AI for a Better Future Hackathon 2026

It's an exciting AI adventure where students from all majors and backgrounds team up to
tackle real-world problems using the power of AI!

Any Cal Poly Pomona student can participate, regardless of major or experience level. Seriously, beginners are not just welcome, they're encouraged! The Hackathon is built around interdisciplinary teamwork, so students with backgrounds in programming, design, business, marketing, data analytics, and more are all a great fit.

Nope! Participation is completely free for all Cal Poly Pomona students. Just bring your creativity and enthusiasm!

Not at all! No specific skills are required to join. The Hackathon is designed for students across all disciplines. Plus, there will be training sessions and resources to help you get up to speed before the event kicks off.

Registration opens on February 20, 2026. The last day to register is March 13, 2026 at 11:59 AM. Don't wait until the last minute!

No, you can register individually! If you already have a team, just indicate that on the registration form and you're all set. If you don't have a team yet, no worries, organizers will help you find teammates at the Hackathon Kickoff event on March 20th.

No, you can register individually! If you already have a team, just indicate that on the registration form and you're all set. If you don't have a team yet, no worries, organizers will help you find teammates at the Hackathon Kickoff event on March 20th.

Sign up individually using the online registration form. Indicate whether you already have a team. If you do, no further action is needed. If not, team formation will happen at the in person Kickoff event on March 20th

The challenges are real-world business and societal problems, issues currently faced in areas like industry, technology, operations, customer experience, or community impact. These aren't made-up textbook problems; they're real challenges that companies and communities are facing today!

Yes! There are two exciting tracks, both sponsored by Avanade:

• Sponsored Challenge: Provided by Industry Challenge Sponsors like Avanade, the CBA Dean, and the Hackathon organizing committee.
• Creative Challenge: You identify and solve a real problem that YOU believe deserves a solution.

Additional challenges will be announced on March 13th

The challenges will be announced on Friday, March 13, 2026 at noon via a virtual event (also recorded). Challenge sponsors will be present at the Hackathon Kickoff on March 20th to walk through the real-world problems, goals, and expectations in more detail..

No, all projects must be started from scratch. This keeps the playing field fair and makes sure everyone is building something fresh and original!

We highly encourage you to attend the in-person Kickoff on March 20th at the CBA Complex. It's where you'll meet your challenge sponsors, form your team, and pick up your Hackathon t-shirt! If you cannot attend in person, you can join the event online and then watch the recording.

You'll have 13 days from when the challenges are announced (March 13) to when videos are due (March 26). You work on your own schedule with your team. The Hackathon is designed to be flexible around student life.

Absolutely! The Hackathon is designed with flexibility in mind. You work with your team on your own time, fitting it around classes and other commitments. Just make sure the link to your teams 5-minute video is submitted by March 26th at midnight!

Yes!

There are several training opportunities to help you prepare.
Four live one-hour Zoom sessions (also recorded)
Feb 24 Intro to Vibe Coding with Python and Flask.
Feb 26 Initial Implementation;
Mar 3 Prompt Engineering for Improved Product Outcomes
Mar 5 Q&A Session.
There are also two pre-recorded courses: Market Validation and Success Metrics (~1.5 hours) and Storytelling to Influence Leadership (~48 min).
All sessions are free and open to all registered participants!

Yes! Mentors will be available throughout the event to guide your thinking. Keep in mind that mentors support your learning. They won't write your code or design your solution for you. The final product is 100% yours to build, and that's what makes it so rewarding!

Definitely! Resource guides, tutorials, demos, and curated links will be available to support independent learning throughout the event. Check the AI Hackathon Resources for Students page on the Hackathon Canvas shell for everything you need.

Your team submits a link to a 5 minute video on DevPost by March 26th at midnight. Make sure to list all team members who contributed, and include the team name and a primary contact person for your team.

Projects are scored on five equally weighted categories worth 10 points each:
(1) Innovation and Problem Framing — is the problem clearly defined and is the AI-enabled solution original?
(2) Impact & Relevance — does it address a real-world need with meaningful potential?
(3)Technical or Design Feasibility — is the solution credible and achievable?
(4) Venture & Market Readiness — would real customers adopt and pay for this?
(5) Storytelling — is the solution clearly and compellingly communicated in your video?
There's also a 10-point diversity bonus (applied only as a tiebreaker) for teams that demonstrate interdisciplinary collaboration.

Judges will review all entries from March 31 to April 6. Finalists will be announced on April 10th. If your team makes it to the finals, you'll present in person at the AI Fair on April 16th get ready to shine!

Yes! All participating students will receive a digital badge recognizing their involvement. It's
a great credential to add to your LinkedIn profile or resume. Employers love seeing initiative
like this!

Yes! Challenge sponsors including Avanade contribute prizes for the strongest solutions. More details on specific prizes will be shared at the Kickoff event. Stay tuned!

The 2026 AI Hackathon is generously supported by Avanade (Main Sponsor), the Mitchell Hill Center for Digital Innovation at CPP's College of Business Administration. Other sponsors will be announced at the Kick-off event. A huge thank you to all sponsors for making this event possible!