Global Hackathon case study
ISP Innovation Hackathon 2020
October 19th – October 23rd, 2020
Overview:
International Study Programs (ISP) is the global center of experiential learning, crafting short-term study abroad trips for universities. Founded in 1999, the company has been enhancing students’ business acumen, cross-cultural understanding, and leadership skills for over two decades. The Global Exec. was tasked with designing a hackathon to generate new products and initiatives.
Challenge:
COVID hit the travel industry hard, and it was no longer viable for ISP to rely solely on a travel-based business model. The future of study programs was uncertain, but students still needed exposure to international experiences. The challenge? for teams of ISP employees to create revenue streams that were pandemic-proof and engaging.
Solution:
The Global Exec. devised and delivered an internal hackathon. Participants were divided into eight groups and worked together to devise ideas for new products. The hacking lasted for five days in which teams worked with eight local and international mentors to mould their ideas before pitching to a jury of ISP executives and partners.
The company stepped out of its regular working schedule for a design sprint event to build skills, harness design thinking and take part in inspirational webinars and workshops.
Impact:
Across five days the teams came up with four viable, new products and business ideas that were nurtured and market-tested for the weeks following the event. The end result was three new products that became integrated into the company’s portfolio today. The winning idea was a virtual conference, and the first edition took place in April 2021.
For the participants, the hackathon resulted in an incubator of entrepreneurial skills and the acquisition of product design expertise. Through pitch creation, product design, business strategy creation and modeling ISP employees enjoyed an intensive learning experience.
Overall, the hackathon was a chance for employees to boost their global network and step outside their comfort zone. The connections and network building meant many of the participants stayed in touch with their mentors after the event concluded.
“ISP employees had a unique experience to become entrepreneurs for a week in a safe environment. I believe our people gained a greater awareness of the business challenges when creating new products & new business which will be extremely useful for their future careers.”
— Tomáš Chalupník, CEO, International Study Programs
