About the challenge

Dive into a 24-hour challenge designed to ignite creativity and technical prowess!  Whether you're a seasoned coder or a first-time hacker, this is your chance to learn, build, and collaborate with peers across North America.

Get started

  1. Form a Team or Join Solo – Gather a team or join as a solo hacker. Collaboration is key! (Have a team of 1-3 people)
  2. Pick a Challenge – Choose from our unique categories and brainstorm innovative solutions.
  3. Plan Your Project – Outline your goals, key features, and tech stack.
  4. Build, Test, Repeat – Use the time to code, experiment, and refine your project.
  5. Present Your Work – Share your creation, demonstrate its impact, and get feedback from industry experts.

Prepare to think big and push the limits. Let’s hack!

Requirements

What to Build

Bring your dream project to life! Whether it’s an app, game, tool, or any creative solution that addresses real-world challenges within these categories, this is your chance to build it. Use any tech stack or framework you like from mobile and web applications to machine learning models or interactive games.

What to Submit

  1. Project Name and Description – Give your project a name and a brief summary of its purpose.
  2. Features and Functionality – Outline key features, how it works, and any unique elements.
  3. Demo Video (2-3 mins) – Showcase your project in action, highlighting key functions.
  4. Code Repository (GitHub or similar) – Include your project’s code, README file, and any setup instructions.
  5. Technical Documentation – Provide an overview of the tech stack, tools used, and implementation details.
  6. Future Scope and Improvements – Mention potential upgrades or future work.

Submit everything on our hackathon platform before the deadline for a chance to win and make an impact!

Hackathon Sponsors

Prizes

$CAD 1,700+ in prizes
+ other prizes
1st Place (General Category)
1 winner

Each team member will receive an ASUS Eye Care 27" FHD 120Hz 1ms IPS LED Gaming Monitor

2nd Place (General Category)
1 winner

Each team member will take home a Corsair K70 CORE Backlit Mechanical Red Linear Switch Gaming Keyboard

3rd Place (General Category)
1 winner

Each team member will receive a Sony whch520 headphones

Caffeine AI Track 1st place
$CAD 400 in cash
1 winner

Caffeine AI Track 2nd place
$CAD 200 in cash
1 winner

Caffeine AI Track 3rd place
$CAD 100 in cash
1 winner

Best Use of Gemini API (Google Swag Kits)
1 winner

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?

Best Use of Solana (SenseCAP Card Tracker)
1 winner

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!

Best Use of DigitalOcean Gradient™ AI (Retro Wireless Mouse)
1 winner

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!

Best Use of Snowflake API (Arduino Tiny ML Kit)
1 winner

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.

Best Use of ElevenLabs (Wireless Earbuds)
1 winner

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!

Best Use of AI powered by Reach Capital (Logitech Webcam & Meeting with the Reach Capital Investors)
1 winner

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.

Best Use of Arm (Handheld Game Console)
1 winner

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!

General Category Prizes
$CAD 1,000 in cash
1 winner

Devpost Achievements

Submitting to this hackathon could earn you:

Judges

Anuj Arora

Anuj Arora
Tech Team Lead, Government of Ontario

Taher Ghaleb

Taher Ghaleb
Assistant Professor, Trent University

Sean Glover

Sean Glover
Staff Software Developer, Hopper

Alex Taveras-Crespo

Alex Taveras-Crespo
Senior Software Developer, Nasdaq

John DiMarco

John DiMarco
Region of York/Supervisor, Data Management and support

Joseph Braithwaite

Joseph Braithwaite
Senior Business Transformation Advisor

John M Collinson

John M Collinson
Head, Real-Time Payment Rails (RTR), Product and Technology & Operations, Interac

Evan Campbell-Weiner

Evan Campbell-Weiner
Software Developer at Pixieset

Judging Criteria

  • Judging Criteria
    Innovation & Creativity (25%) Technical Complexity (25%) Functionality & UX (20%) Impact & Relevance (20%) Presentation & Communication (10%) Bonus: Use of sponsor tech or teamwork

Questions? Email the hackathon manager

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Hackathon sponsors

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