Startup Networks

NextGenHacks is a beginner-friendly online hackathon designed to bring together the next generation of builders, creators, and innovators. Whether you're just starting out or already experienced, this is your chance to turn ideas into real projects. This is an open-ended hackathon, meaning you can build anything you want—apps, tools, platforms, games, or completely new ideas. The goal is simple: create something meaningful, creative, or useful. Participants can work solo or in teams to brainstorm ideas, collaborate, and build projects that showcase their skills and creativity. Why NextGenHacks is special: Open to all skill levels: Beginners welcome, no prior experience needed Build anything: No strict theme—your creativity sets the direction Learn by doing: Gain hands-on experience while building real projects Community-driven: Connect with other students, share ideas, and collaborate Mentorship & support: Get guidance and help throughout the hackathon Exciting prizes & recognition Whether you’re building your first project or your tenth, NextGenHacks is your opportunity to learn, create, and innovate. Requirements What to Build Build any project of your choice—a web app, mobile app, AI tool, game, productivity tool, or anything creative and useful. There are no restrictions on what you can create. We highly recommend joining our Discord for updates, support, and collaboration: https://discord.gg/qYsrcWfUwV What to Submit 1. Project Title Give your project a clear and memorable name. 2. Project Description Provide a detailed description including: Problem Statement: What are you building and why? Solution Overview: How does your project work? Key Features: What are the main functionalities? Technologies Used: Tools, frameworks, APIs, etc. Target Users: Who is this for? 3. Project Files (Mandatory) Upload screenshots, videos, or other files that demonstrate your project. At least one file showing functionality or design is required. 4. Project Link / Repository (Optional but Recommended) Include a GitHub repo or live demo link if available. 5. Team Details List all team members and their roles. Solo submissions are allowed. Hackathon Sponsors Prizes $1,000+ in prizes + other prizes 1st Place $1,000 in cash 1 winner 2nd Place 1 winner Recognizes a highly impressive project with strong innovation, solid technical implementation, and clear potential for real-world use. Winners will receive a certificate of achievement. 3rd Place 1 winner Awarded to a well-executed project that showcases creativity, functionality, and a strong understanding of the problem it addresses. Winners will receive a certificate of achievement. Top 9 Finalists 1 winner Honors the top projects selected by judges for their quality, innovation, and effort, placing them among the best submissions in the hackathon. Finalists will receive a certificate of recognition. Devpost Achievements Submitting to this hackathon could earn you: <%= name %> <% if (has_levels) { %> level <%= next_level %> <% } %> Judges Hack4Today Judging Criteria Technical Execution (30%) - How well the project is built and functions. - Quality of implementation, structure, and use of tools or technologies. Creativity & Originality (25%) - How unique and innovative the idea is. - Does the project stand out compared to others? Usefulness & Impact (20%) - Does the project solve a meaningful problem or provide clear value? - How practical or impactful is the solution? Design & User Experience (15%) - How intuitive, user-friendly, and visually appealing the project is. - Ease of use and overall experience. Presentation & Documentation (10%) - Clarity and completeness of the submission. - Quality of explanation, demo, and supporting materials.

About the challenge ABOUT THE CHALLENGE This challenge is a semester-long, company-backed product project where student teams worked as full product teams: PMs, designers, researchers, and PMMs, to solve a real problem provided by an industry partner. Unlike a traditional hackathon, this challenge focused on research, iteration, and depth. Over 8 weeks, teams moved through the full product development cycle: user research, problem validation, ideation, PRD creation, prototyping, feedback loops, and final presentation. Each Devpost submission includes: - UX Flow - Pitch Deck - PRD - Figma Prototype - Video! Get started GET STARTED Teams began with a company prompt, a scoping doc, and mentor guidance. From there, they created a project timeline, conducted user research, narrowed the problem, ideated features, defined an MVP, and built mid- to high-fidelity prototypes. By Demo Day, each team delivered a fully researched, validated, and designed product concept — complete with a PRD, prototype, and polished pitch. Requirements What to Build A validated problem statement based on user research A clear MVP definition A PRD outlining requirements, features, and success metrics A Figma prototype showing core flows and UX A pitch deck that tells the story from problem → solution → impact What to Submit Each team must submit: 1. Pitch Deck (If you chose to include) 2. Product Requirements Document (PRD) Covers problem definition, user personas, feature list, MVP scope, success metrics, and technical considerations. 3. Figma Prototype (Public link) A mid/high-fidelity prototype demonstrating key flows and the core experience. 4. Presentation Video (5 minutes max + Q&A optional) A recording of the team’s pitch for Demo Day. 5. Devpost Write-Up Quick descriptions for challenge overview, what you built, how you built it, and what you learned. 6. UX Flows Highlighting the critical journeys a user can take. Hackathon Sponsors Prizes $250 in prizes Gift Cards $50 in cash 5 winners Devpost Achievements Submitting to this hackathon could earn you: <%= name %> <% if (has_levels) { %> level <%= next_level %> <% } %> Judges Product@TAMU Officers Judging Criteria Rubric. Pitch 40 points for the pitch (problem understanding, research, solution clarity, innovation, and feasibility) Prototype 50 points for the prototype (core functionality, user alignment, clarity, and polish)