Sponsor prizes are beginning to ensure the usability and usefulness of software developed at the architecture, engineering and construction "AEC Hackathons" now popping up around the country and, soon, abroad.
For the weekend charrette, team practitioners from construction who have ideas for software team up with code writers from across the software world. The competing developers are drawn by the fun of crash-creating, in just 18 hours, useful products and by the chance of winning up to $500 or valuable software.