Question: does it also help to connect with project owners by finding their github profile? (besides the media coverage of winners..)

Maybe if you organise it more regularly, a day will be enough for a hackathon-- I heard about https://open-x-day.org/ in companies being a very nice vehicle to share knowledge and discuss..

Also sounds to me like some kind of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microdegree (in german https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micro-Credential )

fine idea to give it an embedded look and to shift to the process instead of just the product. This might encourage to fill the timeline and take on!