Start with the finish line. Write the future before you build it.
You are not starting with code.
You are starting with the finish line.
This method is adapted from Amazon's "Working Backwards" strategy. Before Amazon builds a single product (like Alexa or AWS), they write the Press Release announcing its launch.
If the press release isn't exciting, they don't build the product.
Your team must write a 1-page Press Release dated December 14, 2035.
It announces that your startup has just become the market leader or solved a massive global problem.
Your Press Release must follow this strict format:
A short, catchy headline that a 12-year-old could understand.
"New AI optimization for logistics networks."
"Global Supply Chain 'Teleportation' Network Launches: Zero-Wait Delivery is Here."
City, Country – December 14, 2035
One paragraph. What is the product? Who is it for? What massive change has it just caused?
Describe the "old days" (the years 2024–2030). How painful, slow, or expensive was the problem back then? Make the reader feel the pain of the past.
How did your startup fix it? Don't list features (specs); describe the experience. How does the customer feel now?
A fictional quote from a happy customer in 2035.
Where do people get it?
"Available now via Neural Link download"
Click the preview below to see how a student project transforms into a real 2035 press article.
Vienna, Austria – December 14, 2035
SleepGuard, the startup that pioneered Neural-Weave fabric, today announced that insomnia is officially a thing of the past...
Why are we doing this?
If a feature isn't mentioned in this Press Release, you are not allowed to build it during the hackathon. This keeps you focused.
If your grandmother doesn't understand the Headline, you fail.
Notice the example talks about the feeling of sleep, not the voltage of the device. Sell the outcome, not the tool.
Additional learning materials to challenge your thinking.
Can you tell the difference between tech predictions from 1833 and 2024? A quote guessing game about the "end of work" promises.
Start Exercise →Every technology has a dark side. Find yours before the market does. Write the leaked memo that exposes your startup's hidden crisis.
Start Exercise →A 2035 hardware startup begins as a 2025 software agent. Learn to build the Brain, not the Shell.
Start Exercise →Real-time hackathon leaderboard. Track team progress through 5 milestones with live updates on the projector.
Launch Game →