F A Q

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the hackathon & conference event?

June 20 and June 21, 2020. We are 100% virtual.

How can I register for Capsule Hack?

You can head to the registration page here and purchase a general admission or student ticket, these are $35 USD and $25 individually. Want to bring a friend? You can purchase an extra ticket and reassign it to them so they are in the loop. https://www.capsulehack.io/registration

Who can participate?

Anyone with a passion for our planet and a desire to use their skills for the good. You can be a graphic designer, entrepreneur, web developer, retired biologist, university student, everyone is welcome. Our age limit is 16 and up.

Do I need to know how to code?

No. Solving our climate crisis will involve a variety of skills to be successful from business knowledge, writing, finance, science, marketing, research, user experience to knowing the most about a particular fish species. You never know what you might need so it’s great to invite everyone. Project leads share their needs in their project post, browse through to find your best fits.

Is Capsule Hacks a safe space?

Capsule Hacks has a Code of Conduct which we will be adhering strictly to. We believe that every single person has the right to hack and enjoy our conference in a safe and welcoming environment.

Head to our home page, you can click on the button which reads “Dashboard Login,” you will be taken to a password page where you need to enter the password before you’re in. Once access has been granted, you can view our projects & conference planning.

Is this a team-group focused event?

Yes. You can either build your own team, or come meet other participants from a variety of industries and we’ll help you find a team that can utilize your skills. Teams should have no more than 8 people.

Will we be working the entire period of the hackathon?

No, you don’t have to. Come have fun & learn some cool new things by watching any of past webinars, keynotes, panels, and speaker sessions. We also have music and art performances and a film screening. We have activities to help you through the hackathon with a yoga morning class on Day 2.

What do I need to prepare for the event?

If you’re a project lead, please ensure you attend one of our training sessions to make sure you’re onboarded completely and can use our toolkits. If you’re a participant, having a working desktop, mobile, or laptop is required with the right apps installed: Slack and Google Hangouts.

Please ensure you stay hydrated so have a water bottle at the ready, a note-taking tool such as a book or online software, a webcam for your team sessions, and a positive attitude. We encourage you to hack in a clean workspace with minimal clutter to increase your focus.

We highly encourage those who are part of a team to stay on through the 2-day event. For those who are attending the conference portion as a guest, you are welcome to come and go as needed.

When are the webinars taking place?

Majority are scheduled for May 2020, but we’ll host a few in June prior to our event. Please check the schedule here: https://www.capsulehack.io/schedule-1

During the first few weeks of June leading up to our event, please check the schedule here: https://www.capsulehack.io/schedule-1

What's the schedule?

As a registered guest, you login into the dashboard and access direct links in our 2-day schedule or view the the complete schedule here: https://www.capsulehack.io/schedule-1

Will I receive a certificate of attendance?

We are more than happy to provide those on a case by case basis. Please email: capsulehack@experimentalcivics.io for your digital copy.

Passcode to our dashboard is sent through email via Tito. If you can’t find the email, please ping us at capsulehack@experimentalcivics.io and we’ll get you sorted

Where do I find the links to join activities? (panel, yoga, performances, etc.)

As a registered guest, you can login into the dashboard and access direct links to our 2-day schedule.

Is there a "Winner" for Capsule Hack?

Everyone who attends Capsule Hack is a winner, the climate crisis requires all of us to become champions for our planet, so no, we have no overall winner. We do have select prize giveaways which will be distributed through third parties.

Are there prizes involved?

Yes! We will have innovation pipelines for successful projects, as well as surprise prize giveaways at our event.

Will the content be recorded and available after Capsule? (panel, yoga, performances, etc)?

Yes, our webinars, panels, speakers, and keynotes will be recorded and available for viewing after the event.

Where can I network?

We have several places where you can network from our Social Sessions, Happy Hours, LinkedIn group and our Slack channels which do include both formal and informal channels.

Do I have to participate in all of the events?

No. You can participate in the hackathon and watch all of our conference programming after our event.

Where can I find help with translations?

As a registered guest, please visit the #translation_aid Slack channel and give us a shout. We’ll try our best to help you.

Someone did something inappropriate, who do I contact?

If there is a violation of our code of conduct, please ping capsulehack@experimentalcivics,io, seek a staff member in our Slack channels or message the #Help-Desk immediately.

Can we network with the partners?

Of course! A variety of our event partners will be attending our event in various ways such as participants, project leads, mentors, and volunteers. Check out our mentor roster if there is someone from the partner organization you’re interested in or ping the #Help-Desk Slack channel.

How do I start a conversation/direct message group with my teammates?

On the left-side column, click the "+" next to direct messages, and then type in the teammates names. You will then create the group conversation.

Who are the event partner organizations for Capsule?

Experimental Civics is the host of our event, but Earth Hacks Foundation and TechTogether are the two event partners who brought this idea and vision to life.

My question is not listed here. Whom do I contact?

Please email us at: capsulehack@experimentalcivics.io and we’ll try our best to answer your question. Responses can take between 24-48 hrs.

Where do I find mentor contact information?

Mentor contact information can be found in the Mentor Profile Template, which was emailed to you.

How do I contact a mentor?

Mentors can be contacted via Direct Message on Slack. If you click on the "+" next to Direct Messages on the left column, you should be able to search the mentor name and message.

Where can I find the list of mentors?

We have a mentor roster available on our dashboard, you can browse the list of our mentors to see if anyone can be helpful to you

How do I know a mentor is available?

Mentors are donating their valuable time to support us over the 2-days. We have their availability listed under their name in the Mentor Roster document. Please refer to that for their availability, please note, some mentors are only available for one day or for a specific shift. We apologize in advance for any disappointment if those hours are outside of your time zone.

