Our hackathons are dynamic, interdisciplinary events where students from diverse fields (like veterinary medicine, human health, engineering, food science, business, and agriculture) come together to solve real-world challenges in a fun, collaborative environment. These events celebrate the power of minimal resources and maximum brainpower to create innovative solutions ("hacks") within a limited timeframe. Throughout the weekend, students form teams to develop holistic, viable solutions with guidance and feedback from mentors who provide real-world context. The experience is enriched by this mentorship and the diverse skill sets within each team. The hackathon culminates in a final competition where teams present their projects to a panel of judges, industry representatives, and the campus community. Winners are awarded monetary prizes based on their innovation and presentation. Our hackathons promote a healthy, balanced experience—no all-nighters here! We provide nutritious meals and snacks, and everyone is encouraged to get a good night's sleep.

Participating in a hackathon is a fantastic opportunity to develop valuable professional skills that are applicable across various career paths, (academic, clinical, nonprofit, startups and more). Here’s what you’ll gain: Idea Generation: Learn to brainstorm and develop innovative solutions. Problem-Solving: Tackle real-world challenges creatively and efficiently. Teamwork: Work within diverse, multidisciplinary teams. Project Management: Manage projects from conception to execution. Branding & Marketing: Develop strategies to market your ideas. Public Speaking: Hone your presentation skills by pitching your projects. This experiential learning environment not only boosts your resume but also prepares you for future professional endeavors. Ready to build, innovate, and collaborate? Join us and make a difference!

Yes, some of the hackathons can earn you academic credit by enrolling in the corresponding course(s). AEM3255/ILROB3255 /AEM5255: Creativity Sprint: An Entrepreneurship Hackathon (1.5credits) is associated with the Food Hackathon in the Fall semester. Open to any student. NBA6029 (1.5 credits) and VETMED6789 (1credit) : Leading Agile Innovation is associated with the Animal Health Hackathon in the Spring semester. NBA is open to all students, VETMED is limited to veterinary students. The courses are designed to complement the Hackathon, and require completing the full weekend event as well as mandatory pre-and post-Hackathon lectures and learning exercises.

Yes! Any student can participate in the Hackathon(s) *Note: while a student can only take a for-credit course once, students can participate in hackathons an unlimited number of times while they are a student at Cornell.

Nope! Most participants (90%) sign up solo. We host two team formation sessions the week before the hackathon to help you meet fellow innovators and form teams. You may know a few friends or peers from class who are also signing up, and while you can all apply for the Hackathon together, it's not guaranteed that everyone will be admitted. If you're intending to participate with specific people, sign up early!

Teams are required to be between 4-6 people, all individually registered and accepted to the Hackathon. While there are no requirements for expertise or background, diverse interdisciplinary teams often create the most exciting and well-developed ideas. We recommend using the team formation sessions to find complementary skillsets!

Nope! You don't need an idea to join in. Students with ideas will pitch them to recruit team members, so you can join any team that sparks your interest. You can also check out the hackathon challenges posted on the Hackathon website for inspiration, or bring your own idea to the event.

Sunday is all about showcasing your hard work. Every team will get 4 minutes to present their project to a panel of judges, followed by a 4-minute Q&A session. The pitch order is decided on Sunday morning after all projects are submitted. It's your moment to shine and share your innovative solutions with the judges! The pitch order, room assignments, and judging criteria can be seen in the hackathon schedule.