Video: Coders and programmers will take over the Council House as part of a 24-hour coding competition this weekend
A 24-hour coding and hacking competition will take place in Nottingham Council House this weekend.
Around 40 teams of four will compete in a series of coding challenges, hacking and problem-solving tasks, part of an event called Hack24 now in its third year.
Software engineers, programmers and tech aficionados will compete to win prizes worth several thousand pounds.
Organised by Andrew Seward, 33, of Tech Nottingham, the free event is designed to encourage techies to share ideas, learn from each other and network.
“The objective is to come for the weekend and build cool stuff with your friends and to meet new people,” he said.
“We do it because it fulfils the aims of the organisation. We’re trying to make Nottingham a better place to live and work in technology.
“People who don’t know each other are going to discover each other and talk to each other.
“That allows them to share ideas, learn from each other, get jobs together and do business together. It’s proven very successful.”
The events runs from mid-day on Saturday through to Sunday; and the tasks are set by sponsors – such as MHS, Accelerate Places and UNiDAYS.
The teams are tasked with developing technology to determine how engaged people are at work, how to distinguish fake news from disreputable outlets, and an app to enable people to meet up.
The main prize is £2,000 in cash, split between the winning team, while others include tickets to attend the Crystal Maze, a team-building activity in London based on the original game show, Amazon Echoes, and custom-made bobble heads of team members.
Nottingham has a burgeoning reputation as a centre for technology business and talent, and Andrew says the event is to raise awareness of the inclusive tech community.
He added: “It’s welcoming, we’ll embrace them. We’ve put banners advertising Hack24 around the city – along Maid Marian Way and on the side of the Council House.
“That’s to let people know there’s a tech community here.
“We want to let people, outside of Nottingham, know the tech scene’s growing; Nottingham’s got a supportive, cohesive tech community.”
