TikTok Hackathon: Fostering Innovation and Collaboration

At TikTok, we believe in the power of collaboration. Despite the challenges of remote work, we are committed to fostering innovation and growth through teamwork. Hackathons, which encourage cross-functional collaboration, are an important part of our tech community. They provide a platform for teams to push boundaries and unleash their creativity.

Recently, we hosted our first Hackathon at TikTok, bringing together diverse perspectives and encouraging employees in the US and EU to embrace our values of being grounded and courageous. This event was just one example of how we foster an agile culture of engineering, inspiring creativity and bringing joy to our global community.

During the Hackathon, over 120 participants from across TikTok generated 32 standout ideas in less than 48 hours. These ideas were presented in a company-wide showcase, with teams from various fields collaborating to achieve a common goal. The top submissions received awards and prizes, and some were even considered for future product integrations.

A panel of peer judges evaluated the projects based on three key criteria: completeness, innovation, and product value. The Hackathon resulted in numerous innovative ideas and imaginative solutions that will have a lasting impact on product development at TikTok. Many of these ideas championed inclusion and diversity, such as AI-generated music widgets, voice-activated dancing stickers, and customized features to improve accessibility.

Our first Hackathon was a great success and marked the beginning of an annual tradition. We are excited to continue harnessing trailblazing concepts and uncovering exciting platform enhancements. If you are someone who enjoys tackling unique business challenges while thinking creatively, we invite you to join our next Hackathon. Open roles can be found on our Careers Page blog, and we look forward to hearing from you as we work together to "hack" the next best idea.