FUTUReBOOK HACK invites developers, designers and entrepreneurs to come together for a weekend of brainstorming and problem solving in a previously untapped sector: book publishing.

Last November at The Bookseller’s FutureBook conference in London, agent Simon Trewin posed a challenge to the publishing industry- to come together and organize a publishing hackathon similar to one that had been held in the States the previous May.

FutureBook has always been about embracing emerging technologies, moving the industry forward and seeking out, predicting and rising to the next forms of disruption. As such The Bookseller’s FutureBook team set about bringing the major players in publishing on board and making this event happen.

FutureBook hack is a collaboration between The Bookseller and University College London with support from agent Simon Trewin - a partner at the global entertainment group WME (William Morris Endeavor) and inspired by the event The Perseus Books Group, WME, Librify, The AlleyNYC and BookExpoAmerica ran in NYC in 2013.

Eligibility

We're looking for 

  • Developers
  • Designers
  • Entrepreneurs
  • Engineers
  • Coders
  • Programmers
  • Marketers
  • People who like to think differently.

We have a maximum team size of five.

All applicants must be over 18 years of age.

Requirements

To apply please fill in the Google form document registration form:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1OtZOALf85Lf-opDJuE1G860aRkZXP0jfseckAVmrR68/viewform?usp=send_form

All platforms are accepted. Whether you want to design a website, an app or something completely different - we're open to your ideas. 

Submissions must include

  • A tagline
  • An explanation of the problem the problem is solving
  • An explanation of how your idea solves that problem
  • An explanation of how it will work
  • Ideas for future use.

Hackathon Sponsors

Prizes

£5,000 in prizes
FutureBook Hack Win
1 winner

Award includes a cash prize [and a breakfast meeting to pitch the solution/idea to a panel of top tech VC's and founding partners]

Devpost Achievements

Submitting to this hackathon could earn you:

How to enter

To enter you must apply using Google Forms - registration via ChallengePost will not secure you a place. You will then be notified within seven working days as to whether you have been successful. 

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1OtZOALf85Lf-opDJuE1G860aRkZXP0jfseckAVmrR68/viewform?usp=send_form

The success of a hackathon depends on participation of top quality coders, designers and entrepreneurial thinkers. Hackers should be innovative, inventive, enthusiastic and love problem solving.

Teams can arrive complete or form on the day, and can be made up of people from different sectors and industries with various skill sets.

All applicants will be considered but as hackathons require a balanced combination of skill sets, application does not guarantee you a place. 

Judges

Nick Perrett

Nick Perrett
Harper Collins

Sara Lloyd

Sara Lloyd
Pan Macmillan

Phillip Jones

Phillip Jones
The Bookseller

Matthew Cashmore

Matthew Cashmore
Blackwell's

Stephen Page

Stephen Page
Faber & Faber

Nathan Hull

Nathan Hull
Penguin Random House

Judging Criteria

  • Innovative
    Will this idea make a radical difference to the publishing industry?
  • Revolutionary
    Could this idea define the publishing industry in the digital era?
  • Problem solving
    Does this idea solve a valid problem?
  • Exciting
    Is this a new idea? Could you market it? Will others be enthusiastic about it?
  • Practical
    Could you persuade others to adopt this idea in their everyday life?

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