Work in progress; check back for updates

WHAT'S NEXT ON THE FOOD FRONTIER?

The world population is expected to exceed 9 billion by the middle of this century. Nearly a billion people around the world currently suffer from hunger and poor nutrition. Major changes to food production, processing, and distribution systems are needed to ensure people everywhere have access to safe, sufficient, affordable, and nutritious food.

The transformation of global food systems will rely on the combined expertise, vision, experience, and commitment of researchers, educators, entrepreneurs, and consumers as well as industry practitioners working collectively to catalyze new ideas, drive innovation, and motivate change. Skills and knowledge from food scientists, nutritionists, engineers, social scientists, manufacturers, and more are needed to foster solution-oriented scientific discoveries to advance our transformative goals.

November 6-8, 2026

Stocking Hall
Ithaca, NY

36-HOURS OF FOOD INNOVATION >

Apply Here

WHY YOU, WHY THIS?

IF YOU'RE KEEN TO COLLAB.

You know that the success of any brand, product or solution relies on collaboration across science and business, creative and engineering.

IF YOU'RE ITCHING FOR IMPACT.

You know that there's major improvement needed in today's food system and you're the one who's going to lead the charge.

IF YOU LIKE BRAND CREATION.

You've fallen asleep dreaming of a new food product, the re-use of food byproducts, the desire to get goodness into hungry hands.

IF YOU JUST LOVE FOOD.

A hackathon that's designed for food lovers, food-systems thinkers, and those with a knack for food imagination.

2026 CHALLENGE AREAS

Over this weekend, 150 Cornell undergraduate and graduate students from diverse disciplinary backgrounds will develop a broad range of ideas and skills as they address these challenges in the hackathon’s focal areas.

HONEY

Healthy Grains

simple line icon of coarse grains, millet, sorgum in light minimal watery beige and black

DAIRY

FERMENTATION

PRE-HACKATHON PREP

Two facilitated team formation sessions are organized for students to form teams prior to the weekend hackathon. This enables a fast start and no all nighters at the hackathon. Students attend the session that works best for their schedule. Team size is 4-6.

THURSDAY

October 21

Workshop will also be viewable on zoom and recorded for those who cannot attend.

Recording Link will be here.

5:00-6:00pm

Fermentation Workshop

148 Stocking Hall

MONDAY

November 2

7:30-9:00pm

Team Formation I

Virtual on Zoom

WEDNESDAY

November 4

7:30-9:00pm

Team Formation II

eHub Kennedy Hall

2026 WEEKEND SCHEDULE

Hover over schedule events to learn what's recommended (★), what's mandatory, where to submit registration, team content and for mentors, access to our teams list + locations.