Chapter 7: Finding Teammates (Or Going Solo)
How to find your people — even if you don't know anyone
Here's a secret that every hackathon organiser knows: most people show up alone. Seriously. Look around at the start of any hackathon and you'll see a room full of people who don't know each other yet, all quietly wondering the same thing: Who am I going to work with?
You're not the odd one out. You're the norm.
The good news is that hackathons are specifically designed to help strangers become teammates. Every event has a team formation moment built into the schedule, and the culture actively encourages people to mix. So take a breath. You're going to be fine.
Start before you arrive
Most hackathons have a Slack workspace, Discord server, or WhatsApp group that opens days or even weeks before the event. This is gold. Join it immediately.
Look for a channel called something like #team-formation, #find-a-team, or #introductions. Browse what people are posting. You'll see two kinds of messages: people pitching project ideas looking for teammates, and people introducing themselves looking for a team.
Post your own introduction. Keep it simple and honest. Something like:
"Hey! I'm Alex, a second-year CS student. I'm comfortable with Python and have been tinkering with APIs. I'm looking for a team that wants to build something fun. Happy to work on backend, data, or whatever's needed. This is my second hackathon."
That's it. No need to oversell yourself. People aren't looking for rockstars — they're looking for teammates who seem friendly, reliable, and willing to contribute.
What to say when you're pitching yourself
Lead with what you bring, not what you lack. Instead of "I'm not very experienced, but..." try "I'm good at X and excited to learn Y." Everyone at a hackathon is learning something. That's the whole point.
Think about what you actually enjoy doing. Maybe you're great at research. Maybe you're the person who keeps a group organised. Maybe you've got an eye for design, or you're fearless about presenting in front of a crowd. Technical coding skill is just one of many things a team needs. Own whatever your thing is.
How to pitch a project idea
If you've got an idea you want to build, you might get a chance to pitch it during team formation. Most events give people 30 to 60 seconds to stand up and describe their idea to the room.
Keep it tight. Hit three things:
The problem. "A lot of students waste food because they forget what's in their fridge."
The approach. "We're going to build an app that tracks what you buy and suggests recipes before things expire."
The skills you need. "Looking for someone who can do frontend, and someone interested in working with a food API."
Don't oversell. Don't use buzzwords. Just be clear about what you want to build and who you need. People join ideas that sound fun and achievable — not ideas that sound like a Series A pitch deck.
How to evaluate which team to join
You'll probably hear several pitches that sound interesting. How do you choose?
Here's the honest advice: pick the team with the best vibe, not the flashiest idea. A welcoming group working on a simple idea will have a far better time than a tense group working on something ambitious. Look for teams where people are already asking each other questions, where the pitch-giver seems open to input, and where there's a sense of "let's figure this out together."
Trust your gut. If someone's already being dismissive or controlling during team formation, that's not going to improve under deadline pressure.
A few good questions to ask before joining:
"What's the rough plan for the weekend?"
"How are you thinking about splitting up the work?"
"Are you open to adjusting the idea as we go?"
The answers will tell you a lot about how the team will function.
When and how to approach people
Team formation can feel awkward, especially if it's unstructured. Here are some low-pressure ways to find your people:
During meals or breaks. Sit next to someone new. Ask them what they're thinking about building.
Near the snack table. It's the universal hackathon meeting point. Linger there.
After pitches. Walk up to someone whose idea interested you and say "Hey, I liked your pitch. Are you still looking for people?"
In the Slack/Discord. If you're shy in person, send a DM. "Your idea sounds cool — mind if I join?"
Nobody will think you're weird for approaching them. Everyone is in the same boat. The person you walk up to is probably relieved that someone made the first move.
Going solo is totally valid
Not every hackathon requires teams, and not every builder wants one. If you'd rather work alone, that's a completely legitimate choice — especially if your main goal is learning.
Solo hacking lets you move at your own pace, explore whatever interests you, and make every decision yourself. You won't win the "best teamwork" award, but you might build exactly the thing you wanted to build, and learn more in the process.
Many events explicitly welcome solo participants. Some even have a solo track or category. Check with the organisers if you're unsure.
If you start solo and change your mind, that's fine too. Plenty of solo builders end up merging with a team a few hours in when they realise they'd enjoy the company. Hackathons are flexible like that.
The only wrong move is not showing up at all.
Key takeaways:
Most hackathon attendees arrive without a team — you're in good company
Join the pre-event Slack or Discord early and post a short, honest introduction about yourself
When pitching yourself, lead with what you bring (skills, enthusiasm, reliability) rather than apologising for what you lack
When pitching a project idea, keep it to 60 seconds: problem, approach, skills needed
Choose a team based on welcoming energy and good communication over a flashy idea
Going solo is a perfectly valid choice, especially when your goal is to learn