FAQs

The Virginia Datathon is a week-long hybrid competition where teams use public data to develop innovative solutions to a real-world challenge. This year's theme is Beyond the Numbers: Building an Affordable Virginia.

This year our teams are limited to Commonwealth of Virginia state employees/contractors and college students.

Teams will address affordability across one or more of the following topics: housing, energy, healthcare, childcare, education, and living expenses. The central question: how can your team innovatively help make life more affordable in Virginia?

Teams must have 2–6 members. 

Yes — as long as every team member is from a state agency or college.  

No, the minimum team size is two people. 

At this time, we are unable to match individual participants with teams. We encourage you to reach out to colleagues, classmates, or peers in your network who may be interested in competing.  

The event kicks off with a virtual session on Thursday, October 8th, and wraps up with in-person presentations the following Friday, October 16th. In between, teams have several workdays and a Subject Matter Expert (SME) Day to ask questions of data owners and topic experts.

The kickoff is held over Microsoft Teams and will be recorded and shared with participants. It covers the theme, where to find datasets, solution rules, and the schedule. Teams can also ask questions live.

SME Day gives teams the chance to connect with data owners or subject matter experts related to the affordability theme. Teams contact the Datathon planning team to be connected with the right SME, who can answer questions via email.

The event will be held at the Nicholas Center at Brightpoint Community College in Chester, Virginia (13101 Jefferson Davis Highway, Chester, VA 23831). Signs on campus will guide you to the Nicholas Center, and free parking is available. A campus map can be found here. 

A one-page written summary of your solution (due by noon on Thursday, October 15th before presentations). 

The event is "Expo" style — teams set up at a station and judges rotate to hear each presentation. You can bring poster boards, dioramas, or a monitor to display your work. Presentations are up to 5 minutes. Pre-recorded virtual presentations will not be accepted.

You can use the public datasets posted to the Virginia Open Data Portal for the event, and you're also welcome to gather your own public data. All data used must be publicly available.

Solutions are evaluated on data analysis or visualization, innovation and creativity, relevance to the theme, feasibility, and presentation quality. 

More information will be provided to participants as the event approaches through the Participant Page of the Datathon website. 

Amazon gift card prizes will be given to each member of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place teams.

No. Team members not present on the day of the event will be ineligible for awards with the exception of emergencies that are communicated in a timely manner to the Datathon team.

• Identifying your school, employer, or organization in your solution or presentation (including wearing branded clothing) 

• Submitting your one-pager or solution after the deadline 

• Presenting what amounts to a sales pitch for your organization