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Attendees will take on the challenge of a 24 hour hackathon, where they will work as a team to create this years winning project. All projects are welcome, from mobile apps and videogames, to hardware and web development. Throughtout the event, there will be a wide range of mini-events to give attendees a break from the screen. Requirements To participate in this hackathon you must... Be a valid ticket holder for the event Keep your code in a publicly available repository Only submit projects that were started during this event, we want to see your newest ideas Not use projects created during this weekend for any other hackathon Hackathon Sponsors Gold Sponsors Silver Sponsors Prizes provided by... Partners Prizes 20 non-cash prizes HackSheffield10 1st Place 1 winner Mini-PCs per person. The team who scores the highest in the overall judging will receive the Grand Prize! This is the award for the hack that has truly defined the weekend. We are looking for the project that left the judges absolutely amazed and undeniably impressed, generating immediate buzz. This prize will be awarded to the single hack that best delivered the most powerful combination of creativity, technical execution, and thematic relevance. HackSheffield10 2nd Place 1 winner £100 Amazon vouchers provided by TPP per person The 2nd place prize recognizes a project of exceptional overall quality and outstanding execution. This award is reserved for a project that was a close contender and demonstrated remarkable mastery across the board, earning high marks for its strong balance of creative thinking, technical achievement, and thematic fit. HackSheffield10 3rd Place 1 winner Portable Monitor per person The 3rd place prize honors a team whose project shows tremendous potential and impressive performance in one or more key areas. This award highlights a hack that excelled and stood out for its notable creativity, technical challenge, or powerful thematic connection, marking it as one of the best projects built this weekend. [Reply] Multi-Agent AI Challenge 3 winners 1st place: Apple Airpods 2nd Place: Airtags 3rd Place – Reply Backpacks Address the complexity of coordinating diverse participants in a dynamic group chat. Your solution must tackle the inherent complexity of integrating a diverse team of participants—humans and multiple AI agents—into a dynamic group chat: Targeted Intent Recognition Context Management & Attribution Asynchronous Interaction & Collaboration [Grafana] Best Data Visualization with Grafana 1 winner This prize celebrates hackathon projects that best harness Grafana to bring data to life. Whether visualizing information from public APIs, custom-built endpoints, or the data stores powering your application, we’re looking for creative and insightful dashboards that turn raw data into meaningful stories. Extra credit goes to teams that integrate multiple data sources, combining diverse streams into a single, visualisation that highlights patterns, insights, or concepts in a way that’s both technically impressive and visually engaging. [Frasers Group] Build a digital experience that attracts and retains the next generation of customers to the fashion retail market. 1 winner £100 Sports Direct giftcard per person. [GitHub] Best Use of GitHub 1 winner I'm looking for commits, issues, pull requests, codespaces, actions, projects... ✨ anything GitHub ✨ Whilst the criteria isn't strictly the number of things you use (having 150 pull requests won't make you win...), having lots of many things will definitely impress me! The prize? A selection of GitHub goodies – and you each get to choose one! [Comp Soc] Best Newcomer 1 winner R36s Retro Handheld Games Console Comp Soc is awarding this prize to the teams who have just started their hackathon journey! If it is at least half of your team's first time at a hackathon, you will be eligible for this prize. We are looking for teams who have come to HackSheffield and gave it their all, pushing themselves at this event and embodying what hackathons are all about. [Comp Soc] People's Choice 1 winner Laptop Battery Pack This award is a chance for you, the hackers, to vote on which project you think should be recognised and awarded a prize. You can choose any metric you wish for this, funniest hack, most impressive hack, or that team made your experience better at the event. [Comp Soc] Funniest Project 1 winner Mystery Box Comp Soc is looking for the funniest hack this weekend! During our normal judging we will be taking note of the comedy factor of your hacks, we want to see projects that make us laugh. We are open to anything but please refrain from making any content that may be considered offensive! [SWiCS] Most Inclusive Hack 1 winner Wireless Mice SWiCS is looking for the project that best promotes diversity, equality, and inclusion in its design or purpose. We are judging based on accessible design, real-world impact and overall creativity. [Hackathons UK] Best Use of AI Agents on Arm 1 winner Develop an innovative AI agent running on Arm hardware—from mobile devices to cloud servers! This challenge encourages leveraging LLMs, either on-device or via API, to create practical solutions. Show us the best use of AI agents on Arm and win a Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W kit! Learn more at https://hackuk.org/arm [Hackathons UK] Hackiest Hack 1 winner Build something over-the-top over engineered and held together with string. Use your imagination. Our favourite project will win Shark Plushes for each team member. [MLH] Best Use of Gemini API 1 winner Google Swag Kits It’s time to push the boundaries of what's possible with AI using Google Gemini. Check out the Gemini API to build AI-powered apps that make your friends say WHOA. So, what can Gemini do for your hackathon project? Understand language like a human and build a chatbot that gives personalized advice Analyze info like a supercomputer and create an app that summarizes complex research papers Generate creative content like code, scripts, music, and more Think of the possibilities… what will you build with the Google Gemini API this weekend? https://mlh.link/gemini-quickstart [MLH] Best Use of Solana 1 winner M5Stack Starter Kit The world of development is evolving fast and Solana is leading the charge with a network built to handle all of your infrastructure needs. Forget high fees and slow confirmations, it’s time to build applications that are fast, efficient, and scalable. Harness Solana's core advantages like blazing fast execution and near-zero transaction costs to make your hackathon ideas become real world projects. With Solana, the possibilities are endless. Create a game, social app, or consumer product that relies on instant, high-frequency transactions. Design a sophisticated trading, lending, or decentralized exchange (DEX). Build a prototype for supply chain, identity, or payments that can handle massive, real-world volume. Show us how you can innovate with Solana for a chance to win some cool prizes for you and each member of your team! https://mlh.link/solana [MLH] Best Use of DigitalOcean Gradient™ AI 1 winner Retro Wireless Mouse DigitalOcean GradientTM AI is a unified AI cloud for building, training, and deploying machine learning models and AI agents. Get access to GPU infrastructure like DigitalOcean GPU Droplets and Bare Metal servers, along with serverless inference and 1-Click Models for instant deployment of your favorite LLMs! Sign up for DigitalOcean today and get $200 worth of free credits that you can use towards building your next Gradient-powered hack. Enable your next project with DigitalOcean GradientTM AI for a chance to win some great prizes for you and each of your team mates! http://mlh.link/digitalocean [MLH] Best Use of Presage 1 winner SenseCAP Watcher & Presage Perks Presage is pioneering the Human Sensing Layer, enabling any application to understand a person’s real-time physical and emotional state. With Presage, you can leverage clinically-proven vital signs, movement, emotion, and/or focus tracking to build a project that gives the standard camera super powers. Use any of the Presage SDKs to integrate capabilities like real-time heart rate, breathing rate, engagement levels, and facial expressions into your hack with just a few lines of code. [MLH] Best Use of ElevenLabs 1 winner Wireless Earbuds Deploy natural, human-sounding audio with ElevenLabs. Create realistic, dynamic, and emotionally expressive voices for any project, from interactive AI companions to narrated stories and voice-enabled apps. ElevenLabs will empower you to build rich, immersive experiences without the need for actors or complex audio production, using simply the power of AI. Integrate fully autonomous audio experiences into your hack with ElevenLabs and give your project a voice, along with giving your team the chance to win some wireless earbuds! https://mlh.link/elevenlabs [MLH] Best Use of Arm 1 winner Handheld Game Console Building with ARM allows you to create highly efficient, performant, and scalable applications & software! From IoT and Smart Devices, to AI and Machine Learning, ARM’s high performance computing and extreme energy efficiency will power whatever hackathon project you’re creating into the next level. With hundreds of sample projects and tutorials, you’ll find everything you need to get started and then some, at ARM’s developer hub. With ARM powering the vast majority of the world’s smartphones, tablets, laptops, servers, and IoT devices, now is your chance to get hands on with the most popular processor architecture around! Assemble your team and build your hack using one of Arm's learning paths today for a chance to win some awesome prizes! [MLH] Best AI Application Built with Cloudflare 1 winner Arduino Kit Cloudflare is one of the world’s largest networks enabling hackers like you to build, deploy, and deliver trusted applications, no matter where you are! With Cloudflare, you’ll have all the building blocks to create a full-stack application, from C3 (create Cloudflare command line) instance deployment to object storage. You can even run GenAI (LLMs, text to image, Voice to text, etc.) in the cloud and leverage your AI functionality via API requests using Cloudlfare’s Workers AI. Enjoy Cloudflare’s generous free tier to get started at no cost. This weekend, we want you to build an AI Application utilizing Cloudflare’s numerous services for a chance to win Arduino Kits for you and your team! Devpost Achievements Submitting to this hackathon could earn you: Judges Sheffield CompSoc Judging Criteria Originality Has this project been done before at hackathons in the past? How creative is their project in solving the problem at hand? Thematic Relevance Does the hack adhere to the event's theme? Does it implement that theme fully or just partially? Completion Does the hack work? Did the team achieve everything they wanted? Does the project feel like a well rounded product? Learning Did the team stretch themselves? Did they try to learn something new? What kind of projects have they worked on before? Design Did the team put thought into the user experience? How well designed is the interface? Technology How technically impressive was the hack? Was the technical problem the team tackled difficult? Did it use a particularly clever technique or did it use many different components? Did the technology involved make you go "Wow"?

