HACKING THE LAST FRONTIER

Who are we? Jon Bittner

Former Vice President of the Anchorage Economic Development Corp

Deputy Commissioner, Alaska Department of Commerce

IEDC Young Economic Development Professional of the Year 2014

Co-Creator of the Alaska Hackathon, the Anchorage Mini-Maker Faire, Alaska Entrepreneurship Week, Pitch on a Train, The Crowdfunding Forum and the Alaska Makers Group

Lance Ahern Municipality of Anchorage CIO

Founded two startups, Internet Alaska and Fort Nocs

Mentors a number of Alaska technology startups

Co-Creator of the Alaska Hackathon, Co-founder of Anchorage MakerSpace

Chair of the UAA Computer Science Department Advisory Board

Why are we here? Both of us are active in the Anchorage entrepreneurial community

We were passionate about diversifying Alaska’s economy

In 2012 we decided to try and find a way to grow Alaska’s innovators

We didn’t just want to create a startup factory, we wanted to build an entrepreneurial community

WE WANTED THIS NOT THIS

Alaska has unique challenges and opportunities

Anchorage: Population 300,950Alaska: Population 735,132

So we asked around

Surveyed businesses and professionals

Met with dozens of tech businesses and programmers

Businesses had trouble finding and retaining skilled workers

Programmers complained about a lack of community

Quickly realized there were opportunities in the tech sector

The Hackathon was born! We decided to host a

weekend long event

Coders would work in teams using data provided by state and local government agencies

The goal would be to use that data to improve their community

The event would run 24-7 from Friday to Sunday

At the end, each group would present their project

It would be the Matrix: Alaska style!

Well…not quite

We learned some valuable lessons from the first event

And then something interesting happened…

The tech community got engaged

The local press picked up the story and Alaska discovered it HAD a tech sector

Everyone started asking when the next one would be, and more importantly…would there be beer this time?

Over the next few years the Hackathon spawned other events

Anchorage Mini-Maker Faire

Startup Weekends in Anchorage and Fairbanks

Crowdfunding Forums

One Million Cups

Angel Investor Conferences

Anchorage Makerspace

The Innovation Lab

And many more!

The feedback has been great

“My business is in constant need of talented developers. Not only is this event a good way to attract talent to Alaska, I found a great employee at the Hackathon.” Geoff Wright, President PangoMedia

“While we’re volunteering our time to help out a local non-profit, we were also using our own skillsets…Improving the participants skills is, I think, just as important a part of the Hackathon as producing software is.” Dale Sheldon-Hess, Hackathon participant

Eventually it took on a life of its own

The Hackathon is now an autonomous entity

It operates under a local non-profit and is run by a volunteer board

Their most recent app was an election tracker that was widely used this November

They host 2-3 events a year and have gathered around 50-75 programmers each time

Several tech startups have formed from people that have met at the Hackathons

Local companies still use it as a poaching ground for new employees and in their out of state recruitment efforts

Most recently they have started offering classes at the Hackathons to teach people how to code and grow the community

Now, a word from a guy who “codes”

Motivation: Code for America

First AK Hackathon: Anchorage Data for Google Transit (2012)

First AK Hackathon: Anchorage Data for Google Transit (2012)

Reuse: Anchorage Adopt a Hydrant (National Grand Prize Winner)

Reuse: from Honolulu Answers

Reuse: Anchorage Click-that-Hood (Brendan Babb)

Key criteria for success

Culture Dedicated CoreInstitutional Support

• Every effort to create a local incubator has identified culture as the major factor tech startups wanted out of co-location

• Startup Weekends are great, but you have to work hard to get the right mix of talent (tech, designers, and business) for success

• Key Business Leaders have been supporters for 20+ years.

• A core group that is committed to showing up and promoting through their networks

• Identify and develop the next generation of local talent

• Sustainability

• AEDC sponsored initial events and provided key support services

• The Muni helped to engage partners and show there is a market

• Establishing a strong relationship with The Boardroom (co-working space) has benefitted all parties