Glad you are open to the idea. Even if you already have a startup, here's a few reasons to do it anyway: 1. SW attracts a lot of different types of people -

Glad you are open to the idea. Even if you already have a startup, here's a few reasons to do it anyway: 1. SW attracts a lot of different types of people - BizDev/UIX-Designers/Coders/Legal/etc... You may help someone w/o the technical chops bring some traction to their vision/dream/idea. 2. You WILL meet people that might be useful to you down the road. So great, you have the technical chops, but lack bizdev - well, you are in luck b/c you have met people who have that skill that might be able to help your dream come true. 3. It's fun! It's intense, but very fun. Especially if you are a competitive individual. 4. It's not a bad recruiting ground for tech talent. These people go to these events because they have passion. What more could you ask for? When I went to it, I wasn't sure what to expect. A bunch of unemployed novice programmers? A pure networking event? I never, in my wildest expectations, expected to meet such quality people at the top of their respective games. I've never been to events like this (hackathons/etc...) so maybe this is a common thread. For me, it was a great experience that I would repeat again - regardless of my current status. Hope this helps someone.