About Event Join students from across the UK for an action-packed 10-hour sustainability-themed hackathon where innovation meets impact in collaboration with the BCU Computer Science Society. Work solo or in a team to build creative tech solutions to real environmental challenges, all within a single high-energy day. ​With a prize pool and a supportive student community, this is the perfect chance to experiment, learn, and create something meaningful. ​We’ve got you covered with breakfast and lunch provided, dedicated team-matching time, and everything you need to bring your idea to life. ​Open to all university students. No experience required. Just passion, curiosity, and a drive to build a better world. Requirements 🌍 Sustainability Projects     Team 1: Smart Energy Consumption Tracker   Problem: Analyse energy usage (household/office) and provide real-time AI suggestions to reduce consumption and cost. Context: Rising costs and environmental concerns make efficient energy use vital. Deliverables: A functional web app/dashboard visualising usage and offering AI-driven recommendations (e.g., "Save 12% by adjusting appliance usage during off-peak hours").   Team 2: Food Waste Prediction and Reduction System   Problem: Create an AI model to predict food waste based on inventory and purchasing, and recommend actions to reduce it (for homes/restaurants/supermarkets). Context: Large amounts of food are wasted due to poor stock management. Deliverables: A functional tool that ingests inventory data, predicts waste, and provides AI-driven recommendations (e.g., recipe suggestions, order adjustments).   Team 3: Carbon Footprint Estimator for Daily Activities   Problem: Develop an app that estimates a user's carbon footprint (transport, diet, lifestyle) and uses AI to suggest practical reduction changes. Context: People struggle to understand how daily habits contribute to their footprint. Deliverables: A web/mobile app that calculates the footprint and offers personalised AI insights (e.g., "Switching to public transport twice a week could cut your carbon footprint by 18%").   Team 4: Sustainable Travel Route Optimiser   Problem: Create a routing tool that suggests the most eco-friendly travel routes (public transport, walking, cycling, EV) and includes CO₂ comparison metrics. Context: Transport is a major contributor to emissions; users need clear alternatives to the fastest routes. Deliverables: A functional app generating multi-modal routes, displaying time, cost, and estimated CO₂ emissions (e.g., "Route B is recommended, cutting emissions by 57%").   Team 5: Smart Recycling Assistant   Problem: Design an app where a user takes a photo of waste, and AI classifies it as recyclable, compostable, or landfill, providing disposal instructions. Context: Confusion over sorting leads to contamination and inefficiency in recycling. Deliverables: A functional app using AI/computer vision for classification and giving simple, specific instructions (e.g., "Category: Recyclable. Instruction: Place in the mixed recycling bin after rinsing.").   Team 6: Urban Heat Map Visualiser   Problem: Use open satellite data to map urban heat islands in a city. AI then recommends areas for shade/green spaces/cooling interventions. Context: Cities are hotter than rural areas (heat islands), increasing energy demand and health risks. Deliverables: A web app/dashboard that creates a visual heat map and offers AI-driven recommendations for high-impact intervention areas (e.g., "High priority zone. Recommended actions: plant street trees...").   Team 7: Eco-Friendly Supply Chain Optimiser   Problem: Create a system to help small businesses map their supply chains and identify steps with the highest environmental impact using simple metrics. Context: Small businesses need accessible tools to pinpoint environmental hotspots in their operations. Deliverables: A web app/dashboard that inputs supply chain steps, assigns impact metrics (CO₂, water use), and visualises the highest-impact stages (e.g., "Step with highest impact: Transport from Supplier A to Warehouse").   Team 8: AI-Powered Home Energy Coach   Problem: Design an AI chatbot that gives personalised sustainability tips by analysing user data (house size, heating habits, appliance efficiency, usage). Context: Generic advice is often unhelpful for individual circumstances. Deliverables: A functional chatbot/web app that collects data, uses AI/rules to identify inefficiencies, and generates tailored advice (e.g., "Lowering thermostat settings by 1°C could save 8% annually.").   Team 9: Community Environmental Impact Dashboard   Problem: Analyse open city/environment datasets (air quality, noise, green spaces) to build a dashboard showing the sustainability health of neighbourhoods. Context: Environmental data is often scattered and difficult for residents to interpret. Deliverables: A web dashboard that connects to open data, aggregates it by neighbourhood, and displays a simple sustainability/liveability score and indicators (e.g., "Neighbourhood A: Sustainability score 78/100. Weakness: moderate air pollution.").   Team 10: Sustainable Workforce Planning Using Fair AI   Problem: Create an AI system that generates long-term workforce sustainability insights by analysing hiring patterns, skills gaps, and potential biases. Context: Organisational sustainability includes a balanced, resilient workforce. Deliverables: A web app/dashboard that identifies skills gaps and bias risks, providing recommendations for improving workforce balance and diversity (e.g., "Significant skills gap in data and AI related roles...").   Team 11: Green Space Finder   Problem: Create a web system that maps and analyses the distribution of green spaces across urban areas to identify regions with limited access. Context: Access to nature is key for health and sustainability but is often unevenly distributed. Deliverables: A web app/dashboard that visualises green space coverage, displays summary stats (e.g., average green space per person), and potentially offers recommendations for improvement.   Team 12: Green Habit Tracker   Problem: Build a simple app that helps users track, visualise, and stay consistent with eco-friendly habits, using gamification and visualised impact. Context: People struggle to maintain consistency and see the impact of small daily actions. Deliverables: A web/mobile dashboard that logs actions, displays cumulative progress/streaks, estimates resource/CO₂ savings, and offers rewards/badges.   Team 13: Community Cleanup Planner   Problem: Develop a web app that helps users organise, join, and track local community clean-up events, visualising impact (waste collected, volunteers involved). Context: Lack of a central platform for coordinating clean-up drives. Deliverables: A web/mobile app that displays events, allows creation/joining, and tracks event outcomes, providing analytics (e.g., "Your community removed 500 kg of litter in June."). Hackathon Sponsors Prizes 1 non-cash prize RESPONSIBLE AI - EARTH 51 Certifications 3 winners The Responsible AI certification from EARTH 51 is a short, non-technical course, valued at £299.00, which the top three hackathon teams will receive for free. It is designed to provide essential AI literacy for everyone, as this understanding is increasingly becoming a legal requirement for organisations using AI, particularly in places like the EU. The course, which is CPD accredited, focuses on the "big picture" of AI, including recognising real-world risks such as bias, ethics, and environmental impact, and teaching participants how to apply the SAFER framework to leadership and workplace practices. By completing the course, which only includes an hour of video content, learners gain a certification to boost their professional confidence and career prospects, while also contributing to sustainability as the provider offsets 1,000 kg of CO2 per paid enrolment. WEBSITE: https://academy.earth51.com/courses/rai Devpost Achievements Submitting to this hackathon could earn you: Judges Kieran McRae Director @ UniStrive Temis Manakkal Co-Founder @ UNIHACK Tayyeb Nadeem Somro Co-Founder @ UNIHACK Saad Tahir Chaudhry Co-Founder / Technical Expert @ UNIHACK Judging Criteria Innovation Description: Creativity in promoting local sustainability and collaboration Weight: 30% Technical Implementation Description: Functionality, design quality, and interactivity, Weight: 30% Impact Description: Potential for measurable environmental and community benefit, Weight: 30% Presentation Description: Clarity, design, and storytelling of the final product, Weight: 10%

