It's amazing how brilliant ideas can be brought to life on such little sleep.

But that's exactly what a small army of hackers – who participated in HTNG's inaugural hospitality innovation hackathon – proved could be done this weekend.

"My Fitbit says I slept all of three hours," says Damola Omotosho, a 31-year-old developer who spent the past 48 hours sequestered in Plug and Play's headquarters, the competition's venue and an acclaimed technology incubator in the heart of Silicon Valley.

Omotosho, however, certainly wasn't complaining. Though weary, he was all smiles because his hard work had paid off: He won the award, "Best Use of Oracle Hospitality API," for his mobile-app concept that takes consumers' preferences and matches them with hotel and activity suggestions to create memorable experiences.

His idea was one of several that surfaced during "Hack the Night," which was organized by Hotel Technology Next Generation (HTNG), an industry group dedicated to advancing hospitality solutions. Supported by title sponsor Oracle Hospitality – which champions an open API strategy for technology innovation – the competition attracted nearly 60 hackers, including graduate students and professional developers who formed teams and collaborated to develop prototype solutions.

Ultimately, nine teams made it to the finish line and made presentations to a panel of judges, who evaluated the projects' technical merit and business viability. The hackathon's objective: Seek fresh perspectives to design solutions, such as guest- or staff-facing apps, that would help make guest experiences exceptional.