Hackworks

What Hackworks does

Hackworks Inc. is a Toronto-based innovation services and software firm (founded 2015, 1–10 employees) that plans, organizes, and executes hackathons, innovation challenges, sprints, workshops, and corporate "Shark Tank" programs on behalf of enterprise, government, and non-profit clients. Its proprietary, modular platform — launched in 2015 and operated at admin.hackworks.com — supports virtual, in-person, and hybrid event delivery with bilingual (English/French) interfaces, customizable timelines and judging criteria, team matchmaking, automated communication, and participant analytics. The platform carries a 99.9% server uptime guarantee and integrates with Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and WebEx for virtual collaboration. A public-facing marketplace at challenges.hackworks.com showcases active and historical programs.

The company monetizes through two streams: a self-serve SaaS platform tier (with a free challenge-launch option) and full-service professional services where Hackworks' innovation experts consult on program design, execute the event, and amplify results. Enterprise pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Named clients span Fortune 500 technology and financial services firms (Google, Capital One, TD Bank, RBC, Scotiabank, Bell Canada, Shopify), government bodies (Government of Canada/IRCC, City of Toronto, City of Brampton, City of Vancouver), universities (Wilfrid Laurier, Saint Mary's, Northwestern Michigan), and non-profits (AquaAction). In 2024 Hackworks launched Promptathon, a GenAI corporate upskilling service that uses third-party generative AI tools as the substrate for competitive prompt-crafting programs. Extreme Venture Partners led a 2017 seed round; no subsequent funding has been disclosed.

Name

Hackworks

Legal name

Hackworks Inc.

Website

https://hackworks.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Hackworks is a Toronto-based innovation services and SaaS firm that plans, runs, and supports hackathons, innovation challenges, sprints, and GenAI upskilling programs for enterprise, government, and non-profit clients across North America and select international markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Innovation Management Software

NAICS

Software Publishers (5132), Custom Computer Programming Services (541511), Other Computer Related Services (541519)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Project & Task Management (BPAMAMAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Work Management & Collaboration Suites (BPAMAMAG), Enterprise Work Management & Collaborative Workflow Platforms (HDAEAHAI)

Keywords

• Hackathon management software
• Innovation challenge platform
• Corporate innovation events
• Crowdsourcing solutions
• Open innovation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Platform Subscription: SaaS platform subscription for hosting hackathons, challenges, and innovation events. Organizations can launch free challenges or subscribe to paid tiers with additional features.
2. Professional Services - Program Execution: Full-service program execution where Hackworks innovation experts consult with clients to design and run custom hackathons, challenges, sprints, and workshops. Includes consulting, execution, and amplification services.
3. Enterprise Platform Licensing: Enterprise-level platform access with 99.9% server uptime guarantee, data privacy compliance, and dedicated support for large organizations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Hackworks designs, executes, and provides the software platform for corporate hackathons, innovation challenges, sprints, workshops, and Generative AI Promptathon events. Its proprietary modular platform (since 2015) supports virtual, hybrid, and in-person formats with customizable timelines, judging, team formation, and analytics. The company bundles full-service program delivery—consulting, execution, and amplification—with the platform to help enterprises and governments crowdsource solutions, recruit talent, build innovation culture, and upskill their workforce.

Product overview

Hackworks offers a comprehensive innovation management ecosystem centered on its Hackathon Platform—a modular, customizable SaaS solution for orchestrating hackathons, challenges, sprints, workshops, and the Promptathon (Generative AI) events. The platform supports virtual, in-person, and hybrid delivery with integrated communication tools (Zoom, Teams, WebEx), team formation, judging management, and analytics. Services include Hackathons, Innovation Challenges, Corporate Innovation Sprints, Workshops, Corporate Shark Tank, and Promptathon—each designed to drive specific outcomes such as talent identification, culture building, recruitment, community engagement, and workforce upskilling in AI capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hackathon Platform Modular, customizable SaaS platform for hosting hackathons, innovation challenges, sprints, ideathons, and case competitions end-to-end. Supports virtual, hybrid, and in-person formats, integrated video conferencing (Zoom, Teams, WebEx), team matchmaking, customizable judging, bilingual EN/FR support, and participant analytics. Built for organizations that want to run their own innovation events, with a free self-serve tier and paid enterprise tier.
• Hackathons (service) Full-service program where Hackworks designs and executes custom hackathons to identify talent, engage developers, build communities, and surface solutions in a competitive collaborative environment. Targeted at enterprises, governments, and non-profits seeking turnkey event delivery.
• Innovation Challenges (service)