Session A — Online (168 hours) CodeFest: Edition Dec 2025 / Two Competitions, One Event Website: CodeFesthack.vercel.app Volunteers: HackUniversity.vercel.app CodeFest | Edition Dec 2025 — Two Sessions Session A — Online (168 hours) Session B — Fully In-Person at FIU (12 hours) CodeFest features two parallel competitions: 1. Code/Hardware Hackathon (Tech Track) 2. Business Venture Arena Competition (No-Code Track — business pitch, venture design, and market strategy) Theme: Marketing, Business, Finance, and AI Open to: All Majors, All Universities, and High School Students (16+)   Dates Session A — Online (Worldwide) Nov 28 – Dec 6, 2025 A flexible 168-hour online hackathon sprint with virtual mentor hours and asynchronous submissions. Session B — Fully In-Person at FIU Saturday, Dec 6, 2025 Time: 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM ET Location: Florida International University (On-Campus)   Overview Join CodeFest: Edition Dec 2025, an innovation challenge that brings together builders, analysts, strategists, and founders. Hosted by Hack University and partner organizations, CodeFest empowers participants to build real-world solutions at the intersection of business, finance, marketing, design, and AI. Participants may choose to work through the 168-hour online session (A) or compete in the high-intensity, one-day sprint (B) on campus at FIU.   Session B — Fully In-Person Date: Sat, Dec 6 Time: 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM ET Location: Florida International University This 12-hour in-person sprint includes: Live workshops Mentor support Team formation & collaboration AI, analytics, and strategy labs Final presentations to a panel of judges Teams in either competition track (Tech or Business) will build, validate, and pitch their solutions for prizes and recognition.   Access & Perks Participants gain access to: API credits Software tools & dev resources Business modeling templates AI credits (when applicable) Startup pitch guides Cloud resources   These unlock after completing the Hack University Participant “One-Stop Form” using your Google Account sign-up at HackUniversity.vercel.app Requirements Visit hackuniversity-hackerguide.vercel.app Hackathon Sponsors Prizes 2 non-cash prizes General Build [Track #1 — Hackathon Competition] 1 winner + Digital Certificate Venture Arena (Pitch) [Track #2 — Business Venture Arena Competition] 1 winner Digital Certificate Devpost Achievements Submitting to this hackathon could earn you: Judges CODE CRUNCH JUDGES CODE CRUNCH Judging Criteria Judging Criteria Visit hackuniversity-hackerguide.vercel.app

Startup in a Weekend Hackathon Hosted by The Foundry https://luma.com/ntq1zwh4 Requirements Build your startup idea.  Here's what your submitting: Pitchdeck: You will be presenting (pitching) for 4-5 minutes about your project/product. We have intentionally not given any suggestions/rules for this, and it is up to you to decide what direction you want to take your pitch in.  Small product demo/proof video: if you have proof of concept (for example: an unfinished product that does not work fully but you have a part of it working/ code that is setup for a function etc) OR have a sample of your product/project working, submit up to a 60 second long video of it. Show proof and if it works. Hackathon Sponsors Prizes $8,300 in prizes Existing Project $1,550 in cash 1 winner New Idea $1,550 in cash 1 winner Crypto $5,000 in cash 1 winner Photon Codes $200 in cash 1 winner Devpost Achievements Submitting to this hackathon could earn you: Judges Anomitro Paul Mercor Owen Avax Micheal Avax Ansh Google Randel Spence Google Sara Velric Depender Yadav Mercor Akhil Mohammed Cornelis Network Judging Criteria Build the best you can Build the best you can Go All In There's no rules, no limitations, and go all in!!!

The BCSS Game Jam is back for a second year! We've joined forces with 5 other societies to make this event possible and as awesome as it can be. Get together in groups of 4 to build your very own game over a 48-hour period and win prizes! You'll build your projects to a mystery theme that we'll reveal at the Launch event. The Launch event will be Friday 21st November at 17:15 in 1W 2.101 - the theme will be revealed here after the event. Do come along even if you don't have a team yet as we'll have team finding activities! The official duration of the competition will be from Friday 21st November 18:00 to Sunday 23rd November 18:00 which will be our submission deadline. Requirements The projects must comply with the mystery theme, which will be revealed at the kick-off event. You also must target one or more tracks. You don't need to explicitly declare which track(s) you're targeting, and you can target more than one if you'd like. Your project will automatically be considered for all tracks that seem eligible. Your game doesn't need to have any code associated. If it does have code, we'll need you to submit a GitHub/GitLab repository. Please ask our committee if you need help. In any case, you'll need to submit a ~1-3 minute video demonstrating your game. Hackathon Sponsors Prizes 4 non-cash prizes Jammers' choice 1 winner £25 Amazon gift cards for each group member Best Overall 1 winner £50 Amazon gift cards for each group member Most creative 1 winner £25 Amazon gift cards for each group member Best board game 1 winner £25 Amazon gift cards for each group member Devpost Achievements Submitting to this hackathon could earn you: Judges BCSS Committee Judging Criteria Showcase and Devpost Participants will be judged on the implementation of the game in person during the showcase on Wednesday, 26th November and also on their Devpost submission.

about whack Welcome to the 13th iteration of WHACK, Wellesley College's annual hackathon! Students from colleges throughout the world will come together for 24 hours to turn their ideas into reality. Whether you’re a seasoned developer or designer, or just starting out as a beginner, there’s something at WHACK for you. We’re absolutely beginner friendly! You’ll enjoy a weekend of awesome tech, swag, workshops, and mini-events while learning from distinguished speakers, inspiring mentors, and peers. We consider WHACK a success if you make new connections and gain skills that will stay with you long after WHACK is over. Requirements What to Build We are looking for projects and prototypes of tools that will help improve education. You should be able to demo your project for the judges and make sure they have a clear idea of what your project is for, how it works, and how it contributes to the theme: Making Waves (of Social Impact) or Deep Dive (Technical) in the Ocean of Infinite Possibilities! What to Submit You should submit a link to your project or prototype, as well as a short write-up about your project. This can be a URL to a working website, a link to your team's GitHub repository, a link to a Figma prototype, or anything else where people will be able to either view or download your project. You may also submit a demo video of up to 3 minutes. Hackathon Sponsors Gold Sponsors Tech/Resource Sponsors Startup Sponsor Prizes 14 non-cash prizes Best Deep Dive (Technical Innovation) Hack 1 winner Most Ambitious technical projects that explore cutting-edge technologies Hack that is creative and complex Most Make Waves (Social Impact) Hack 1 winner Most creative community-focused solutions that create positive ripple effects Need to be realistic Hack does not need to be fully implemented Most Readily Employable (most likely to succeed) 1 winner Hack that is complete and ready to go Hacks that are creative and innovative would also be applicable Best Design Hack 1 winner Hack that has the best user experience (nice to look at, easy to use, most interactive, most accessible, etc) Best Use of Google AI Tools 1 winner $10,000 in Google Cloud (GCP) Credits Hack utilizes tools from Google AI Studio Hack creatively solves a real-world problem Hack maintains sustainability or provides a solution for an environmental challenge Best Beginner Hack 1 winner Awarded to the most impressive project created by first-time hackers who show creativity, learning, and strong problem-solving effort. [MLH] Best Use of AI powered by Reach Capital 1 winner Logitech Webcam & Meeting with the Reach Capital Investors AI has upended what we can accomplish with technology. Reach Capital invests in the next generation of founders and technical talent, and they want you to use AI to transform the future of learning, health, and work. Build a project that impacts one (or all!) of these areas for a chance to win a Logitech webcam for each member of your team and the exclusive opportunity to discuss your creation with Reach Capital’s team of expert investors. Interested in working at world-changing startups? Reach's 130+ portfolio companies — including Replit, Brilliant, ClassDojo, GPTZero, and Desmos — are always looking for the next wave of talent. Share what you’re studying, building, or exploring, and Reach will connect you to career-defining opportunities. Add your profile and join the hackers already in the Reach talent network. [MLH] Best Domain Name from GoDaddy Registry 1 winner Digital Gift Card GoDaddy Registry is giving you everything you need to be the best hacker no matter where you are. Register your domain name with GoDaddy Registry for a chance to win some amazing prizes! [MLH] Best Use of Gemini API 1 winner Google Swag Kits It's time to push the boundaries of what's possible with AI using Google Gemini. Check out the Gemini API to build AI-powered apps that make your friends say WHOA. So, what can Gemini do for your hackathon project? - Understand language like a human and build a chatbot that gives personalized advice - Analyze info like a supercomputer and create an app that summarizes complex research papers - Generate creative content like code, scripts, music, and more Think of the possibilities… what will you build with the Google Gemini API this weekend? Links: * https://mlh.link/gemini-quickstart [MLH] Best Use of ElevenLabs 1 winner Wireless Earbuds Deploy natural, human-sounding audio with ElevenLabs. Create realistic, dynamic, and emotionally expressive voices