TTT Studios had the unique opportunity to sponsor cmd-f 2022, an all-women* and gender minority hackathon, organized by nwPlus, a student-run club based at the University of British Columbia (UBC), in celebration of International Women's Day.
At TTT, we recognize that diversity and inclusion matter in all spheres, so we especially support events like cmd-f, which seek to combat barriers and champion women who are forging innovation through technology.
What is cmd-f?
Before we get into what went on at cmd-f, let's talk about what cmd-f is.
cmd-f is British Columbia's largest all-women* and gender minority hackathon. The 24-hour hackathon aims to provide a safe space filled with support and learning opportunities for those participating.
As a virtual event, the hackathon was open for competition to individuals worldwide. We saw hackers from different parts of Canada, the United States, and Asia participate! Hackers with varying levels of experience collaborated in teams to develop and present a creative and unique software idea to a panel of judges for the chance to win some fantastic prizes! In between all the hacking, hackers were also able to attend workshops, network at sponsor booths, participate in mini-games, and hear from influential speakers.
For a deeper dive into the hackathon, watch the Twitch stream of the event: 2022 cmd-f Twitch stream.
cmd-f 2022 recap
Opening ceremony
The event began in the early morning on Saturday, March 5th. Opening ceremonies commenced, and we got to hear from the event's platinum sponsors. TTT's Co-founder and VP of Design, Josephine Wong, was one of the many successful speakers that had the chance to greet hackers during the opening ceremony.
Recognizing women in tech
One of the central values behind cmd-f is the intention of women* supporting women. nwPlus did an amazing job ensuring that diverse voices were heard during their Women in Tech Keynote Panel. The panel discussion brought speakers of diverse backgrounds to share their stories about their journeys and careers in tech. The panelists included:
- Cinda Heeren - University of British Columbia, Computer Science Professor
- Glorie Averbach - myCEO.ca, Co-founder
- Humaira Ahmed - Locelle, Founder & CEO
- Sabrina Nirchi - Morgan Stanley, Technology Chief of Staff
- Tera Tatyana Luxembourg - Slalom Build, Experience Design Principal
TTT's sponsor booth
One thing is for sure, hackers that choose to participate in hackathons are forward thinkers, and that's what we love here at TTT! While at our booth, we met eager students ready to compete this year. The boothing sessions allowed us to network more intimately with the hackers. Naturally, as students, many participants were curious about career opportunities and interview processes. Luckily, we had our HR team, and co-op members speak first-hand on what our interview experience looks like from both sides.
At TTT, we encourage a natural and fun-loving environment for our team, so I'll tell you what we said at our sponsor booth: If you like the idea of working for a full-service tech company that works on different projects with diverse clients, all while getting to see your software used out in the real world, then look no further than TTT and check out our careers page!
TTT's sponsor challenge: Get unique with Unity
Similar to the 2022 nwHacks hackathon we sponsored, we had the opportunity to present a sponsored challenge for hackers to participate in. We chose to stick to our Unity-inspired challenge, where we asked cmd-f's talented hackers to develop a creative and interactive experience using Unity's frameworks. As part of Unity's Certified Creators Network (CCN), we love the idea of introducing Unity technologies to the next generation of tech stars!
We also hosted an introductory Unity technologies workshop for hackers to join as part of our challenge. TTT's Unity developer, Irving Waisman, led the workshop. Irving outlined some basics on developing a game using Unity's Hub.
TTT’s sponsor mentor
Mentors were also present to assist hackers with any technical questions during the hackathon. TTT's frontend developer, Angelli Dimatulac, represented us proudly as a hackathon mentor over the weekend. Angelli started her journey at TTT as a co-op while attending UBC and has participated in past hackathons, so you can imagine how her experience made her the perfect mentor. Angelli had this to say:
"I love hackathons, and I especially love hackathons that encourage underrepresented groups to participate in and pursue careers in tech. cmd-f in all its forms created a welcoming space for women* of diverse backgrounds and skillsets to learn, build, and connect. It was amazing to see the organizers' and participants' talent, creativity, and resourcefulness. Thoughtful solutions, fresh perspectives, good vibes all around – huge kudos to the nwPlus team for running a fantastic event!"
Congratulations to cmd-f's 2022 hackathon winners
After all the hacking was complete, judges had to deliberate who the top 3 winners were. Of course, with high anticipation, we waited for the announcement. The wins were well-deserved across the board! Congratulations to the following winners:
- First place winner: PollyPlanner
- Second place winner: Seek Refuge
- Third place winner: Renew
Final thoughts
As a software development company, we aspire to push the boundaries of technology and creativity. We work in an industry that is in a constant flow of innovation, and hackathons are breeding grounds for just that. Not only does cmd-f allow participants to explore new technologies, but it also paves way to breaking negative stereotypes by acknowledging and celebrating women of diverse identities. Thank you, nwPlus, for inviting us to participate in this event!
Similar to cmd-f, TTT's Design Team also worked on their own metaverse-themed project inspired by International Women's Day. The Women Around app has AR capabilities where users can use their mobile camera to scan objects and discover which items were invented by inspirational women throughout history.
Want to see more? Check out TTT's dribbble portfolio for more of our creative designs.
* We acknowledge that "women" is not an accurate description for many people, and it may make some feel unwelcome. We use * to specifically and intentionally include cis and trans women, as well as women-identifying non-binary, agender, or intersex people and other gender minorities. This event is completely beginner-friendly and is open to women-identifying post-secondary, high school students, and recent graduates (within one year of graduation) from all schools and backgrounds.
