The STEMergent Ideathon & Hackathon challenges students to use technology to solve real problems in their schools, communities, and beyond.
Participants can choose between two pathways depending on their experience level:
Ideathon Pathway - Design a creative, realistic technology solution without needing to fully build it. Focus on identifying an important problem, explaining your solution, and showing what it could look like through slides, mockups, or a prototype.
Hackathon Pathway -Turn an idea into a functional project. Build a website, app, tool, or prototype that addresses a meaningful problem affecting students, schools, nonprofits, or communities.
Whether this is your first competition or you've participated in hackathons before, there's a pathway for you.
Requirements
What to Build
Build a project that uses STEM and technology to address a meaningful real-world problem affecting students, schools, nonprofits, communities, or another group with a clear need.
You may participate through either pathway:
- Ideathon Pathway: Develop an innovative idea, solution, or concept. A working prototype is not required.
- Hackathon Pathway: Build a working prototype, application, device, or other tangible solution that demonstrates your proposed solution.
Your project should demonstrate creativity, thoughtful problem-solving, and potential impact. Projects do not need to be highly technically complex to be competitive.
What to Submit
Submit your project through the designated competition platform before the announced deadline. Your submission should include:
- Project Title
- Project Description: Explain the problem you are addressing, your solution, and how it works.
- Pathway: Indicate whether you are submitting under the Ideathon or Hackathon Pathway.
- Team Details: List all members of your team.
- Screenshots, GIFs, or Other Visuals: Show your project or proposed solution where applicable.
- Demo Video: Recommended for Hackathon submissions and may be required if specified by the organizers.
- Code or Prototype Link: Include a link to your code, live application, prototype, or other relevant materials where applicable.
- AI & Third-Party Resources: Disclose significant use of AI tools, APIs, datasets, libraries, or other third-party resources when requested.
All submissions must contain meaningful work created by the participants for this competition. Existing projects may be used as inspiration or a starting point, but simply submitting a previously completed project is not permitted.
Prizes
STEMergent Developer Role/Intern
The top 3 projects judged in the hackathon pathway will receive invitations from STEMergent to become a developing intern at the organization. In this role, you will be able to continue building real websites and tools that nonprofits, businesses, and communities will use, impacting lives and making a difference.
More Prizes TBA
To be announced soon!
DeployXA
For each category:
1st Place: $1,000 in Deployxa credits per team member
2nd Place: $500 in Deployxa credits per team member
3rd Place: $250 in Deployxa credits per team member
Credits are valid for six months. All participants also receive $20 in Deployxa credits and free hosting through the event plus 90 days afterward.
.XYZ Domain Name Prize
10 winners will each receive one .xyz domain name free for the first year.
Devpost Achievements
Submitting to this hackathon could earn you:
Judges
Ambily Pullela
Senior Data Analyst @ Walmart
Manjula Thummala
Senior Software Engineer @ U.S. Bank
Aishwarya Nair
Senior Data Engineer @ Amazon
Ujwal Vanjare
Software Engineer @ BNSF Railway
Judging Criteria
-
Ideathon Pathway
Innovation & Originality Technical Execution Impact & Relevance Functionality & User Experience Presentation & Communication Rubric Link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cmRbWq3jlj3nLa2MTbhlozbeKXQLtuQI/view?usp=sharing -
Hackathon Pathway
Innovation & Originality Problem Definition Impact & Relevance Feasibility & Scalability Presentation & Communication Rubric Link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/10ENz08GsGkolkwP-DSQ9P3BU31lIW8H8/view?usp=sharing
Questions? Email the hackathon manager
Invite others to compete
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