ITWire

With an assortment of API partners on offer, established startups and teams of product managers, developers, designers and marketers will be tasked to brainstorm, plan, hack, build and dream to create the most innovative and original smartphone or web based  application.

The 33 hour Hackathon will kick off in Melbourne on Saturday 24 November and will give  anyone interested in developing products a chance to unlock their creative potential and be mentored by some of the industry’s top experts.

“This is the third Hackathon event we have hosted and we’ve called upon some of the  smartest product managers in the industry to share their personal experience and expertise to inspire developers to design and build the most innovative concepts imaginable,” said Tim Corr, Senior Product Manager at Sensis.

“Competing teams will be matched with a ‘mentor’ who will work closely with the group across the weekend. The ‘mentors’ have very different backgrounds and experience and  we hope their unique perspective and collective passion is contagious and encourages  plenty of creativity and spirited presentations,” Corr said.

The SAPI Product Hack Camp mentors include Gus Balbontin (Lonely Planet), Scott Rogers (SEEK), Phil Metcalfe (Hooroo), Steve Sammartino (Grey Advertising) and Nick
Coster (Brainmates).

“At Lonely Planet we have a rich history of product innovation coming out of hackdays and  competitions, so when Sensis approached us we were immediately on board with the idea  of SAPI Product Hack Camp. Personally I’m excited to work with teams and see what kind  of amazingly creative ideas they can come up with,” said Gus Balbontin, Director of  Transformation, Lonely Planet.

“With top industry experts, mixed with the finest developer and entrepreneurial brains in  Australia, it’s going to be an exciting melting pot of ideas. We hope that through one of the mini workshops run by product management consultancy Brianmates, inspirational talks by the product management gurus from the likes of Lonely Planet, SEEK and Hooroo, as well as hands on tutorials about Adobe PhoneGap Build, or Amazon Web Services on  offer across the weekend we can help harness this potential,” Tim Corr said.

The SAPI Product Hack Camp is also offering competitors up to $15,000 in cash and  prizes for the teams who create the best SAPI mash-up – presented at the finale of  the weekend’s competition, the pitch on Sunday afternoon.

For more information or to register for the Hackathon head to http://producthackcamp.eventbrite.com. Registration is free.