MAINCONTENTS

03 / HACKATHON

Hackathons & Ideathons

We work alongside teams from formation to final solution. Programs run from 2 days, 1 night to 8 days, 7 nights, combining pre-event online training with the main event.

Delivered: 9Pre-event online trainingField toursPrototypingIR competitionInternational programs

FIT

Ideal for

Local Problem-Solving

When you need participants to develop real solutions to pressing local issues

Joint programs with overseas universities

Exchange programs that bring Korean and international students together in mixed teams

Long-form immersive programs

When participants need to focus intensively for a week or more and come away with a finished deliverable

PROGRAM

Program structure

Based on an 8-day, 7-night program (Hallym University Solverthon).
Short 2-day formats are condensed into problem definition → development → presentation.

  1. Pre-event

    Online orientation

    Distribution of prep materials, a dedicated participant channel and pre-event mentoring

  2. Day 1

    Arrival · team building

    Check-in, orientation and team formation

  3. Day 2

    Ecosystem learning

    Understanding the local startup ecosystem and studying problem-solving cases

  4. Day 3

    Field tour · ideation

    Local site visits followed by AI-powered ideation

  5. Day 4

    Field tour · validation

    Further field research and prototype testing

  6. Day 5

    Solution refinement

    Hypothesis-driven solution refinement and mentoring

  7. Day 6

    Final presentations

    IR competition, judging and awards

  8. Days 7–8

    Closing

    Wrap-up, return home and dismissal

OUTPUT

What you get

Solutions to local challenges

Real solutions grounded in field research

Prototypes

Tested, working results

IR pitch decks

Each team's competition deck

Judging results & operations report

Judging tallies and a record of the entire process

CERTIFICATE

Certificates issued to all who complete the program

These are private qualifications registered with the Korea Research Institute for Vocational Education and Training (KRIVET) and issued directly by MAINCONTENTS. Participants leave with a certificate, and organizations can report the certification rate as a performance indicator.

AI Product Planning Specialist

Current focus

Competence in product planning and MVP design using AI tools. Issued as our priority certificate since its registration in late 2025.

Registration No. No. 2025-006343

Innovative Company Trend Analyst

Optional

Competence in analyzing industry and technology trends and identifying business opportunities. Our main certificate through 2025, still issued optionally where it suits the program.

Registration No. No. 2022-003914

Schumpeter Startup Director

Optional

Competence in designing and running entrepreneurship and startup programs end to end. Issued at organizations that run the Schumpeter program as a regular course.

Registration No. No. 2019-003698

  1. STEP 1

    Course completion

    Meet attendance requirements

  2. STEP 2

    Submit deliverables

    Team business plan and pitch deck

  3. STEP 3

    Assessment

    Exam based on course content

  4. STEP 4

    Issuance

    Certificates issued; recipient list attached to the final report

Certification fees are included in the contract amount. Certificates have been issued at the Startup Marathon and Solverthon programs; the certificate issued was AI Product Planning Specialist.

REPORT

A final report for every program

We have submitted a final report for every one of the 325 programs we have run. Each report even includes access links to every team's MVP.

  1. 01Operations Overview & Progress
  2. 02Detailed Schedule & Instructor and Mentor Assignments
  3. 03Participation, Attendance & Completion
  4. 04Team Deliverables (Business Plans, MVPs & Pitch Decks)
  1. 05Judging Results & Awards
  2. 06Satisfaction Survey Results (by Question)
  3. 07Recommendations & Proposals for Next Year's Program
  4. 08On-site Photos & Supporting Documents

Participant lists and settlement documents submitted together.

Download a sample final report

REQUIREMENTS

Operating requirements

Size
20–30 people · 5–10 teams
Duration
From a single day with no overnight stay to 8 days, 7 nights. Pre-event training and the main event can be run separately
Venue
On-campus startup space or an external training center or hotel. Track record of running programs abroad (Shimonoseki City University)
Required facilities
Round tables for each team · Wi-Fi · projector · 24-hour space for overnight sessions
What participants bring
One laptop per person (essential for MVP building and vibe coding practice)
International programs
Interpretation, local venues, flights and visas are negotiated separately
Provided by MAINCONTENTS
Planning · instructors · mentors · operations staff · educational kits · judging operations · award certificates · qualification certificates · final report
Provided by the client
Venue · accommodation · meals · transport · prize money · participant recruitment

TIMELINE

When do you need to decide?

Hackathons need a longer lead time than startup camps. Challenge sourcing and securing accommodation must come first.

  1. D-60Inquiry & Planning ConsultationFor international programs, start at D-90 to allow additional time for coordination with the partner institution.
  2. D-45ContractFinalize the contract, proposal and quote
  3. D-30Finalize challenges & themesIdentify challenges to solve and assign mentors and judges
  4. D-21Pre-trainingPre-training is held when the program runs in separate sessions (e.g., the Startup Marathon)
  5. D-14Close participant recruitmentFinalize team assignments, accommodation and transportation
  6. D-7Pre-event preparationShipping educational kits, setting up accounts, and inspecting the venue in advance
  7. D-0Main eventOn-site operations staff throughout, including overnight mentoring
  8. D+14Submit the final reportDeliverables, satisfaction survey results and financial settlement documents, all in one package

BUDGET

Budget & contracts

Duration and number of overnight stays determine the cost. An 8-day international program and a 2-day domestic program are fundamentally different projects.

Operations only

Planning · mentors · judging · operations staff · final report

Venue and accommodation provided by the client

Turnkey

Everything in Operations only, plus accommodation, meals, transport and venue sourcing

Flights and interpretation for overseas programs negotiated separately

Sole-source contracts up to KRW 22 million (VAT included)Up to KRW 55 million through a joint contract with a women-owned businessRegistered on KONEPSRegistered on S2B (School-to-Business)

We hold Inno-Biz (technology innovation SME) status, Family-Friendly Certification and a small-business confirmation certificate. Documents for bid bonus points and eligibility are sent immediately on request.

DOWNLOADS

Materials for your internal proposal

Prepared in a format you can attach directly to internal approvals and budget requests.
Download instantly — no email required.

Other programs

We'll tailor it to your organization

Tell us your program goals, target participants and budget, and we'll send a proposed structure together with a quote.