Get involved with the community and win prizes

  • Discord Server
  • Kick Off Recording - February 23rd at 1 PM EST / 6 PM UTC (Q&A 19 minutes in)
  • Office hours - Join us on Discord for our regular office hours at 1 PM EST / 6 PM UTC every Thursday from February 23rd through April 13th.
  • Velo Forum

FAQ

Q: How do I get "extra credit" when working on my project?
A: To get score in the extra credit category of the judging criteria you'll need to share your project publicly, receive feedback from users, and rapidly iterate on that feedback. Both receiving feedback from users, and iterating on that feedback will factor into you score, so if you only receive feedback but don't iterate on it you'll still get some credit.

You'll also need to make us aware of the feedback you received and how you iterated on your project so make sure to mention it in your video and include links to where we can view the user feedback in your submission.

Remember extra credit is rated equally with all other criteria sections so getting it can have a big impact on your score!

Q: Do I need to purchase a Wix account to participate?
A: No. You can access the Velo platform by signing up for Wix or EditorX and enabling Developer Mode. 

Q: Does my SaaS site need a paywall/can it have a paywall?
A: Your site does not require a paywall and can be completely free. Your choice here will not impact your project's score. If you add a paywall please make sure to have a free tier or free trial so that judges can evaluate your project.

Q: What are Velo API/SPIs? When are they required in my project?
A: Velo APIs and SPIs allow developers to implement custom logic and services for their frontend and backend site interactions. 

When building a web app on Velo you have the option to build functionality via: 

  • Selecting options through the visual drag and drop editor on Wix and EditorX  
  • Writing custom logic via code

When you choose to write custom logic for your app using code you must use Velo’s native API and SPIs. In some cases, your app’s functionality can be accomplished in various ways, with or without code. For example, you may implement an email service using a third party email api or using Wix-CRM Triggered Emails. You can even build it without writing any code using Wix Automations. 

You can design your product’s architecture using a combination of code and no code capabilities, but keep in mind you must implement at least 2 Velo APIs or SPIs. We encourage you to take advantage of the integrated features that give you maximal developer velocity.

Q: Can I use Wix and/or Velo logos as part of my project?
A: Yes you can with the following restrictions:

  1. The logos should be used as-is, unmodified, no changes.
  2. The logos can only be used as part of the Hackathon. They cannot be used outside the hackathon.
  3. The logos can't be used alongside any content that violates our Terms of Use. Nothing obscene (such as weapons, pornography, etc.)

Q: Can I use Creative Commons or other assets?
A: Yes as long as you are following the license for that asset and are allowed to use it.

Q: How do I get access to the Git Integration & Wix CLI?
A: The Git Integration and Wix CLI are available through early access on EditorX. If you do not see the Github Icon on the EditorX sidebar, sign up for early access using the following form.

You should receive access to both on EditorX within a few hours of submitting.

Q: Can I reuse an existing SaaS project for this hackathon?
A:

  1. You can't reuse an old project's code.
  2. You can reuse an old idea or design.
  3. You can rewrite/reimplement an old project. Rewriting a project often makes it better anyways 
  4. You can create new standalone functionality that runs on another site and optionally integrates back with the old project. The old project won't be considered part of the submission.

 

Q. Can you explain the judging criteria? 
A: The project that you submit on Devpost will be first reviewed for eligibility. All eligible projects will then move on to be judged based on equally weighted judging criteria which are: Participation, Velo App, Submission Video, and Extra Credit.

The guidance given to judges is below and the judges’ scores are according to the sole and absolute discretion of the judges.

Rate each submission from 1 to 5 stars (defined below) based on each of the following criteria

1 - Needs Improvement
3 - Meets Standards
5 - Exceeds Standards

 

Judging Criteria

Grand Prizes

Velo App

  • Submission must be a SaaS project
  • Submission solves the needs of a targeted customer (B2B or B2C)
  • Submission iterates or innovates on current solutions available in the market
  • Submission implements the Velo Platform’s native functionality when possible (minimum 2 native Velo APIs)
  • Submission uses Velo’s native functionality in a technically impressive way 
  • Submission considers user experience for their targeted customer (Useful, Usable, Desirable, Accessible)

Submission Video

  • Effectively communicates the market and target audience of your submission
  • Demonstrates your project’s functionality
  • Explains the overview and technical architecture of the key functionality behind your submission
  • Demonstrates the strengths of using Velo’s integrated APIs and services for your submission

Extra Credit

  • Participants were able to receive feedback about their product outside of Wix’s community (ex. Twitter, Reddit, Product Hunt)
  • Participants were able to iterate based on user feedback to rapidly improve their submission during the challenge period

Judges will also score eligible projects on the below criteria to determine the winners of the Criteria Prizes.

 

Criteria Prizes

Best use of Velo features

  • Made extensive and technically impressive use of Velo features. 
  • Did something unexpected with Velo.

Best UX/UI

  • Presented their UI in a way that is responsive, clear, and pleasant to look at. 
  • UX that is easy for users to use and understand.
  • Project communicates more through the user's interaction with it than explicit instruction.
 

Bonus Participation Prizes

Community MVP Criteria

Entrants who were part of an eligible submission and engaged in the hackathon community will be evaluated by Wix team members based on the following equally weighted criteria.

  • Activity
    Did they actively participate in our main community channels?
  • Content Creator
    Did they create and/or share support materials to help their fellow participants?
  • Community Driver
    Did they provide a positive support atmosphere?
  • Feedback
    Did they actively share actionable feedback to improve the product or experience for the community?

Judging Criteria for Feedback Submission

Feedback submissions will be judged by the Wix team based on completeness, viability, and potential impact of the feedback.