Protothon 3.0 is a 2 - week Product Management and prototyping hackathon event that challenges participants to develop innovative solutions in alignment to the problem statement. Participants work together in teams to create new ideas, prototypes, or approaches that help participants implement their learning towards product management in a competitive environment and eventually come up with a project.
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Over the course of two weeks, participants will work collaboratively to conceptualize and develop a new product idea that helps them come up with innovative solutions. Throughout the hackathon, participants will receive guidance and support from experienced mentors, who will provide feedback and help refine their ideas.
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It is a great opportunity for product aspirants to collaborate, learn, and develop their skills while addressing real-world customer problems. We look forward to seeing the creative and innovative ideas that come out of this hackathon!
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Judges
Problem Statement
As the VP of Product at <Product Company>, you have been tasked by the CEO to adapt the product as per the new market research findings. The challenge is to cater to the <Demographic> target demographic in the United States over the span of a year. The <demographic> is a group of users who have unique needs, preferences, and behaviors that differ or are a subset of the current user base of <Product company>.
To meet this challenge, you have to work with the product managers in your team and come up with a pitch to the CEO that involves understanding the problem, needs and preferences of the <Demographic> target demographic. The challenge is to create a product that is both user-friendly and innovative while maintaining the brand's integrity and reputation.
At the end of the year, you will be evaluated based on the success of your strategy in attracting and retaining the <Demographic> users, the impact of the modifications made on the overall user base, and the alignment of your efforts with the company's goals and values.
Example: Youtube Kids
YouTube Kids is a child-friendly version of YouTube that offers a filtered selection of content suitable for children. It addresses the problem of inappropriate content, comments, and ads that may not be suitable for young viewers on regular YouTube. The platform provides a safe and curated environment for children to browse and watch videos while offering parents several parental control options.
Example
Product Company
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Twitter: Social media platform
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TikTok: Short-form video platform
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Snapchat: Multimedia messaging platform
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Zoom: Video conferencing platform
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Spotify: Music streaming service
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Hulu: Streaming service
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Chat: GPT conversational AI
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Google Assistant: Virtual AI assistant
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Yelp: Review and recommendation platform
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Airbnb: Lodging booking platform
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Uber: Ride-hailing app
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Venmo: Peer-to-peer payment app
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Robinhood: Investment app
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Grammarly: Writing assistant
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Notion: Productivity tool
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Canva: Graphic design tool
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Duolingo: Language learning app
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Headspace: Meditation app
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Google Chrome: Web browser
20. Slack team: Communication tool
Demographic
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Children: This age group ranging from infants to pre-teens.
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Teens: This demographic ranges from 13-18 years old.
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Young adults: This demographic ranges from 18-34 years old.
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Middle-aged adults: This demographic ranges from 35-54 years old.
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Senior citizens: This demographic is 55 years and older.
View the Deliverables here
Clarifying problem statement
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1. What do I consider a Product or Demographic?
In the problem statement, replace the word ‘Product’ with any of the Products listed and ‘Demographic’ with any of the listed Demographics
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2. Can I use another product apart from those mentioned in the list?
No, kindly adhere to the Products listed with the problem statement
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3. Can I consider Business use cases as a demographic?
No, we are looking at Business to Consumer side of products which focuses on the any of the target demographic you choose from the list
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4. Is there a particular market or region I should focus on?
Yes, we will consider the US market
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Judging Criteria -
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Qualifier
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Reason For Choosing A Feature
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Does It Solve Problems?
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Metrics You Have Considered
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How well have you understood the problem?
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Finale
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High Fidelity designs of the solution on Figma or AdobeXD
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Product Road map
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How would you prioritize the features?
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Execution Timeline
Mentor office hours
Get expert mentors help you through your Protothon journey from
Bootcamps
Fri, Nov 22Curry Student Center 2nd Floor Suite
Fri, Nov 17020
Sat, Nov 11002 East Village
Fri, Nov 03109 Robinson Hall
Tue, Sep 05Location is TBD
Thu, Apr 06Churchill Hall 101
Tue, Apr 04Churchill 103
Multiple DatesTue, Mar 28Churchill 103- Multiple DatesFri, Mar 24Churchill 103
- Wed, Feb 08Snell 031
- Thu, Feb 02Shillman 210
Thu, Dec 01Snell Engineering 108
Sat, Nov 19Raytheon Amphitheater
Qualifier Guidelines
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During the first week, participants will focus on ideation and validation of the problem statement. They are expected to conduct research identifying customer pain points to validate their assumptions through customer interviews, and develop a clear understanding of their target market. Based on this research, they will develop a product concept that addresses the identified pain points.