for any project, from interactive AI companions to narrated stories and voice-enabled apps. ElevenLabs will empower you to build rich, immersive experiences without the need for actors or complex audio production, using simply the power of AI. Integrate fully autonomous audio experiences into your hack with ElevenLabs and give your project a voice, along with giving your team the chance to win some wireless earbuds! Links: * https://mlh.link/elevenlabs [MLH] Best Use of Arm 1 winner Handheld Game Console Building with ARM allows you to create highly efficient, performant, and scalable applications & software! From IoT and Smart Devices, to AI and Machine Learning, ARM’s high performance computing and extreme energy efficiency will power whatever hackathon project you’re creating into the next level. With hundreds of sample projects and tutorials, you’ll find everything you need to get started and then some, at ARM’s developer hub. With ARM powering the vast majority of the world’s smartphones, tablets, laptops, servers, and IoT devices, now is your chance to get hands on with the most popular processor architecture around! Assemble your team and build your hack using one of Arm's learning paths today for a chance to win some awesome prizes! [MLH] Best Use of Solana 1 winner SenseCAP Card Tracker The world of development is evolving fast and Solana is leading the charge with a network built to handle all of your infrastructure needs. Forget high fees and slow confirmations, it's time to build applications that are fast, efficient, and scalable. Harness Solana's core advantages like blazing fast execution and near-zero transaction costs to make your hackathon ideas become real world projects. With Solana, the possibilities are endless. - Create a game, social app, or consumer product that relies on instant, high-frequency transactions. - Design a sophisticated trading, lending, or decentralized exchange (DEX). - Build a prototype for supply chain, identity, or payments that can handle massive, real-world volume. Show us how you can innovate with Solana for a chance to win some cool prizes for you and each member of your team! Links: * https://mlh.link/solana [MLH] Best Use of Presage 1 winner SenseCAP Watcher & Presage Perks Presage is pioneering the Human Sensing Layer, enabling any application to understand a person's real-time physical and emotional state. With Presage, you can leverage clinically-proven vital signs, movement, emotion, and/or focus tracking to build a project that gives the standard camera super powers. Use any of the Presage SDKs to integrate capabilities like real-time heart rate, breathing rate, engagement levels, and facial expressions into your hack with just a few lines of code. Imagine the possibilities! - Immersive Gaming & Entertainment: Dynamically change game difficulty, music, or story elements based on a player's real-time excitement or focus levels. - Contactless Wellness & Fitness: Build a non-invasive app that monitors stress, recovery, or fitness performance without requiring a specialized wearable device. - Accessibility & Security: Utilize vital signs for advanced, effortless authentication, or to enhance accessibility for specific user groups. - Productivity: Design a tool that tracks focus or stress in real-time, providing feedback or environmental adjustments to optimize remote work or study sessions. Build your next hack with Presage and show us the future of human-computer interaction! Best Use of Presage winners will receive SenseCAP Watchers for each team member, along with the following perks from the Presage team: - A Free design consultation with a Presage application deployment expert - Free refills for Presage Development credits to accelerate you through your next three months of building - 30% off all Presage usage charges for your first year after going live Links: * https://mlh.link/presage-SDK * https://mlh.link/presage [MLH] Best Use of Vultr 1 winner Portable Screens Vultr empowers hackers to bring their high-performance projects to life instantly; providing everything from the speed of one-click deployment and scalable cloud compute, to specialized Vultr Cloud GPUs that can power AI-driven applications. We want you to push the limits of what can be built when infrastructure is no longer the bottleneck! Sign up for a Vultr account today and claim your free cloud credits! Take your next hack to the cloud with Vultr for a chance to win some awesome portable screens for you and your team! Devpost Achievements Submitting to this hackathon could earn you: Judges Xi Zhang CEO, Founder of FindingSchool Vidhi Gondalia CEO, Founder of Curafitt Tech Ayro Escobar MLH Coach Judging Criteria Design Outstanding, thoughtful design and user experience. Takes into account accessibility. Technicality Functional front-end interactions and use of external API’s. Code works as expected, and the technology involved makes you go “WOW!” Theme Project aligns with all aspects of the theme. Presentation Exceptional presentation with a high level of clarity and cohesion. The team effectively communicates the hack and idea. They walk through the ideation process and showcase significant new skills gained throughout the hackathon.

About the Challenge – CodeCraze Hackathon Welcome to CodeCraze, the ultimate open-innovation hackathon where you can build anything you want. No fixed themes, no restrictions, just pure creativity and problem-solving. Whether you're into Web Dev, AI/ML, App Dev, IoT, Game Dev, Web3, or something entirely experimental, CodeCraze gives you full freedom to create what excites you. With a $5000 prize pool, this is your chance to showcase your skills, explore bold ideas, and turn them into real projects. Bring your imagination, code fearlessly, and build something amazing. Get Started 1. Choose an Idea Pick any project you’re passionate about, from practical tools to fun concepts. 2. Build Solo or Team Up Join alone or collaborate with up to 3 members. 3. Register & Join the Community Sign up on the hackathon page and follow the announcements for updates and resources. 4. Start Creating Use any tech stack. Develop, test, design, and innovate without limits. 5. Submit Your Project Include: GitHub repo Short demo video Project description 6. Await Results Judging will be based on creativity, technical execution, usefulness, and presentation. Winners will take home a share of the $5000 prize pool. Hackathon Sponsors Prizes $5,000 in prizes Winners $2,500 in cash 1 winner Winners of CodeCraze 1st Runner up $1,500 in cash 1 winner 1st Runner ups 2nd Runner up $1,000 in cash 1 winner 2nd Runner ups Devpost Achievements Submitting to this hackathon could earn you: Judges Panel - Hackfixity Hackfixity Judging Criteria Uniqueness of the Idea Real world Impact Technologies Used

About the challenge Welcome to SensAI Hack Barcelona: a challenge for XR Creators to leverage their mixed reality skills using the Meta XR SDK, Passthrough Camera Access, Context-Aware AI, and Horizon Worlds to build innovative Meta Quest applications. Get started You will find all you need to know about the SensAI Hack on the Launchpad. Schedule Day 1: Team Formation, Official Kick-off, Workshops Day 2: Hack Continues Day 3: Submission Deadline, Demo Sessions & Judging, Award Ceremony & Gamescom Warm-up Party Requirements Challenge Categories Mixed and Virtual Reality  The experience should be only possible in Virtual or Mixed Reality, leveraging Meta XR SDKs on Quest. It should demonstrate compelling, differentiated experiences that go beyond standard XR apps. Best Use of AI with PCA  The experience should meaningfully demonstrate the advantages of integrating Context-Aware AI with Passthrough Camera Access on Meta Quest, enabling applications that adapt to the user’s environment and go beyond generative AI. Horizon Worlds Category  The experience should showcase a new, creative and engaging world built in Horizon Worlds, focused on player engagement encouraging progression, social interaction, and community building. It should be optimized for mobile play and supported across devices. Best Implementation of Hand Tracking  The experience should leverage hand tracking in innovative ways, using microgestures, hand poses, and fluid motions to create natural, intuitive, and immersive interactions in XR. Best Immersive Entertainment Experience  The experience should engage users in viewing or spectating environment, combining presence, visuals, sound, and interaction to enhance the experience.   Project Requirements Functionality: The Project must be capable of being successfully installed and running consistently on the platform for which it is intended and must function as depicted in the video and/or expressed in the text description. New & Existing: Projects must be newly created by the Entrant and must not have been previously submitted to any other hackathon or published on the Meta Horizon Store/Horizon Worlds. Entrants may use publicly available toolkits or assets, as long as they are accessible to everyone. Third-Party Integrations: If a Project integrates any third-party SDK, APIs, and/or data, the Entrant must be authorized to use them in accordance with any terms and conditions or licensing requirements of the tool. Sponsor and Administrator reserve the right to request proof of such authorization or licensure. What to create: Mixed and Virtual Reality: Must use Meta XR SDK with at least one core VR/MR capability. AI with Camera Access: Must use PCA with at least one context-aware AI capability. Pre-trained AI models may be used if publicly accessible. Horizon Worlds Category: Must deliver new, socially engaging experiences optimized for mobile. For Best Implementation of Hand Tracking: Must use hand tracking to create intuitive and immersive interactions, leveraging microgestures and hand poses to enhance the user experience in XR. For Best Immersive Entertainment Experience: Must deliver a highly engaging experience that combines presence, visuals, sound, and interaction to captivate users in XR. Submission Requirements Each team member must have a Devpost account and join there the SensAI Hack.  