Build Beyond Hackathon

Overview

Build Beyond is an online hackathon designed for innovators of all skill levels, from experienced developers to first-time hackers, designers, and anyone with a creative idea. The event encourages participants to build beyond the ordinary by transforming their concepts into real projects. There are no theme restrictions, offering complete creative freedom. Participants can develop web applications, mobile apps, games, AI projects, hardware prototypes, productivity tools, or any other innovative solution they can imagine. The primary focus is on hands-on creation, skill development, and collaboration. Participants can work individually or in teams of up to five members, tackling challenges and exploring new technologies. The hackathon provides opportunities to connect with fellow participants, receive mentorship from experienced professionals, and showcase projects to a panel of industry judges. It's an ideal environment to strengthen technical and problem-solving skills, learn new technologies, or launch a big idea. Whether the goal is to learn, create a first project, or develop a next big idea, Build Beyond offers a platform to challenge oneself, collaborate with others, and build without limits. It emphasizes hands-on experience, networking, and the chance to win prizes while building a portfolio.

What to build

Create a project that demonstrates creativity, technical skills, or problem-solving abilities. There are no theme restrictions, allowing participants to build anything from websites, mobile apps, games, AI projects, hardware, productivity tools, or entirely original concepts.

Prizes

Key dates

• Submission DeadlineAug 16, 2026 @ 2:45am EDT

Eligibility

Participants must be above the legal age of majority in their country of residence. This hackathon is open to students only; companies and professional organizations are excluded from participation. It is open to all countries/territories, excluding standard exceptions.

How to enter

1. Join the hackathon through the provided registration link.
2. Work individually or form a team of up to five members.
3. Develop a project based on your chosen idea (no theme restrictions).
4. Prepare submission materials, including project name, overview, and demo materials.
5. Submit your project by the deadline.

Submission requirements

• **Project Name:** A unique name for your project.
• **Project Overview:** Include the inspiration behind the project, how it works, its main features, the technology stack used, and the intended audience.
• **Demo Materials (Required):** Screenshots, a demo video, presentation, or other visuals clearly demonstrating the project. At least one visual is mandatory.
• **Source Code or Live Demo (Recommended):** Share a GitHub repository, website, downloadable build, or any other link for judges to explore the project.
• **Team Information:** Add all team members to the submission and briefly describe each person's contributions (for team submissions).

Judging criteria

• Technical Execution (30%): How well the project functions and is built, including code quality, structure, and tool usage.
• Originality & Creativity (25%): How distinct and inventive the idea is compared to other submissions.
• Impact & Usefulness (20%): Whether the project addresses a real need and offers meaningful, practical value.
• UX & Design (15%): How polished, intuitive, and enjoyable the project is to interact with.
• Clarity of Submission (10%): How well the project is presented, demoed, and documented for judges to understand.

Resources

• Full Rules
• Email Hackathon Manager