The idea for Hookaton was originally born within the team at Zanzarra, a web development company based in Lviv. One of our team members, who later joined WebHome Agency, played a key role in its creation. The name itself is a playful combination of "Hooka" (hookah) and "-ton," inspired by the word "hackathon."

It all began in 2022 during a winter corporate event. Dmytro Sukharchuk, one of the team members, shared an Excel file he had created with his partner, Karina, to rate and review different tobacco flavors and hookah setups. This sparked an exchange of ideas and preferences among team members, leading to a collective interest in exploring hookah culture in a more structured way.

The first major push for the project came from Oleksandr, a team leader at Zanzarra, who proposed turning this shared passion into a full-fledged project. With his guidance and the enthusiasm of the team, Hookaton began to take shape as a platform to share reviews, tips, and methods related to hookahs.

Hookaton functions as a comprehensive review platform for hookah tobacco, setups, and techniques. The project is fueled entirely by volunteer efforts, making time and resources precious. Despite these challenges, the team remains dedicated to growing and maintaining the platform.