A Non-Developer’s Journey to ETHGlobal!

Hector D (@Cryptocomix)
3 min readJun 16, 2023

This year is gonna be my third ETHGlobal event. First one was Denver as an attendee and Toronto as a hacker! This time I’ll be a hacker again in the beautiful city of Waterloo! As I reflect on my experience at last year’s event in Toronto, I can’t help but feel an overwhelming sense of excitement and anticipation for the opportunities that lie ahead.
My first ETHGlobal event transformed my perspective and reaffirmed the value of diverse backgrounds in driving innovation.

When I attended my first ETHGlobal event in Toronto last year, I must admit I had some hesitance. As a non-developer in a sea of talented programmers and blockchain enthusiasts, I wondered how I would fit into the environment. However, little did I know that my unique perspective would prove to be an invaluable asset to the teams I collaborated with.

(I posted my vlog about it here)

While the developers focused on crafting the technical aspects of our project, I took on the role of ensuring that we maintained a tight timeline and delivered an MVP within the 48-hour timeframe. With a keen eye for project management and an understanding of the sponsors’ expectations, I played a crucial role in aligning our team’s efforts to create something presentable and competitive.

Secondly, it’s no suprise that devs kinda suck at presentation, lol. So I also made sure that we practiced our pitch, included some jokes at the beginning to get the crowd receptive and priming them to like us (hehe) and keeping our talking points very concise and understandable.

Devs trying to explain what an NFT is.

Discovering the Power of Diverse Perspectives:

My Toronto ETHGlobal experience taught me a valuable lesson about the importance of diverse perspectives in problem-solving. The collaborative nature of the event provided an ideal platform for individuals with different skill sets to come together and collectively address challenges. While developers brought their technical expertise, my background in project management and marketing allowed me to contribute in a way that complemented the team’s efforts.

The intersection of diverse backgrounds fueled our team’s creativity and enabled us to consider various angles when developing solutions. By encouraging open discussions and embracing different viewpoints, we were able to create a well-rounded project that not only showcased technical prowess but also addressed user experience and market viability.

Me in a sea of devs

Looking Ahead: AI Tools and Blockchain Innovation:

As I prepare to attend ETHGlobal Waterloo, I am particularly excited about the convergence of AI tools and blockchain technology. The advancements in AI have opened up new horizons for decentralized applications, enabling us to explore innovative use cases and push the boundaries of what is possible. This year’s event promises to showcase a plethora of intriguing applications that leverage the power of AI to enhance the blockchain ecosystem.

Being at the forefront of emerging technologies has always been a driving force behind my passion. My diverse background, spanning across different industries and disciplines, has provided me with a unique perspective and creative insight. I firmly believe that combining AI tools with blockchain can unlock tremendous opportunities for innovation, and I am eager to collaborate with like-minded individuals to bring these ideas to life :)

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