Key facts
- Type
- Competition
- Provider
- Arbiter
- Deadline
- 12/21/2026
In short
Arbiter Hacks V1 is an online hackathon with two tracks: General (build anything with technical ambition) and Theme (rethinking waste). It offers $7,800 in cash prizes, plus credits, and is open to participants aged 13+ from all countries/territories (with standard exceptions). Submissions require a public code repository, a 2-3 minute demo video, and a written description. The deadline is December 20, 2026.
Arbiter Hacks V1
By Arbiter
CompetitionAccepting applications nowApply by 12/21/202656 days left
Dec 20, 2026 @ 9:00pm PST
Submission Deadline
$7,800 in cash prizes
Total Prizes
Online
Format
Two Tracks: General and Theme ('Rethinking Waste')
Tracks
Ages 13+
Who can participate
Overview
Arbiter Hacks V1 is an online innovation hackathon designed to encourage participants to submit projects with potential impact and usability. The event features two parallel tracks: a General Track for any software or hardware project, focusing on technical ambition and execution, and a Theme Track titled 'Rethinking Waste,' which challenges participants to build solutions that help reduce, sort, or recycle waste more effectively. Participants must choose one track at registration or switch before the deadline, and can only submit to one. The hackathon is open to individuals aged 13 and above, including students, from all countries and territories, excluding standard exceptions. Companies and professional organizations are not eligible to participate. The event is labeled 'Beginner Friendly' and covers topics like Machine Learning/AI and Open Ended challenges, indicating a broad scope for project ideas. Submissions must include a public code repository, a demo video (2-3 minutes maximum) uploaded to YouTube or Vimeo, and a written description detailing the project's functionality, build process, and future plans. For the Theme Track, an additional paragraph is required to specify the targeted waste problem and how its impact would be measured. Missing the code repository or video will render a submission ineligible. The prize pool totals $7,800 in cash, distributed across multiple winners in both tracks, along with Adaption Credits and Deployxa Credits. Projects will be judged separately for each track based on distinct rubrics, ensuring fair competition within their respective categories.
What to build
Participants can build projects for one of two tracks: the General Track, which is open to any working software or hardware project without topic restriction, or the Theme Track, 'Rethinking Waste,' where projects must primarily address waste reduction, sorting, or recycling. Examples for the Theme Track include tools for identifying recyclability, apps for routing food waste to donation, hardware/vision systems for material sorting, or datasets/models to improve recycling accuracy. The theme must be central to the project, not a minor add-on.
Prizes
1st Place General
1 winner. Also includes 100 Dollars Cash Adaption Credits ($1000) and Deployxa Credits ($1000).
$2,100
1st Place Theme
1 winner. Also includes 100 Dollars Cash Adaption Credits ($1000) and Deployxa Credits ($1000).
$2,100
2nd Place General
1 winner. Also includes 50 Dollars Cash Adaption Credits ($1000) and Deployxa Credits ($500).
$1,550
2nd Place Theme
1 winner. Also includes 50 Dollars Cash Adaption Credits ($1000) and Deployxa Credits ($500).
$1,550
Participation Prize
1 winner. Also includes Adaption Credits ($500) and Devpost Achievements.
$500
Key dates
- Online Event Begins2026-12-21T05:00:00Z
- Submission Deadline2026-12-21T05:00:00Z
Eligibility
Participants must be 13 years of age or older. The hackathon is open to students and individuals from all countries/territories, excluding standard exceptions. Companies and professional organizations are explicitly excluded from participation.
How to enter
- Register and pick a track (General or Theme).
- Form a team of 1 to 4 members, or go solo.
- Submit your project before the deadline of Dec 20, 2026 @ 9:00pm PST.
Submission requirements
- A public code repository (GitHub, GitLab, or equivalent).
- A demo video (2 to 3 minutes max) showing the project working, uploaded to YouTube or Vimeo with a link.
- A written description detailing what the project does, how it was built, and what would be done next.
- For Theme Track submissions only: one paragraph stating the specific waste problem targeted and how its effectiveness would be measured.
- Late submissions will not be judged.
- Missing the code repository or video makes a submission ineligible.
Judging criteria
- General Track - Technical Execution: Code quality, working functionality, and difficulty of what was built (35% weighted).
- General Track - Innovation & Originality: Novelty of the idea or approach (25% weighted).
- General Track - Completeness & Polish: How finished the project is (25% weighted).
- General Track - Presentation & Demo Clarity: How clearly the demo video and writeup explain what was built (15% weighted).
- Theme Track - Impact on Waste Problem: How meaningfully the project reduces, sorts, or improves recycling of waste; theme must be central (35% weighted).
- Theme Track - Technical Execution: Code quality, working functionality, and difficulty of what was built (25% weighted).
- Theme Track - Feasibility: Could this actually be deployed in the real world (20% weighted).
- Theme Track - Presentation & Demo Clarity: How clearly the demo video and writeup explain what was built (20% weighted).