One member from each team has to submit the project and tag all others as collaborators. Include a demonstration video of your project (around 1 minute, showing the experience as viewed on Quest, publicly visible, with no third-party trademarks or copyrighted music, etc.) For all categories, except Meta Horizon Worlds, include APK attachment and demo video. For Horizon World category, publish your world and include a text file containing the unique link and demo video.  Include a text description explaining features and functionality. List all paid software, SDKs, APIs, and design tools. Upload all files to a Google Drive folder named after your team name and team number e.g. “[B11] HackFace”. For all categories except Horizon Worlds, upload an APK and demo video. For Horizon Worlds, upload a text file containing your world’s unique link and demo video. Upload all other files in a subfolder named “Other.” Only one project submission per team is allowed. Hackathon Sponsors Lead Sponsor Prizes $9,000 in prizes Mixed Reality Category by Meta - First Prize $1,500 in cash 1 winner Mixed Reality Category by Meta - Runner Up $750 in cash 2 winners Best Use of AI with PCA by Meta - First Prize $1,500 in cash 1 winner Best Use of AI with PCA by Meta - Runner Up $750 in cash 2 winners Horizon Worlds Category by Meta - First Prize $1,500 in cash 1 winner Horizon Worlds Category by Meta - Runner Up $750 in cash 2 winners Devpost Achievements Submitting to this hackathon could earn you: Judges Dilmer Valecillos Meta Judging Criteria Compelling Concept The experience should differ from existing Horizon Store apps or past hackathon projects and showcase the qualities of a successful standalone app with strong potential to attract, engage, and retain Quest users. Quality / Implementation The experience delivers a polished, high-quality user experience on Meta Quest. It runs smoothly and is well presented, with clear descriptions, slides, images, and videos that meet submission requirements. Category-Specific Criteria MR and VR apps must use Meta XR SDKs on Quest; AI with PCA should use contextual AI; Horizon Worlds must foster creativity & community; Hand Tracking must allow natural interactions; Immersive Entertainment must offer viewing.

About the challenge Hack Day is an 8-hour, in-person hackathon designed to help beginners and emerging builders turn ideas into real projects in a single day. No sponsors, no pressure—just time, space, and support to learn, experiment, and build something you’re proud of. Over the course of the day, participants will form teams, choose a problem they care about, and create a working prototype or concept demo. At the end of the event, each team will give a short presentation to a panel of judges and receive feedback focused on learning and growth. This event is especially welcoming to first-time hackers, students who are new to coding or product design, and anyone curious about how hackathons work. Format: Duration: 8-hour, in-person hackathon Location: 2600 6th St NW, Washington, DC (on-campus event space) Focus: Learning, collaboration, and beginner-friendly project building Experience level: All levels welcome, with a special emphasis on beginners   Come ready to learn, ask questions, and try something new. Buggy projects are welcome. Half-finished ideas are welcome. Curiosity is required. Get started Requirements To be eligible for judging, each team must submit a project on Devpost that includes: Project Title Short Description A 1–3 sentence summary of your project. Problem & Idea Explanation What problem are you trying to solve? How does your project help address that problem? What You Built A brief description of your solution and main features. Mention any tools, frameworks, or platforms you used. Screenshots and/or Demo Link (optional but encouraged) Up to a few screenshots, OR A short demo video link (e.g., YouTube, Loom) showing the project in action. Team Members All contributors must be listed and joined to the Devpost submission. Even if your project isn’t fully finished, please still submit what you have. We care about effort, learning, and progress. Hackathon Sponsors Prizes 1 non-cash prize TBD 1 winner TBD - Prizes announced soon Devpost Achievements Submitting to this hackathon could earn you: Judges Etoulia Salas-Burnett Director, Center for Digital Business Destinie Harris Solutions Architect, Maximus Randy Bumpers Director of Student Success, AASCU Judging Criteria Judging Criteria Judges will look for a clear problem and solution, something actually built, creativity and usability, a clear pitch, and evidence of teamwork and learning.

The Student Code Alliance (SCA) presents the Sustain-a-thon, our 2nd annual hackathon, which unites students, coders, and environmental enthusiasts to innovate for a sustainable planet. The Student Code Alliance (SCA) is a non-profit organization mobilizing our youth to create socially-impactful software. Whether you’re passionate about clean energy, recycling, or climate action, this event invites you to use your creativity and coding skills to make a real difference. Sustainathon is open to everyone - both new and experienced developers - and especially welcomes members of the SCA community to collaborate, learn, and build for impact. Participants from around the world work in groups or themselves to create apps, tools, and programs that promote environmental responsibility and sustainability. From tracking carbon footprints to improving waste management, your ideas can help shape a greener future. With interactive workshops and mentorship sessions on our Discord platform and Student Code Alliance website, you’ll get the support you need to grow both technically and personally while working toward meaningful change. By joining Sustainathon, you’ll connect with like-minded innovators, compete for exciting cash prizes and recognition, and take part in a global movement to sustain our planet through technology. It’s more than a competition - it’s an opportunity to learn, have fun, and make an impact that lasts far beyond the hackathon.   Requirements This event invites participants to create any type of program, game, app, or code of any kind that supports sustainability and protecting the environment. From apps that encourage sustainable practices to programs that help protect the environment, your project can be anything that aims to benefit the Earth.   Participants can work individually or in teams to design solutions that make a real impact on mental health. Whether you’re an experienced developer or a newcomer, this hackathon is your chance to blend innovation with compassion, building technology that truly makes a difference. Throughout the event, workshops and resources will be available to guide and inspire your project.   A detailed rubric will be provided below to help you understand what we’re looking for in the judging process. Projects will be evaluated on criteria such as originality, technical execution, relavence to the topic of sustainability, potential impact on the environment, and overall user experience. Hackathon Sponsors Prizes $300+ in prizes + other prizes 1st Prize - Monetary $150 in cash 1 winner 2nd Prize - Monetary $100 in cash 1 winner 3rd Prize - Monetary $50 in cash 1 winner Jdable Internship - Non-Monetary 1 winner Jdable Internship Interview Cake Licenses - Non-Monetary 10 winners Offering coding prep for individuals to ace software engineering job questions and learn more about the field! Devpost Achievements Submitting to this hackathon could earn you: Judges Harshal Khande Olutayo Oyewusi Shouraya Pendagaonkar Rishit Rana Srividya Mudaliar Judging Criteria Rubric Link View the rubric using this link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ukvyUZLo08kezLhUovumvRzmCEBFTvT7lC6W1vyEImQ/edit?usp=sharing

Participating UCSD students with creative freedom will create a project with the theme "Space" Requirements What to Submit: Video demo, progress pictures, group picture, description of the project, how it was created and why it connects to the theme of space. Hackathon Sponsors Prizes $100 in prizes 1st place $100 in cash 1 winner Devpost Achievements Submitting to this hackathon could earn you: Judges Terri Tai Judging Criteria Criteria Judge based on effort, thoughtfulness, quality of the project, and creativity

