ImpactForge

Overview

ImpactForge is an online hackathon designed for builders who want to create solutions that address significant real-world challenges. The competition encourages participants to develop tools, apps, or ideas that tackle problems in areas such as education, mental health, accessibility, or the environment. The hackathon is open to participants of all skill levels, including beginners, and does not impose a strict theme beyond a general focus on social good. The primary goal is to foster innovation that leads to tangible positive change. Participants are encouraged to identify a problem in their community or the world and then build a solution for it. Mentors will be available throughout the event to support participants.

What to build

Participants should start by identifying a problem in their community, school, neighborhood, or the world. Then, they must build something—an app, a tool, a platform, or any other solution—that directly addresses and attempts to solve this identified problem.

Prizes

Key dates

• Hackathon StartsJune 19, 2026
• Submission DeadlineJuly 23, 2026
• Deadline (EDT)Jul 24, 2026 @ 2:45am EDT
• Judging & Winner Announcement3–6 days after submissions close

Eligibility

Participants must be above the legal age of majority in their country of residence and be students. Companies and professional organizations are excluded from participation. The hackathon is open to participants from all countries and territories, excluding standard exceptions. All skill levels are welcome, especially beginners. Teams can consist of 1–5 members, and solo submissions are allowed.

How to enter

1. Join the hackathon by registering on the Devpost page.
2. Develop a project that addresses a real-world problem.
3. Submit your project before the deadline, including all required components.

Submission requirements

• Project Name: The name of your project.
• The Story Behind It: Explain the problem addressed, why it matters, how your solution works, its key features, tools/languages/APIs used, and who it helps.
• Proof of Work (Required): Upload at least one screenshot, demo video, or file showing your project in action. If no working project, show design or prototype.
• Project Link (Optional but Encouraged): A GitHub repository, live demo, or any link for judges to review your work.
• Impact Statement: In a few sentences, explain the real-world impact of your project, who benefits, and how it helps them.
• Your Team: List everyone involved and their contributions. If solo, just your name.

Judging criteria

• Build Quality (30%): How functional, stable, and well-constructed the project is, including the tools and tech choices made along the way.
• Real-World Impact (25%): How directly and meaningfully the project addresses a genuine problem, and whether the solution could actually help people.
• Creativity & Approach (20%): How fresh the idea is and whether it tackles the problem in a way that hasn't been done before.
• User Experience (15%): How easy, intuitive, and pleasant the project is to actually use.
• Clarity of Submission (10%): How well the project is explained, presented, and documented for judges to understand.

Resources

• Full Rules
• Hackathon Calendar (Apple)
• Hackathon Calendar (Google)
• Hackathon Calendar (Outlook)