How to find hackathons that aren’t on major event sites

TL;DR

• Many hackathons aren’t visible on major event sites like Luma’s discover page.
• 76.9% of public Luma events are hidden, including many tech events.
• You can use Hidden Events to spot hackathons that bigger platforms miss.
• Tech is one of the categories with a high hidden share: 72.9%.
• Thursday is the busiest day for new events, making it a smart day to check for hackathons.

Ever search for hackathons and come up empty? You’re not alone. Many hackathons don’t appear on big platforms, leaving you to miss out unless you know where to look. The gap is real, and the numbers prove it.

Why are so many hackathons missing from major event sites?

A huge share of hackathons aren’t listed on major event platforms’ main pages. In fact, 76.9% of all public Luma events are hidden from Luma’s discover page. That means if you’re relying on the official Luma discover page, you’re seeing a much smaller pool of events than what’s actually happening. Many of these hidden listings are run by small teams or niche communities.

If you want to see what’s really out there, you need to go beyond the standard listings. Hidden Events was built for exactly this reason: it lists public Luma events that don’t show up on Luma’s main discover feed.

Key takeaway: If you’re searching for hackathons, looking beyond the major event sites is essential: 76.9% of events are hidden from the main listings.

How can you actually find hidden hackathons?

You can find hackathons that aren’t on major event sites by using specialized tools and browsing event aggregators that surface hidden listings. Hidden Events tracks 3513 public Luma events, with 2703 of them not shown on Luma’s discover page. That’s a massive pool of events you’d otherwise miss.

Start with all the Luma events we track: this page lists every public Luma event, hidden or not, across all supported cities. You can filter by category, city, or date to spot tech events and hackathons. If you’re focused on a specific city, check pages like San Francisco tech events or NYC tech events. These city pages reveal hackathons that aren’t on Luma’s main site.

To see if a specific event is hidden, use the event checker. Paste any Luma event link and instantly find out if it’s missing from the discover page.

How does the hidden share differ between cities?

Cities differ a lot in how many of their events are hidden. For example, New Delhi has the highest hidden share: 90.7%. On the other end, Lisbon has a hidden share of 55.3%. These differences matter if you’re trying to spot hackathons where others aren’t looking.

Here’s how cities compare:

If you’re targeting hackathons in a city with a high hidden share, you’ll want to rely on Hidden Events or the relevant city page, such as Austin events or Seattle events, to get the full picture.

Key takeaway: The share of hidden hackathons varies by city, so check local pages to avoid missing out.

Are tech events and hackathons more likely to be hidden?

Tech is a category with a high hidden share: 72.9% of tech events, including hackathons, aren’t visible on Luma’s main discover page. If you’re looking for hackathons, this means you’re missing many unless you check elsewhere.

Our guide to how to find hackathons explains how to use category filters to surface hidden tech events. You can also browse our guide to how to find hidden events for more tips. If you’re an organizer, our blog guide shows how to get your hackathon listed where people can find it.

The takeaway: if you’re after hackathons, don’t just search “hackathon” on big sites. Use category filters and specialized event trackers that surface hidden listings.

Key takeaway: With 72.9% of tech events hidden, hackathon seekers need to use dedicated tools and filters.

What day sees the busiest start for hackathons and tech events?

Timing matters. The busiest day for new events is Thursday, with 19.3% of all events starting then. If you want to catch new hackathons as they’re announced, check listings on Thursday, especially on Hidden Events and all the Luma events we track.

If you’re focused on a specific weekend, city-specific pages like San Francisco this weekend or NYC this weekend are updated frequently. Use these to catch hackathons that might be too new or too niche for bigger platforms.

You can also visit the Luma discover page for comparison, but remember: many events are elsewhere. For support or more details on how Luma works, check the Luma help center.

Key takeaway: The busiest day for new hackathons and tech events is Thursday.

How can organizers make their hackathons easier to find?

If you’re running a hackathon, getting it listed where people actually look is key. With 76.9% of events hidden, relying on big platforms alone means fewer people see your event.

Organizers can use the add-event page on Hidden Events to submit their Luma calendar. It’s free, and events show up live in about 10 minutes. This boosts your hackathon’s visibility across all the city and category pages, making it easier for attendees to find you, even if your event isn’t featured on the Luma discover page.

For more tips, check our blog guide and our guide to how to find hackathons. The city events widget lets you embed upcoming events on your own site, so your hackathon reaches even more people.

Ready to find your next hackathon? Browse the live list of Luma events and see what’s really happening in your city.

About the author. Himanshu Saleria, Founder, Hidden Events. I love meeting people. I’ve been attending events, hosting them, and picking up patterns along the way for what makes a gathering worth showing up to. Hidden Events surfaces what I’ve been finding. Himanshu Saleria on LinkedIn