General Event Guidelines
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All communication will take place through APMC website, Email, In-site Messenger, APMC Wall
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Be as creative as possible. Think out of the box. Let it be outlandish. Limitless!
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Fall in love with the PROBLEM, not the SOLUTION.
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All participants are requested to check the protothon wall in the category #announcements
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Please check out the office hours time slots available for getting your questions answered regarding problem statement
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Please use the Product Handbook as a reference when needed
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Have fun and be kind!
Protothon Timeline
Problem Statement Reveal
Launching the problem statement based on which, participants design and build a solution
March 23
Bootcamp 1
This session would cover essential topics in
introduction to hackathons and discussing a brief on the problem statement
March 24
Bootcamp 2
This session would discuss the problem statement deliverables and concepts
March 28
Qualifier
Teams present essential deliverables to a panel of judges, ultimately competing for a position in the finale. The teams will have an in-person and virtual option
March 30
Bootcamp 3
This session would cover tops on introducing prototyping and a figma workshop
April 4
Finale
Top 10 teams from the qualifier round present their product ideas, competing for the win!
April 6
Incentive
Exposure to industry experts:
You will get to interact with industry experts, receive feedback on your work, and network with other professionals in the field.
Cash prizes:
There are going to be cash prizes and vouchers for the top three teams to take away. So, make sure to put your best foot forward this Protothon.
Professional development opportunities:
The Hackathon could provide you with access to professional development opportunities, such as workshops, mentoring sessions, and training programs.
Appreciation:
Participants who produce outstanding work could be recognized through social media, blog posts, or press releases, which could help them build their personal brand and gain exposure in the industry.
Protothon 2.0 Flashback
650+
Footfall
85+
Teams
Results from Protothon 2.0
Protothon Judges' portfolio
Participants received Internship offers from
Participant Testimony
Participant Testimonials
Team Name: Game of Features
Position: Second Runner’s up
Name: Aniruddha Patil
Protothon 2.0 was a thrilling event that challenged us to put our product development knowledge into practice and solve real-life problems. Our team - Game of Features was excited to participate and put our heads together to come up with innovative solutions. In the end, we secured the second runner-up position, and our sense of accomplishment was genuinely enthralling.
The competition was an excellent opportunity for us to collaborate with other participants and develop our problem-solving skills. We learned to approach challenges systematically, generate ideas, and test them with the target audience. Moreover, the experience reinforced the importance of communication and teamwork in product development.
Team name: Team Pastels
Position: Winners
Name: Aayushi Pandey
Winning Protothon 2.0 as part of Team Pastels was an unexpected but pleasant surprise. The experience of working together, brainstorming ideas, and challenging each other's solutions was memorable and taught me valuable lessons about teamwork, respecting diverse perspectives, thinking processes, and work patterns.
The competitive and vast nature of the product world provided an opportunity to learn and expand my network through LinkedIn, which helped me build a community within the product industry and opened up new opportunities. Overall, the experience was enriching and helped me grow both personally and professionally
Team Name: ASK
Position: First Runner’s up
Name: Aditya Bhojani
Protothon 2.0 was both challenging and incredibly rewarding. The opportunity to work with a talented team of individuals to develop unique features was truly inspiring. Our team worked tirelessly to brainstorm innovative ideas and develop solutions that would truly enhance the user experience for these companies' customers. Through long hours of designing, testing, and refining our product, we were able to create something truly unique and valuable.
The competition itself was intense, with many teams bringing their A-game to the table. However, the energy and excitement of the event was palpable, and it was truly inspiring to see so many talented individuals coming together to create innovative solutions. Overall, I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to participate in Protothon 2.0, and I am proud of the hard work and dedication that our team put into the competition.