Theme: Moments A “moment” is a brief yet meaningful point in time that shapes our life experience, emotions, and memories. Through this theme, we want you to explore how people experience time, feeling, and connection. How can you capture, enhance, or transform instances in one’s life into a moment?    Requirements What to Submit: 1. Video Max 3 mins Clearly explain your project concept, purpose, and outcome  2. Process document 1000 words max Project Overview- purpose, audience, goals Research and insights- what informed your design decisions Initial mockups- early sketches/ prototypes Iterations - key changes made based on feedback from mentors or peers Final Product- your final design and outcomes Figma - share your figma file link and make sure it’s public Citations- Including AI use, no AI use for visuals, any other AI use must be documented Hackathon Sponsors Prizes $700 in prizes First Place $400 in cash 1 winner Second Place $200 in cash 1 winner Third Place $100 in cash 1 winner Devpost Achievements Submitting to this hackathon could earn you: Judges Amanda Li Amanda Zhu Noah Yu Renee Kim Judging Criteria Theme/ Project Idea -Creative and meaningful interpretation of the theme -Clearly defined problem and solution -Concept demonstrates originality and depth Visual Design -Polished, cohesive, and professional presentation -Strong and consistent visual identity (colours, fonts, layouts) -Design choices align with the intended audience and theme -Accessibility considerations are evident Video Presentation -Engaging, clear, and concise (max 3 mins) -Effectively communicates the concept and process Process Document -Well-organized -Demonstrates thoughtful design process and reflection -Includes proper citations and AI use documentation

Get ready for a thrilling weekend on November 15–16! Technica returns with this year's theme: "Bring Your Ideas to Life!" To celebrate the Halloween season, we’re inviting you to join us on a spooky night where creativity awakens, ideas take shape in the shadows, and your boldest projects come alive. This is your chance to let your imagination run wild! Technica is a safe space; the possibilities are endless, and regardless of what you decide, the journey you'll embark on can lead you to a new realm of opportunity!   For more information on our sponsors, weekend-of schedule, or general updates, please visit gotechnica.org.   Requirements Requirements:  You may submit your project to a maximum of 3 challenges, excluding a maximum of 3 sponsored challenges. Your project may only win one challenge, excluding sponsored challenges. If at least one of your team members is a virtual hacker, your team must attend Expo through our virtual space Gather and demo what you built to be eligible for prizes. If you're not able to demo live during Expo on Sunday afternoon (starting at 1:00 pm EST), you can attend Expo through our virtual space Gather as well. If you win and live within the continental United States, your prize will be shipped to you. If you live elsewhere, you will receive an e-gift card of the equivalent cash amount. Either way, winners will be announced at closing ceremony (starting at 4:00 pm EST), so be sure to stick around! Submissions are only valid if worked on within the 24-hour hacking period at Technica (from noon on Saturday, November 15, 2025 until noon on Sunday, November 16, 2025). We do not accept cross-submissions from other hackathons and your Technica project may not be cross-submitted to other hackathons. Your hack will be judged on these requirements: 1. Adherence to Technica's Mission (How does the project support an inclusive tech community? Does it consider accessibility, representation, user safety, empowerment, or other design choices that reflect Technica’s mission to support underrepresented genders? This evaluates the project itself, not the identities of team members.) 2. UI/UX Design (How visually appealing and user-friendly is the interface/experience?) 3. Functionality & Execution (Does the project work as intended?) 4. Originality & Creativity (How creative is the idea or its execution?) 5. Adherence to Category (How well does the project align with the category?) Hackathon Sponsors Prizes 20 non-cash prizes [Technica] School of the Dead: Best Education Hack 1 winner Prize: Rocketbook Reusable Notebook Our hackers love to learn! From attending workshops about a range of topics to traveling to Technica with their classmates, Technica weekend provides a wealth of opportunities to learn. We want to see your hack focused on education! From financial literacy to learning new recipes, we'd love to see what you've created. Submit a project related to education, educating others, or improving education! [Technica] Enchanted Experience: Best UI/UX Hack 1 winner Prize: Lego set This prize is for the hack that incorporates the best UI/UX design. Factors considered will be innovation, aesthetics, service to the project/challenge, and the process. [Technica] Spirits of Change: Best Hack for Social Good 1 winner Prize: CAMKORY Digital Camera Submit any and all hacks related to sustainability, climate change, biodiversity, and more! We invite you to return to your roots and create the coolest hack related to sustainability! [Technica] The Cursed Quest: Best Gamification Hack 1 winner Prize: Logitech Gaming Headset Technica welcomes you to explore the wonder that awaits this weekend! Whether it's by gamifying an everyday task or embarking on a new adventure through a video game hack, we hope your imagination runs wild! [Technica] No Mortals Left Behind: Best Accessibility Solution 1 winner Prize: Anker Bluetooth Speaker Technica embraces its mission to promote diversity and inclusion! We want to see your hacks that utilize technology to provide more inclusive, accessible, and empowering solutions. [Technica] The Revival Ritual: Best Active-Wellness/Health Hack 1 winner Prize: TEANAGOO Matcha Kit The Techni-fam loves being active and focusing on their personal growth, whether it means dedicating more time to self-care, attending gym classes, or spending time with friends! We'd like to see your best hack related to active wellness and health. [Technica] The First Light: Best Startup Track Hack 1 winner Prize: CiBest Mini Projector The Techni-fam loves innovation! Whether it's a disruptive tech solution, a creative app, or a groundbreaking product, we're looking for hacks that have the potential to revolutionize the startup world. Show us your entrepreneurial spirit and take your project to the next level. [Technica] Freshly Unearthed: Best Beginner Hack (College) 1 winner Prize: Uniqlo Shoulder Bag Is this your first time attending a hackathon or creating a hack? We want to encourage all first-time hackers to submit their creations! This should be the first hackathon for at least one member of the team. Ideally, this must be the first hackathon for all or almost all team members. All team members should be at least 18 years old, and participants are expected to have limited to no prior coding knowledge. We're excited to hear about what you've learned and what you've come up with for your first hack! [Technica] Hatchling Hackers: Best Beginner Hack (Middle & High School) 1 winner Prize: Weighted Cat Plush Is this your first time attending a hackathon or creating a hack? We want to encourage all first-time hackers to submit their creations! At least one member of the team has to be a first-time hacker. Team members submitting for this category must be in middle or high school. We're excited to hear about what you learned and what you came up with for your first hack! [MLH] Best Domain Name from GoDaddy Registry 1 winner Prize: Digital Gift Card GoDaddy Registry is giving you everything you need to be the best hacker no matter where you are. Register your domain name with GoDaddy Registry for a chance to win some amazing prizes! [MLH] Best Use of Gemini API 1 winner Prize: Google Swag Kits It’s time to push the boundaries of what's possible with AI using Google Gemini. Check out the Gemini API to build AI-powered apps that make your friends say WHOA. So, what can Gemini do for your hackathon project? - Understand language like a human and build a chatbot that gives personalized advice - Analyze info like a supercomputer and create an app that summarizes complex research papers - Generate creative content like code, scripts, music, and more Think of the possibilities… what will you build with the Google Gemini API this weekend? [MLH] Best Use of DigitalOcean Gradient™ AI 1 winner Prize: Retro Wireless Mouse DigitalOcean GradientTM AI is a unified AI cloud for building, training, and deploying machine learning models and AI agents. Get access to GPU infrastructure like DigitalOcean GPU Droplets and Bare Metal servers, along with serverless inference and 1-Click Models for instant deployment of your favorite LLMs! Sign up for DigitalOcean today and get $200 worth of free credits that you can use towards building your next Gradient-powered hack. Enable your next project with DigitalOcean GradientTM AI for a chance to win some great prizes for you and each of your team mates! [MLH] Best Use of ElevenLabs 1 winner Prize: ElevenLabs Wireless Earbuds Deploy natural, human-sounding audio with ElevenLabs. Create realistic, dynamic, and emotionally expressive voices for any project, from interactive AI companions to narrated stories and voice-enabled apps. ElevenLabs will empower you to build rich, immersive experiences without the need for actors or complex audio production, using simply the power of AI. Integrate fully autonomous audio experiences into your hack with ElevenLabs and give your project a voice, along with giving your team the