Quantifiable outcome

• 500+ hackers participated in single Elevate hackathon at MaRS
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability2 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• AquaActioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership organizing the AquaHacking Challenge series across multiple Canadian regions (Prairies, Quebec, Atlantic Canada, Great Lakes, Western Canada). Addresses freshwater issues through technology innovation challenges for young innovators. Hackworks provides platform and program execution while AquaAction provides mission focus and water issue expertise.
• TD BankflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerTD is the founding partner for the Elevate Hackathon series, Toronto's largest hackathon. TD Tech Jam developed in partnership exposed employees to emerging technologies with applications to banking experience. Multi-year partnership supporting innovation in the financial sector.
• Bell CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Geekfest hackathon series across Ontario and Quebec colleges/CEGEPS. Focuses on online privacy and security themes with student participants. Bell provides industry context and recruitment opportunities for participants.
• Wilfrid Laurier UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Design for Change challenge series addressing societal issues (homelessness, accessible education with GenAI). Wilfrid Laurier provides UX Design Program expertise and student participants. Multiple years of collaboration.
• Oxford Properties GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Oxford Global Hackathon series held in 4 cities globally (Boston, London, Toronto, Sydney). Addressing construction, architecture, and building design challenges with 400+ participants per city. Multi-city global innovation initiative.
• City of BramptoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for BramHacks city-wide hackathon series transforming transportation (2024) and space technologies (2025). City provides resources, mentorship, and support at Brampton City Hall venue.
• City of VancouverminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for DeCode Congestion hackathon addressing transportation optimization and street use efficiency in Vancouver.
• IISD Experimental Lakes AreaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for ELA Hackathon 2023 using one of the world's longest unbroken environmental datasets (50+ years of freshwater data). Open-source solutions for environmental issues.
• Northwestern Michigan CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for AquaHacking Great Lakes Challenge 2023-24 addressing freshwater issues in the Great Lakes region with cross-border participation from Canada and USA.
• Saint Mary's UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for AquaHacking Atlantic Canada challenge hosting at Saint Mary's University, engaging Atlantic Canadian young innovators on water issues.
• Government of Canada (IRCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunded RISE (Refugee & Immigration Service Enhancement) program where Hackworks provides user-centered design training to settlement service providers to improve client services for refugees and immigrants.
• Cisco Innovation LabsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for APIClarity Edition challenge focused on Kubernetes challenges with $10,000 in prizes. Cisco provides technical focus and prizes.
• IEEE MOVE Outreach IndiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for MOVE-A-THON hackathon addressing natural disaster relief technology in India. Focus on immediate emergency relief solutions for floods, cyclones, droughts, earthquakes.
• Lavery LawyersminorOthersLegal services partner providing legal support packages to finalist teams in AquaHacking challenges.
• MitacsminorOthersEntrepreneurial Acceleration Program partner potentially providing matching funds for research development to AquaHacking finalist teams.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Devpost: Largest online hackathon platform serving enterprises and developers globally; competes directly with Hackworks on platform-based hackathon hosting, prize management, and corporate innovation programs for Fortune 500 customers.
• HackerEarth: Enterprise hackathon and developer assessment platform serving global corporates for talent sourcing and innovation challenges; overlaps with Hackworks on hackathon infrastructure and enterprise GTM.
• HeroX: Crowdsourcing and innovation challenge platform powered by the XPRIZE model; directly comparable to Hackworks' challenge/sprint offerings for organizations running prize-based competitions.
• Topcoder: Crowdsourced competition platform for hackathons, design, and development challenges; competes with Hackworks on enterprise innovation challenges and developer community engagement.
• Brightidea: Enterprise innovation management software for idea management, challenges, and hackathons; competes with Hackworks for corporate innovation pipeline programs at large enterprises.
• IdeaScale: Enterprise innovation management platform supporting idea campaigns, challenges, and crowdsourcing; comparable to Hackworks in the corporate innovation software category.

Broad incumbents

• Bounteous: Large digital experience and innovation consultancy that runs corporate hackathons and innovation programs as part of broader transformation engagements; competes for the same corporate innovation services budget as Hackworks.
• Thoughtworks: Global technology consultancy that operates corporate hackathons and innovation sprints for enterprise clients; broader portfolio but overlaps on hackathon/innovation challenge execution services.

Emerging players

• Agorize: Innovation platform for open innovation challenges and hackathons, particularly strong in EMEA; emerging competitor to Hackworks for enterprise open innovation programs.

Others

• Strider: Adjacent innovation intelligence and scouting platform; not a direct competitor but serves similar enterprise innovation buyers and could partner or compete for innovation budget share.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HackworksInc
• Facebookfacebook.com/HackworksTO
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hackworks
• Instagraminstagram.com/hackworksinc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hackworks