The MongoDB team uses hackathons as an annual event where engineers can create and innovate projects of their choice, allowing them to work on new features, internal tools, or passion projects. The teams are judged based on various categories, with the goal of creating useful knowledge and skills. Past winning projects have been incorporated into production, such as MongoDB Charts, custom JavaScript expressions in the aggregation framework, and GraphSQL support in MongoDB Realm Sync. Hackathons provide an opportunity for engineers to connect and collaborate with others, foster cross-departmental relationships, and expand their skills and creativity, ultimately adding value to the product offerings and helping the team explore new ideas and spin up new projects.