chance to win exclusive ElevenLabs branded airpods! [MLH] Best Use of Vultr 1 winner Prize: Portable Screens Vultr empowers hackers to bring their high-performance projects to life instantly; providing everything from the speed of one-click deployment and scalable cloud compute, to specialized Vultr Cloud GPUs that can power AI-driven applications. We want you to push the limits of what can be built when infrastructure is no longer the bottleneck! Sign up for a Vultr account today and claim your free cloud credits! Take your next hack to the cloud with Vultr for a chance to win some awesome portable screens for you and your team! [MLH] Best AI Application Built with Cloudflare 1 winner Prize: Arduino Kit Cloudflare is one of the world’s largest networks enabling hackers like you to build, deploy, and deliver trusted applications, no matter where you are! With Cloudflare, you’ll have all the building blocks to create a full-stack application, from C3 (create Cloudflare command line) instance deployment to object storage. You can even run GenAI (LLMs, text to image, Voice to text, etc.) in the cloud and leverage your AI functionality via API requests using Cloudlfare’s Workers AI. Enjoy Cloudflare’s generous free tier to get started at no cost. This weekend, we want you to build an AI Application utilizing Cloudflare’s numerous services for a chance to win Arduino Kits for you and your team! [MLH] Best Use of Solana 1 winner Prize: M5Stack Starter Kit The world of development is evolving fast and Solana is leading the charge with a network built to handle all of your infrastructure needs. Forget high fees and slow confirmations, it’s time to build applications that are fast, efficient, and scalable. Harness Solana's core advantages like blazing fast execution and near-zero transaction costs to make your hackathon ideas become real world projects. With Solana, the possibilities are endless. - Create a game, social app, or consumer product that relies on instant, high-frequency transactions. - Design a sophisticated trading, lending, or decentralized exchange (DEX). -Build a prototype for supply chain, identity, or payments that can handle massive, real-world volume. Show us how you can innovate with Solana for a chance to win some cool prizes for you and each member of your team! [MLH] Best Use of Presage 1 winner Build your next hack with Presage and show us the future of human-computer interaction! Best Use of Presage winners will receive SenseCAP Watchers for each team member, along with the following perks from the Presage team: - A Free design consultation with a Presage application deployment expert - Free refills for Presage Development credits to accelerate you through your next three months of building - 30% off all Presage usage charges for your first year after going live [Intuit] Most Transformative Hack Leveraging Generative AI/ML 1 winner Prize: 4 headphones for winners A submission that uses Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, or Generative AI to solve a complex problem by providing intelligent guidance, automating a tedious workflow, or dramatically increasing efficiency and speed for the user. The best hacks will demonstrate clear, measurable impact. [Capital One] Best Financial Hack 1 winner Prize: $300 Amazon Gift Card At Capital One, we are building the bank of the future. We recognized early on that winners in banking will be great tech companies with the risk management skills of a leading bank. Along the journey of our tech transformation, we went all-in on the public cloud, invested in modern architecture standards (microservices, rest APIs, open source) and created a real-time streaming ecosystem for big data. Our track is The Best Financial Hack! This is your chance to change the game in fintech. Whether it's an innovative payment solution, helping consumers shop smarter, making financing more accessible, or a creative way to improve financial literacy, we want to see your boldest ideas in action. Judging will be based on the project's creativity, complexity, and completeness. Take advantage of Capital One Hackathon API, Nessie, for real public-facing data to help spearhead your innovative idea. [T. Rowe Price] Investor Education Challenge 1 winner Prize: Portable Monitor Challenge Overview In an increasingly complex financial world, many individuals lack the foundational knowledge needed to make informed investment decisions. This challenge invites participants to reimagine how we teach investing concepts, market behavior, and portfolio management with a focus on accessibility, engagement, and measurable impact. Remember, we want them to actually understand the concepts and not only create a tool. “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime” Why It Matters - According to the FINRA Foundation’s 2025 National Financial Capability Study, only 36% of U.S. adults could correctly answer basic financial literacy questions, with significant gaps across age, gender, and income levels - The World Economic Forum reports that financial literacy in the U.S. has hovered around 50% for eight consecutive years, with younger adults and women scoring significantly lower - The OECD’s 2023 International Survey found that globally, only 27% of adults demonstrate high levels of financial literacy, with disparities most pronounced among youth and low-income populations Your Mission Design a solution that educates and empowers users to understand and apply key investing principles. Your project should focus on at least one of the following areas: - Investing Fundamentals: Risk vs. return, diversification, compounding, asset classes. - Market Behavior: Volatility, economic cycles, behavioral finance. - Portfolio Management: Goal setting, rebalancing, risk tolerance, long-term planning. Project Ideas - A gamified app that teaches investing through real-world simulations. - A visual tool that helps users build and adjust portfolios based on life goals. - A platform that distills concepts in ways that resonate with different audiences. Devpost Achievements Submitting to this hackathon could earn you: Judges Technica Judging Criteria Technical Difficulty Is the hack technically interesting or difficult? Tell us your journey - Did you struggle with debugging? Did you find a unique library? Let us know! Originality Is the hack more than just another generic social/mobile/local app? Does it do something entirely novel, or take a fresh approach to an old problem? User Experience Is the hack usable in its current state? Is the user experience smooth? Does everything appear to work? Is it well designed?

DandyHacks is the University of Rochester’s annual 42-hour-long hackathon that was started in 2013. It is completely student-led and student-run. At DandyHacks, we aim to provide a comfortable and friendly environment where students can fully absorb themselves in the competition. We hope that regardless of winning or losing the competition, students will have the opportunity to be brave, share the same interest in coding with others, and have fun.  This year, we are offering mentorship resources for student's whom it may be their first time participating at a hackathon. Requirements Hackers may only submit projects started on Friday, November 14th or later. This year we will have a hard deadline of 10 am EDT, November 16th. After 10:00am, you will not be able to submit projects. To have their project eligible to win prizes, hackers must submit their project and present in front of our judges in Feldman Ballroom starting at 11 am EDT November 16th. Please check off the tracks you'd like your projects to be considered under when submitting your project.  Hackathon Sponsors Prizes 17 non-cash prizes Productivity and Innovation 1st Place Prize 1 winner Prize: Samsung 24-Inch Gaming Monitor Productivity and Innovation 2nd Place Prize 1 winner Prize: Beitdo Bluetooth Controller Productivity and Innovation 3rd Place Prize 1 winner Prize: Beats Solo Buds Interactive & Entertainment Game Design 1st Place Prize 1 winner Prize: JBL Headphones Interactive & Entertainment Game Design 2nd Place Prize 1 winner Prize: Amazon Echo Dot Interactive & Entertainment Game Design 3rd Place Prize 1 winner Prize: Anker Power Bank Creative Immersive Technology 1st Place Prize 1 winner Prize:Wacom Intuos Bluetooth Drawing Tablet Creative Immersive Technology 2nd Place Prize 1 winner Prize - XP-Pen Deco MW Wireless Tablet Creative Immersive Technology 3rd Place Prize 1 winner Prize: Huion Inspirdy H640P Pen Tablet Best Business Potential - S 1 winner Sponsored By Ain Center For Entrepreneurship and Innovation [Exclusive To The University Of Rochester Students] [MLH] Best Use of Gemini API 1 winner Prize: Google Swag Kits It's time to push the boundaries of what's possible with AI using Google Gemini. Check out the Gemini API to build AI-powered apps that make your friends say WHOA. So, what can Gemini do for your hackathon project? • Understand language like a human and build a chatbot that gives personalized advice • Analyze info like a supercomputer and create an app that summarizes complex research papers • Generate creative content like code, scripts, music, and more Think of the possibilities… what will you build with the Google Gemini API this weekend? Links: * https://mlh.link/gemini-quickstart [MLH] Best Use of Solana 1 winner Prize: SenseCAP Card Tracker The world of development is