Join us for 24-hours of collaboration and creativity! Work together, connect with industry experts and win $1000+ in cash prizes.

A hackathon is an event where participants come together to collaborate and build a project based on the theme, or to solve a problem. The goal is to create this within the short period of time that is given. Participants can choose to work together as a team or individually (although it is recommended to be collaborative). They will present the prototype or the end result of their project to the critics at the end of the event, where it will be judged. The team who impresses the judges the best will receive the winning prize.

Event Schedule:

Day One - Friday, October 24th 2025

1:00 PM - Venue and registration opens

2:00 PM - Opening remarks, introduce CSSS and Sponsors, introduce theme and prize pool

2:30 PM - Lunch served at Lab Commons

3:00 PM - Hackathon begins! (24-hour timer starts)

3:00 - 6:00 PM - Mentors available for feedback / assistance at RIC Atrium

6:00 PM - Main venue space closes; teams can move to breakout rooms or other locations

Day Two - Saturday, October 25th 2025

9:00 AM - Venue reopens

10:00 AM - Mentors do final walk-around to aid with pitches

12:00 PM - Lunch served at Lab Commons

3:00 PM - Hackathon timer ends! All projects must have been submitted

3:30 PM - Team Presentations begin

5:00 PM - Judges deliberate final decisions

5:30 PM - Award ceremony (First, Runner up, People's choice, Bounty prizes)

5:45 PM - Closing remarks

• Section 1: Technical Innovation - 20%
  Does the project address the problem statement and perform the tasks it's intended to do? /10 Are multiple components (APIs, UI, sensors, logic) utilized? /5 Even if simple, did the team use technology thoughtfully or uniquely for its purpose? /5
• Section 2: Functionality & User Experience - 20%
  Does the demo show a functioning prototype that represents the team’s idea? /10 Ease of use and user-friendliness /5 Does the design support the functionality rather than distract from it? /5
• Section 3: Business & Startup Potential - 30%
  Is there a clear, real-world problem being solved? Clear target user? /10 Does this idea stand out? /10 Could this idea realistically scale up into a product or startup? /5 Does the solution have long-term or social impact potential? /5
• Section 4: Adherence to Theme & Creativity - 20%
  Is the connection between the project and the theme meaningful, and not surface-level? /10 Does this solution showcase innovative thinking or a new perspective on a common problem? /10
• Section 5: Presentation Style - 10%
  Clear explanation of problem, solution & technology /4 Confidence, flow, and audience engagement /3 Smooth & relevant demo of the solution /3