BioHacks

Overview

Welcome to BioHacks Fall 2026, hosted by BioEng4Youth! This interdisciplinary bio-engineering hackathon challenges participants to bridge the gap between biology, technology, and engineering. Over the course of the event, students will collaborate with peers to tackle real-world problems in healthcare, sustainability, and biomedical engineering. Whether writing algorithms for bioinformatics, designing physical prototypes, or conceptualizing the next big med-tech innovation, BioHacks provides a platform to build, learn, and create a tangible impact. The event is open to students from all disciplines. The challenge seeks software, hardware, or conceptual bio-engineering projects that address modern challenges in the biological and medical sciences. Projects should ideally fit into main tracks such as Medical Diagnosis & AI, Genetic Engineering, or Wearable Devices. Participants can create solutions ranging from machine learning models for genetic data to CAD models of new prosthetics or patient care applications.

What to build

Participants are to build software, hardware, or conceptual bio-engineering projects that address modern challenges in the biological and medical sciences. Projects should ideally fit into one of the main tracks (e.g., Medical Diagnosis & AI, Genetic Engineering, Wearable Devices). Examples include machine learning models analyzing genetic data, CAD models of new prosthetics, or apps for patient care. All projects must be built entirely during the hackathon, though open-source libraries, frameworks, and publicly available APIs are permitted.

Prizes

Key dates

• Hackathon BeginsSaturday, September 26th
• Submission DeadlineSunday, September 27th

Eligibility

BioHacks is open to all enrolled high school and university students, aged 16 or older. Participants can compete solo or in a team of up to 4 members. Students from all countries/territories are eligible, excluding standard exceptions. All attendees, sponsors, and volunteers must strictly adhere to the MLH Code of Conduct.

How to enter

1. Register for the hackathon by clicking the "Join Hackathon" button on Devpost.
2. Find a team of up to 4 members on the official Discord server.
3. Familiarize yourself with available tools, hardware, and APIs by checking the "Resources" tab.
4. Begin building your project once the opening ceremony concludes.

Submission requirements

• Project Description: A clear explanation of the problem being solved, how the solution works, and the technologies used.
• Source Material: A link to a public GitHub/GitLab repository, or a link to CAD/hardware schematics.
• Demo Video: A 2-3 minute video demonstrating the project in action, uploaded to YouTube or Vimeo and embedded in the submission.
• Team Roster: All team members must be officially added to the Devpost submission.
• Fresh Code: All projects must be built entirely during the hackathon; no pre-existing work can be submitted.
• Open Source: If using third-party tools, ensure proper usage rights and credit in the submission.
• Complete Submission: All required Devpost fields must be filled out before the deadline; late submissions will not be accepted.

Judging criteria

• Impact & Usefulness: Does the project address a real and pressing issue in the bio-engineering or medical space?
• Technical Complexity: How challenging was the underlying technology, code, or hardware design?
• Originality & Creativity: Is the approach novel and innovative?
• Presentation & Design: Is the solution user-friendly, and was the demo video clearly and effectively communicated?

Resources

• Full Rules
• MLH Code of Conduct
• Hackathon Manager Email