Will there be mentor rounds or do we have to ask our mentor for a meeting time?

Mentors are only available during their availability windows which are listed in the mentor roster. We also have international mentors so please note some folks might be out of your time zone.

How do I submit my project idea?

Project submission is done via Submittable. Our new extended deadline is June 15, 2020 at 11:59 p.m.

How do I submit my project report?

Project submission is done via Submittable. We have training for this on Saturday and Sunday. For specific questions, contact Eva or Priya via Slack.

Do projects have to fall under a challenge category?

Yes, they have to fall under one of our six challenge categories: Art, Health, Education, Cities, Energy, and Food. We kept them broad so you should be able to find a tie in.

Can I recruit teammates before the hackathon?

Yes, most certainly. If you’re able to recruit your full team prior to the event, that is completely fair, just make sure everyone is registered.

Can students be project leads?

Yes, of course! Our event age limit is 16 and up, please submit your project idea here.

I have a project idea, but I missed the submission deadline?

We know it happens, please submit regardless, if our team & project review committee is able to accommodate you, we’ll try. We would encourage you to join us as a participant regardless.

My Google Hangout link isn't working, please help?

Please send an email to capsulehack@experimentalcivics.io or ping the #Help-Desk channel

Where can I recruit more teammates?

We know it can be tricky to find each other in this virtual environment so we’re hosting social sessions prior to our event based on challenge categories so you can find the right people to join your team. We also have Slack channels to share your ask.

How do I find a team?

As a registered participant, you can login to the dashboard and search for projects in various ways: search by country, search by challenge category, search by your interest, or use the search bar on the top right corner.

Where can I find my team weekend-of?

You can find a team associated with a project in our dashboard, ping the project leader in Slack. If you’re missing people, please check that they are on Slack and redirect them to your private group chat or hangout.

Can I change teams?

We know the first few hours of the event will be flexible due to onboarding and team formation. However, we ask once the team starts working and building their roadmap, that you commit to the team you’re in. If after completing your team work, you want to offer additional support, please offer your services in Slack so other project leads can contact you directly.

You will receive an email invite to our Slack channel on June 14, 2020. You will be prompted to make an account and then you’ll be in! Please ensure you follow the steps in our welcome center such as adding a profile photo. If you don’t receive an invite, please let us know at capsulehack@experimentalcivics.io

When will Slack be live for participants?

Slack will go live for participants on June 14, 2020. We are planning to be active right at the end of our social session series and right before the hackathon & conference starts.

Which channels should I be in for Slack?

You will be automatically included on the main Slack channels, each channel has their own description and purpose. If you find yourself in the wrong Slack channel, please let us know at capsulehack@experimentalcivics.io. Project Leads will add team members into a private group chat, please notify the project lead for access.

Can I change the language on Slack?

Please read this article from Slack, https://slack.com/help/articles/215058658-Manage-your-language-preferences

You can contact capsulehack@experimentalcivics.io and we can send forward information.

Walmart Inc generously supported Capsule Hack from the conception of the idea knowing how much work is needed to be done and in a fun, collaborative, inclusive manner. We’re so grateful to them.

Please contact your organization leads to get onboarded. They will notify the Capsule Hack team of what is needed or ping capsulehack@experimentalcivics.io and we’ll try our best to help you.

Who are the Capsule partners?

We have over 65 partner organizations coming together to support Capsule Hack in their various capacities. Check them out here: https://www.capsulehack.io/partners

What are all the different partnership types?

We have several different types and without too much detail, community partners help us foster and engage activated communities, innovation partners, help us keep project ideas alive before, during, and after the event, and lastly, challenge partners assist with the weekend-of support from recruiting mentors and project leads.

Please contact your organization leads to get onboarded. They will notify the Capsule Hack team of what is needed or ping capsulehack@experimentalcivics.io and we’ll try our best to help you.

What happens after Capsule Hack?

Given the impact of COVID-19 on our event and innovation pipeline, we’re adjusting our 12-month offering. We will announce this after Capsule Hack on June 20 & June 21. Appreciate your patience and understanding.

What’s the difference between Project Application & Registration?

All attendees and hackathon participants are required to purchase a ticket on our Registration page.

A project application is the process of submitting a project idea to Capsule Hack for evaluation to be included in the hackathon portion. These applications are authored by the “Project Lead”, which represent the point of contact for each team.

You do not need to have completed your registration for Capsule Hack in order to submit a project idea, but you will have to register before you attend the virtual hackathon.

Can there be multiple Project Leads for one idea?

While only one Project Lead should fill out the project idea application, each project can have up to four Project Leads.

The Project Lead who fills out the project application will serve as the main point of contact for all information and updates regarding the status of the project acceptance. The project application will request a list of all team members for the team and this can be updated at a later date.

Who can submit a project?

Anyone who has a project idea can submit as long as they are 16 years of age or older. Project ideas will come from every corner of industry, creation, and research worldwide. Each project idea needs only one application submitted through our project submission platform, which needs to be uploaded by the Project Lead for that idea.

Do all projects have to start from scratch?

No, but projects must be unfinished. Capsule Hack encourages projects starting from scratch and established projects looking to go into stage two of their development.

Any project leads looking to iterate on previous ideas and projects and/or build out different aspects on the project, such as develop a business or design strategy, are welcome to apply.

What if I don't have a team yet?

No problem. Head over to our LinkedIn group to meet people who are interested in the same topics as you and would love to collaborate. The LinkedIn group provides a space to brainstorm and get feedback from the Capsule Hack community. You are not required to have a team listed in the project application initially, but you will need to add the name of at least one teammate prior to the event.