2014-2024, TADHack is the largest and longest running hackathon in programmable communications

TADHack 2024 was as much a blast as the first TADHack in 2014.

The people of TADHack make it special: developers, sponsors, partners running locations, Universities, and everyone that helps out with this massive global event focused on programmable communications. I’m proud of what we achieve every year through working together and showcasing talent and innovation from around the world.

We had people taking part from Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, UK, Mexico, USA, and Tanzania.

Location sponsor hSenid Mobile has been with TADHack since the beginning, and Sri Lanka delivers amazing hacks every year. hSenid Mobile provide the most successful telco CPaaS, check out Dinesh’s keynote at TADSummit 2024, multi-channel including WhatsApp are core parts of their product.

This year’s sponsors brought a variety of cool new technologies to play with:

• STROLID brought a file type, vCon, a PDF for conversations.
• TSG Global brought TNID (Trusted Number ID), trusted communications.
• SWAIG (SignalWire AI Gateway) enabled AI to be added to communications at scale with impressive tooling and guidance.
• hSenid Mobile, Sri Lanka location partner, offered Ideamart and WhatsApp AI. Check out Ideamart, the most popular development method remains its no-code templates from 2013.
• Addition resources used include SCITT, and Africa’s Talking.

The diversity of the TADHack community is another strength. From undergraduate students interested in computing, through highly skilled developers, to world leading hackers giving back to the industry, for example helping the sponsors create world-class, easy to use resources.

Suraj Shivakumar won at TADHack in March, and then had a summer internship with Jambonz. Anna Corrêa was involved in both TADHacks this year, winning an honorable mention ($250) for her hack on TNID at TADHack Global. Ahmadu Suleiman (based in Nigeria) had been participating in TADHack for 3 years and won a $800 TNID prize with an impressive hack, AnonymiTNID. Never give up!

We had 15 hacks at TADHack Open in March. We had 2 sessions for TADHack Global with a total of 40 hacks, Session 1 Winners, Session 2 Winners. With 55 quality hacks from independent developers, no sponsor employees or partner padding the numbers. 10 years of TADHack and the number and quality of hacks remain as strong as ever.

Partnering and Sponsoring

There are lots of ways to be involved in TADHack: vendor focused hackathons, e.g. with Avaya, the annual TADHack Global hackathon, open hackathons associated with industry events, and private hackathons (employees and partners and optionally a targeted list of independent developers). Over the 10 years of TADHack we’ve done it all, and had lots of fun.

The benefits of sponsoring and partnering:

• Testing your developer resources and processes across a diverse group of people. Developers are frank and straight forward with their feedback. Keep things simple, APIs are not as popular as they once were;
• Over the 2 days (generally Saturday and Sunday) you have an opportunity to assess developers for internships or new hires;
• TADHack winners are always worth considering for your projects, they won at a highly competitive global hackathon;
• Build a new generation of developers skilled in programmable communications, with an understanding of your business;
• Promote your brand across developers and innovators;
• Credibility with a large community of developers skilled in programmable communications / telecoms, creating advocates for your platform around the world;
• Feedback on the APIs, support, and processes. It’s a great way to test out new ideas and capabilities with a friendly and knowledgeable community;
• Logo in sponsor position on TADHack website and banner;
• Coverage in the CXTech newsletter, on the TADHack weblog, the TADSummit Podcast and events;
• To win any of the TADHack prizes requires developers use the sponsors’ technologies;
• You can publish articles on the TADHack weblog or run webinars to educate people on your platform; and
• You have access to all TADHack photos and videos.

And finally to the whole TADHack community, don’t forget to twist the arms of companies you think who should be sponsoring. Thanks.