  • Quality of the idea
    (Includes the originality of the idea, quality of the business model and the creativity used to solve a problem in the selected category.)
  • Execution
    (Includes how well the idea was designed and implemented by the developer, the complexity of the build and creative use of developer tools.)
  • Presentation
    (Includes the quality of the video, description, and code.)

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