You must learn to ignore all your friends who say that you're mad. At least one team in the past has gone to extraordinary lengths to ensure that nothing will stop them. Pick your team early . Nothing is more important than having the right team, and nothing is more frustrating than finding that your plans for the ideal team have been thwarted due to someone having previous commitments to a rival team. As the emphasis is on speed, it's important to find people who can think and calculate fast.
Depth is also important.
While one or two very strong problem solvers on a team can make a big difference to a team's chances, it's risky to rely on them. Everyone has their bad days when they can't solve much. Having a team with plenty of depth ensures that even if one or two people have a bad day, the others will be able to keep going. The chance that everyone will have a bad day is relatively remote. Possibly the most important factors is synergy between team members.