Meet Monika Lionaite - CEO & Chief Innovator and Founder of Openhack 2020 Austrailia.

In this episode, Monika shares insights from her research on hackathon participation benefits. Her findings reveal several inspiring takeaways. What participants experience they develop most in is collaboration, problem-solving, and learning new technologies.

Resources provided by Monika:

Here is the link to my thesis: Hackathons as a tool for learning in the framework of UNESCO learning cities

Here are the associated articles that cited my thesis (on Google Scholar): lionaite hackathons - Google Scholar

The Journal of Innovation & Knowledge where my thesis was cited: Academic performance indicators for the hackathon learning approach – The case of the blockchain hackathon - ScienceDirect

Here is the link to the Youtube Recording where I was speaking on a panel at the World Summit AI 2025 about Intelligent Learning: How AI is Redefining Education: https://youtu.be/5iIASo4UhLo?si=qVetJvQk54gRQums

My key take away from this panel: Post | Feed | LinkedIn

A link to my Impact Talk with Startup Grind - where I elaborate more about collaboration in general: https://youtu.be/GiX1G2mw_70?si=GsdoXa7IAwzzDH6y

Meet Dr Mamta Nagaraja.

Mamta Nagaraja is a STEM leader who previously served as NASA's Associate Chief Scientist for Exploration and Applied Research. She managed science programs for the International Space Station, Moon missions, and commercial space projects, with special focus on space biomedicine. Mamta also led NASA's science communication efforts, helping share space discoveries with the public. 

In this episode we talked about:

• Mamta Nagaraja's 24-year NASA career as a scientist bridging human spaceflight and robotic exploration
• Her role supporting the NASA Space Apps Challenge as judge, spokesperson and advocate
• The global impact of the Space Apps hackathon, which attracted 93,000 participants working on over 10,000 projects
• How space exploration inspires innovation and problem-solving across international boundaries

I also had the chance to ask all my inner 10-year old question like: Do you think there is other life forms out there? How big is the universe? Is there multi universes? 

Enjoy!!

Meet Maximilian Vovk and Simon Van Schuylenbergh. Together with Ian Chow and Dakota Cecil they are the WMPGang, the team that won the Best Use of Science award at the NASA Space Apps Challenge 2024!

In this episode we talked about their cutting-edge research in astronomy, their innovative approach to visualizing Earth, comets and potentially hazardous asteroids, the heart-stopping moment when their code broke just one hour before the final presentation, and the shocking revelation that they'd won among 10,000 global submissions - known as the "NO WAY"-moment... In the middle of our podcast, an alarm goes off - there's a gas leak in the building - and my interview guests have to run to safety while the interview continues. We've probably never had this much drama in the podcast before!

Meet Slayde Sequeira who has participated in 30+ hackathons, came 1st place in 3 and in the final round more than 10 times. He is a Computer engineer in his final year of engineering and he is 21 years old. His recent win was S.P.I.T hacks 2025 where over 700 teams competed - that is 2800 individuals - and his team secured the 1st place.

In this podcast we talked about his journey from starting tech just three years ago, why in-person hackathons create better networking opportunities than online events, the competitive hackathon scene in tech hubs like Mumbai and Bangalore, and his proven strategies for winning hackathons including reading problem statements carefully and building features beyond the requirements.

Slayde also shares valuable life skills gained from hackathons: hands-on coding experience, teamwork, and performing under pressure.

Resources from Slayde:

Here is where I find hackathons that are in mumbai

https://devfolio.co/discover

And these are some of the other places

https://unstop.com/

https://hack2skill.com/

Meet Team 42 Heroes - Winner Of NASA SPACE APPS 2024.

In this episode I interview three of the members of the winning team: The Leader of the Project, Gabriel Chayb, Project Management and UI/UX: Ana Miziara and AI DEV: Gustavo Teixeira.

We talked about how this team from Brazil became the first in South America to win NASA's top technology award. They explained their clever solution for detecting moonquakes and marsquakes, which reached 97% accuracy by turning seismic data into images. The team shared the ups and downs of their intense 48-hour hackathon experience, including nearly missing the deadline when their system crashed with just hours to go. We discussed how their victory has inspired young people in their hometown and their upcoming trip to NASA where they'll meet with space scientists. Their story shows that with good planning, teamwork, and bold thinking, even the most complex problems can be solved.

Meet Monika Lionaite, CEO Chief Innovator & Founder @Openhack 2020 Australia

In this episode we talked about her fascinating journey from fire dancing performer to global hackathon expert. Monika shares how her diverse background in photography, gaming, and international leadership shaped her unique approach to designing impactful hackathons. We explore how she launched her company in Australia just one month before the pandemic and turned it into a global digital transformation powerhouse. Monika reveals the key differences between sustainability-focused and prize-money hackathons, and explains her innovative method of involving actual users and stakeholders throughout the development process. Learn how proper hackathon design can help organizations recruit talent, solve complex problems, and create solutions with real-world impact. 

Meet Bhavya Soni, AI Code Evaluator at Outlier, 6X Hackathon Participant, 2X Hackathon Winner etc

In this episode we talked about how Bhavya discovered programming after being publicly insulted by his math teacher, which became a pivotal moment in choosing his tech path. We explored his hackathon experiences, including his first police hackathon in Jaipur with five-star accommodations, and the challenges of team dynamics where he often ended up doing most of the work despite initial enthusiasm from teammates. Bhavya emphasized how important it is to find like-minded collaborators with matching dedication levels, and how participating in hackathons has helped him test his limits and develop leadership skills at just 19 years old.

Meet Vladimir Pavlovskii, Senior Software Engineer at Twilio.

In this episode we talked about:

• Vladimir's journey from growing up in Moscow to moving to Tallinn and working at Twilio
• How Twilio's annual internal hackathons are structured and what Vladimir has learned from participating in two of them
• The value of hackathons for rapidly prototyping ideas that can turn into real product features
• Common blockers that slow down software development velocity and how to address them
• Vladimir's perspective on the rise of AI-assisted development tools and how he prefers to leverage AI in his work

Meet Diwakar Thakore, Entrepreneur, Startup Advisor, [email protected] etc...

In this episode, we discuss the amazing learning experience that hackathons provide: how quickly you can test your idea, the benefits of fast prototyping, and execution speed.

We also touch on a very special kind of hackathon: "Legal Hackathons."

Additionally, we delve into Diwakar's experience as a mentor at lablab.ai and why he finds it so rewarding. He offers his best tips for business-driven developers eager to launch an AI startup, including how to achieve product-market fit, attract attention, decide when it's time for funding, and manage the dual focus on product development and customer acquisition. How do you bridge that common chasm? 

Meet Carl Norling Makai, Impact Initiative Developer, AI Sweden

In this episode, we talked about:

Historical Insights into Hacking: Carl talked about the roots of the term "hack" from the book "Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution" discussing its origins at MIT in the 1950s, where it symbolized an innovative solution or improvement and carried a prestigious title among tech enthusiasts

The Essence of Hackathons: We delved into what makes hackathons uniquely impactful, emphasizing their ability to bring together diverse perspectives and foster an environment where participants can explore the possibilities of technology

The 2019 Last Mile Hackathon: Carl shared his experiences helping organize this significant event. It was a two-day international hackathon that posed clear, real-world challenges sponsored by various organizations like Postnord, IKEA, MQ, and the City of Helsingborg. These sponsors provided not only funding but also crucial resources such as datasets and insights into real-world problems, enriching the hackathon experience for all participants.