About London

London, located in the southeast of England, is beloved by all who have the chance to visit. The bustling city is known for its multiculturalism, fascinating history and stunning architecture.

If you’re planning a hackathon, London is the place to do it. The city is home to several world-leading universities, including Imperial College London, University College London, King's College London and The London School of Economics and Political Science. As a result, you won’t struggle to find willing hackathon participants! This handy guide will help you craft an excellent hackathon that attendees will thoroughly enjoy.

Hackathon Options in London

Hackathons act as a springboard for solving complex technical problems, where teams come together to fix an issue in a set amount of time. These kinds of events take careful planning, and there are a lot of things to consider. Picking a venue is just the start. You’ll need to provide food, appropriate equipment and awards for the hackathon winners.

• Catering
  As hackathons are timed events, you’ll need to offer relatively fuss-free food. Something like a cold buffet might be most appropriate, as attendees can quickly choose the food that suits them and head back to their workspace to continue solving complex problems as they eat. The good news is you won’t struggle to find a reliable cold buffet caterer to service your event!

• Equipment Hire
  You’ll likely need to provide hackathon attendees with fully equipped workspaces, complete with desks, chairs, computers and maybe even some music to inspire a calming atmosphere.

• Awards
  You may consider giving out awards to the hackathon winners. Typically, winners receive cash prizes, but who doesn’t love receiving a shiny trophy? Thankfully, London is home to several businesses that make personalised trophies for any occasion.

Hackathon Vendors in London

• Simply Catering
  London-based Simply Catering is an experienced, professional catering team that makes fresh food on the day, allowing you to sit back and focus on other matters. The company offers cold buffet food perfect for a hackathon. The cold buffet menu includes a range of delectable options, including chargrilled corn-fed baby chicken, cured carved meats, salmon gravadlax with dill dressing, potato salad with herbs and wholegrain mustard dressing and much more. Delicious!

• Universal Rentals
  If you’re looking to hire powerful laptops and PCs for your hackathon, look no further! Whether you require MacBooks, iMacs, HP laptops, printers, monitors, HP desktops, or iPads, Universal Rentals can help you find the right equipment for your event. Even better, the company offers fast delivery, sometimes within the hour if they are available! Additionally, if you encounter any issues with the equipment, Universal Rentals is available to offer expert support and guidance.

• Creative Awards London
  For a hackathon, a bog-standard trophy might not feel like enough. But thanks to Creative Awards London, you can offer the hackathon winners something a little more unique! The company creates various awards in complex shapes, including isosceles triangles, lattices, column, box, acrylic rings and teardrop awards. So if you’re looking for something a little different, visit Creative Awards London.

Pros and Cons of a Hackathon in London

Advantages

• Café culture
  London is well-known for its excellent café culture. Popular London cafés include Elan Café, Farm Girl, Birdhouse, Flotsam and Jetsam, Lowry & Baker, Palm Vaults, Monmouth Coffee and Origin. With these selections, you will not run out of potential options for a cosy hackathon venue! Or, once the hackathon is complete, why not stop by a cafe and have a coffee to help you recharge?

• Transport
  London has a world-leading transport network consisting of underground and overground trains and buses. Most tube trains arrive every three minutes from morning to evening, meaning you can travel to the hackathon space quickly and easily!

• Green spaces
  If you’re looking for a green space in London, you don’t have to travel too far before you reach it. The city has over 3,000 parks where you can relax and unwind after the hackathon.

Disadvantages

• Busy
  London welcomes millions of visitors each day. Some come for work, others to explore. This means that the city can feel awfully crowded, especially during peak times. So if you’re travelling to London for the hackathon and you’re not used to spending time in busy places, particular crowded areas of the city might make you feel uncomfortable.

• Weather
  It’s England, so it is likely that the weather will not be great. In London, it rains for 156 days each year on average. With that in mind, it’s probably best to bring a coat and an umbrella so you don’t get wet on the journey to and from the hackathon!

• Expensive
  Buying pretty much anything in London is expensive. In fact, London is one of the world’s most expensive cities in terms of cost of living!

Famous Locations in London

• Science Museum
  Located in South Kensington, the Science Museum is one of London’s most popular tourist attractions. It’s easy to see why: the museum is a haven for anyone interested in science and technology. Inside, you’ll find everything from the Discovery Motion Theatre to the Apollo 10 command module, which journeyed around the moon in 1969. Additionally, gaze in wonder at the first-ever jet engine and a model of the world’s first international satellite. It’s a science lover’s dream!

• BFI Imax
  Located in Waterloo, BFI Imax offers an unrivalled cinema experience. The building contains the largest cinema screen in the UK, which is 20 metres high and 26.5 metres wide. After watching a movie, head over to the bar, where you can choose to drink from a selection of film-themed cocktails! Enjoy your drink with a view as you look out over Waterloo Bridge. Sounds like a perfect evening to us!

• Archimedes Inspiration Escape Room
  If you’re looking for something unique to do in London, why not experience an escape room? Archimedes Inspiration Escape Room will immerse you into a different world where you are the protagonists in a story. You’ll be met with a series of tough challenges, each with a deeper meaning that will become clearer as the story unfolds. Choose from various story themes, including psychological thriller and sci-fi thriller. If you’re a fan of puzzles, you’ll really enjoy yourself in these escape rooms. The challenges are centred around logic and maths puzzles, requiring you to split into small teams to solve complex problems before progressing to the next stage. So whichever narrative you choose, we know you’ll have a truly unforgettable time!
  
  
• The Loading Bay Event Space in Shoreditch
  This modern and tech-themed venue is perfect for any hackathon event, what with its bright and spacious auditorium that can accommodate 250 people, Wi-Fi availability and high-quality AV. While the venue does not have in-house catering, management allows renters to avail third-party caterers. Perfect for a long event!