evolving fast and Solana is leading the charge with a network built to handle all of your infrastructure needs. Forget high fees and slow confirmations, it's time to build applications that are fast, efficient, and scalable. Harness Solana's core advantages like blazing fast execution and near-zero transaction costs to make your hackathon ideas become real world projects. With Solana, the possibilities are endless. • Create a game, social app, or consumer product that relies on instant, high-frequency transactions. • Design a sophisticated trading, lending, or decentralized exchange (DEX). • Build a prototype for supply chain, identity, or payments that can handle massive, real-world volume. Show us how you can innovate with Solana for a chance to win some cool prizes for you and each member of your team! Links: * https://mlh.link/solana [MLH] Best Use of DigitalOcean Gradient™ AI 1 winner Prize: Retro Wireless Mouse DigitalOcean Gradient™ AI is a unified AI cloud for building, training, and deploying machine learning models and AI agents. Get access to GPU infrastructure like DigitalOcean GPU Droplets and Bare Metal servers, along with serverless inference and 1-Click Models for instant deployment of your favorite LLMs! Sign up for DigitalOcean today and get $200 worth of free credits that you can use towards building your next Gradient-powered hack. Enable your next project with DigitalOcean Gradient™ AI for a chance to win some great prizes for you and each of your teammates! Links: * http://mlh.link/digitalocean [MLH] Best Use of Snowflake API 1 winner Prize: Arduino Tiny ML Kit Play with industry-leading LLMs on a single account using the Snowflake APIs. Adding AI capabilities into your application can be as simple as a single CURL command to Snowflake's REST API. Build customized applications, RAG powered chat bots, or embed AI-powered features into your app in half the time with half the hassle. Get started for free with a special, student 120-day Snowflake trial and check out this repository for an example of the Snowflake REST API in action. Links: * https://mlh.link/snowflake-signup * https://mlh.link/snowflake-tutorial * https://mlh.link/snowflake [MLH] Best Use of ElevenLabs 1 winner Prize: Wireless Earbuds Deploy natural, human-sounding audio with ElevenLabs. Create realistic, dynamic, and emotionally expressive voices for any project, from interactive AI companions to narrated stories and voice-enabled apps. ElevenLabs will empower you to build rich, immersive experiences without the need for actors or complex audio production, using simply the power of AI. Integrate fully autonomous audio experiences into your hack with ElevenLabs and give your project a voice, along with giving your team the chance to win some wireless earbuds! Links: * https://my.mlh.io/signin * https://mlh.link/elevenlabs [MLH] Best Use of AI powered by Reach Capital 1 winner Prize: Logitech Webcam & Meeting with the Reach Capital Investors AI has upended what we can accomplish with technology. Reach Capital invests in the next generation of founders and technical talent, and they want you to use AI to transform the future of learning, health, and work. Build a project that impacts one (or all!) of these areas for a chance to win a Logitech webcam for each member of your team and the exclusive opportunity to discuss your creation with Reach Capital's team of expert investors. Interested in working at world-changing startups? Reach's 130+ portfolio companies — including Replit, Brilliant, ClassDojo, GPTZero, and Desmos — are always looking for the next wave of talent. Share what you're studying, building, or exploring, and Reach will connect you to career-defining opportunities. Add your profile and join the hackers already in the Reach talent network. Links: * https://mlh.link/reach-capital * https://mlh.link/reach-talent [MLH] Best Domain Name from GoDaddy Registry 1 winner Prize: Digital Gift Card GoDaddy Registry is giving you everything you need to be the best hacker no matter where you are. Register your domain name with GoDaddy Registry for a chance to win some amazing prizes! Links: * https://mlh.link/GoDaddyRegistry Devpost Achievements Submitting to this hackathon could earn you: Judges Tom Yan Student Nour Assilit Student Duc Vu Student Matt Egyhazy Chief Technology Officer AIG Roy Jones Professor at UoR Joseph Loporcaro Professor at UoR Judging Criteria Completion and Functionality Did the hack work? To what extent did the team achieve their goals? Does the project correlate with the problem they initially presented? Does it work as stated in their demo?

About the Challenge   Welcome to Hack the Herd Fall 2025, a collaboration between AI in the Liberal Arts, the Office of Sustainability, Ideas 2 Innovation, and the CS clubs at Amherst College. This event embodies a commitment to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship, and designing sustainable solutions. This hackathon brings together the brightest minds on our campus to collaborate, ideate, and create solutions that will drive positive change in the realm of sustainability through emerging AI technologies. Achieving sustainability is perhaps the defining idea of our era. The consequences of not achieving it are catastrophic as humanity faces a series of complex, interconnected challenges, including: Climate change Racial and socioeconomic inequities Resource depletion and degradation Biodiversity loss Waste We are at a pivotal crossroads, and the urgency to act grows with each moment if we are to set ourselves on a sustainable path forward. Colleges and universities have a major role to play in leveraging their partnerships to help effectively address these challenges. The liberal arts in particular offer a powerful framework that can accommodate: Complexity and interconnected systems Long time frames Interdisciplinary collaboration Multiple scales, from local to global This year’s hackathon centers on campus sustainability. AI has the power to significantly improve and expedite sustainability efforts. Opportunities include: Reducing waste, energy demand, and water use Creating more sustainable operations, designs, and procurement Allowing for equitable access and improved wellbeing Your challenge: Develop an innovative solution that contributes to the college’s sustainability pathway, using AI during the design and/or implementation process. Participation is open to everyone — whether or not you’re a programmer or CS major. If you have an interest in sustainability or technology, we encourage you to join, learn, build, and share your projects! Here is the schedule:    Saturday, November 15, 2025 11:00 AM – Sign In / Lunch 12:00–12:15 PM – Keynote Speaker 12:15 PM – Hackathon Begins 12:30–1:30 PM – Coaches Available (in person, continues on Discord after) 12:15 PM onward – Hacking and Dinner in Val   Sunday, November 16, 2025 10:00 AM – Devpost Submission Due 10:00–11:00 AM – Judges Review Submissions 11:00–12:00 PM – Pitches (approx. 3 minutes each) 11:45 AM – Lunch Delivery (Fresh Side) 12:00–1:00 PM – Lunch Break & Expo-Style Judging 1:00–1:30 PM – Debrief and Final Deliberations Panel 1:30 PM – Awards Ceremony 2:00 PM – Closing Remarks Requirements What to Build   There are four potential tracks your team can take, each addressing a different aspect of sustainability:   Climate Resilience Food Waste Waste Management Transportation Sustainability   Your task is to implement a solution that addresses any one of these problems. The nature of this hackathon is open-ended, so feel free to get creative!   Major deliverables include: Description of the project Link to the Public GitHub Repository Optional video demo   You may also include additional links or resources if appropriate. Hackathon Sponsors Prizes $100+ in prizes + other prizes Grand Prize $100 in cash 1 winner Climate Resilience Track Prize 1 winner Solar Phone Charger Food Waste Track Prize 1 winner Food Scale Waste Management Track Prize 1 winner Owala Water Bottle Sustainable Transportation Track Prize 1 winner Portable Speaker Devpost Achievements Submitting to this hackathon could earn you: Judges Yichen Liu Senior Software Engineer @ Ideas 2 Innovation and 2025 Hack the Herd Winner Lee Spector Class of 1993 Professor of Computer Science; Department Chair of Computer Science at Amherst College Audrey Woods Green Dean for the Office of Sustainability | Amherst College Alum Marc Littma CFO of Elateq Judging Criteria Theme Alignment: AI for Sustainability Did the project creatively and meaningfully address sustainability through AI? Was the project purpose-driven? Does it showcase how AI can drive sustainable change? Technical Innovation How technically impressive was the hack? Was the technical problem the team tackled difficult? Did it use a particularly clever technique or did it use many different components? Did the technology involved make you go "Wow"? Design & User Experience Did the team thoughtfully design the solution for usability and impact? For a website, this might be about how beautiful the CSS or graphics are. Is it polished? Could someone actually use this? Functionality & Completion Does the solution work as intended? Can it be used/tested now? How much did the team get done? Ambition & Learning Did the team challenge themselves and grow through the process? Did they go beyond what they already knew? Were they bold in their approach?