About the challenge
Code for Good 2026 is an in-person 24-hour hackathon running from Saturday morning to Sunday afternoon. Check-in is from 9-11am, but we can accommodate later times if necessary. Please reach out to us by email if this is necessary.
Most of the event will take place in the Fuqua School of Business, with additional aspects across Duke’s campus. Please check the calendar, Discord, or our website for the latest updates to location and times for events.
You must have been accepted by HackDuke and also have RSVP’ed to the event to check in. We are unable to take walk-ins.
Requirements
- You must link your GitHub to your submission
- SUBMIT A 1-2 MINUTE VIDEO DEMO (even if participating in-person)
- Judging for in-person and virtual will be separate. In-person teams will participate in an open judging fair, while virtual teams will have an opportunity to present in a break-out room.
- Teams can be 1-4 people
- You may not crosspost to other hackathons
- You may not submit multiple projects
- You may submit to multiple challenges
- You may not work on your project before the event. You must stop development when submissions are due
- This means that you should not be reusing code from previous projects.
- You may use publicly available frameworks, but you need to list said frameworks in a readme.
- You may use LLM/ChatGPT/AI, but must state how you did so in your Devpost submission.
- You must credit any tools used and be clear on what you made and what was generated by having a detailed readme. Your project should not be a reskin of an existing AI tool. While LLMs can be great tools, we want to see what you created/changed/built on during the weekend. If you do not credit your AI usage, you will be disqualified and reported to cheating@mlh.io
- This event is limited to students. No volunteers, organizers, or mentors are eligible to win any prizes, though they can work on projects for their portfolio if they wish.
Prizes
Best Overall Hack
4 x Airpods, MLH Winner Pins
Grand Prize: Sustainability Track
4 x Larq bottles, MLH Winner Pins
Runner Up: Sustainability Track
4 x Glass Weather Predictor
Grand Prize: Finance Track
4 x Dji mics, MLH Winner Pins
Runner Up: Finance Track
4 x Poker Set
Grand Prize: Health Track
4 x Fitbit Inspire 3, MLH Winner Pins
Runner Up: Health Track
4 x Alarm clocks that run
Grand Prize: Interactive Media Track
4 x Dji mics, MLH Winner Pins
Best Beginner Hack
4 x Engraved Owala
Best Hardware Hack
4 x Raspberry Pi
Best Virtual Submission
4 x AirPods
[MLH] Best Use of Gemini API
Google Swag Kits
It’s time to push the boundaries of what's possible with AI using Google Gemini. Check out the Gemini API to build AI-powered apps that make your friends say WHOA. So, what can Gemini do for your hackathon project?
- Understand language like a human and build a chatbot that gives personalized advice
- Analyze info like a supercomputer and create an app that summarizes complex research papers
- Generate creative content like code, scripts, music, and more
Think of the possibilities… what will you build with the Google Gemini API this weekend?
[MLH] Best Use of ElevenLabs
Wireless Earbuds
Deploy natural, human-sounding audio with ElevenLabs. Create realistic, dynamic, and emotionally expressive voices for any project, from interactive AI companions to narrated stories and voice-enabled apps. ElevenLabs will empower you to build rich, immersive experiences without the need for actors or complex audio production, using simply the power of AI.
Integrate fully autonomous audio experiences into your hack with ElevenLabs and give your project a voice, along with giving your team the chance to win some wireless earbuds!
[MLH] Best Use of Solana
Ledger Nano S Plus
The world of development is evolving fast and Solana is leading the charge with a network built to handle all of your infrastructure needs. Forget high fees and slow confirmations, it’s time to build applications that are fast, efficient, and scalable.
Harness Solana's core advantages like blazing fast execution and near-zero transaction costs to make your hackathon ideas become real world projects. With Solana, the possibilities are endless.
- Create a game, social app, or consumer product that relies on instant, high-frequency transactions.
- Design a sophisticated trading, lending, or decentralized exchange (DEX).
- Build a prototype for supply chain, identity, or payments that can handle massive, real-world volume.
Show us how you can innovate with Solana for a chance to win some cool prizes for you and each member of your team!
[MLH] Best Use of AI powered by Reach Capital
Logitech Webcam & Meeting with the Reach Capital Investors
AI has upended what we can accomplish with technology. Reach Capital invests in the next generation of founders and technical talent, and they want you to use AI to support the future of work and uplevel the labor force.
While the frontline economy, made up of industries like construction, retail, healthcare, and more, represents 70% of the global workforce, these workers often have the least access to cutting-edge tools. Your challenge is to build an AI-powered solution for these frontline workers that meets them where they are — on the job, on the go, and in the flow of their daily work.
The winning team will receive a Logitech webcam for each member, and you’ll also be one of ten winning teams across MLH events considered for a grand prize of discussing your creation with Reach Capital’s team of expert investors.
Interested in working at world-changing startups? Reach's 130+ portfolio companies — including Replit, Brilliant, ClassDojo, GPTZero, and Desmos — are always looking for the next wave of talent. Share what you’re studying, building, or exploring, and Reach will connect you to career-defining opportunities. Add your profile and join the hackers already in the Reach talent network.
[MLH] Best Use of DigitalOcean
Retro Wireless Mouse
DigitalOcean offers a reliable and easy-to-use cloud platform for every stage of your project. Leverage core services like Droplets, Managed Databases, and App Platform to build, deploy, and scale your application effortlessly. Building with AI? DigitalOcean Gradient™ AI enables you to build, train, and deploy machine learning models, including access to GPU infrastructure and serverless inference!
Sign up for DigitalOcean today and get $200 worth of free credits that you can use towards building your next great hack. Build with DigitalOcean's robust cloud infrastructure for a chance to win some great prizes for you and each of your teammates!
[MLH] Best Use of Auth0
Wireless Headphones
Auth0 wants your applications to be secure! Why spend hours building features like social sign-in, Multi-Factor Authentication, and passwordless log-in when you can enable them through Auth0 straight out of the box? You can also secure your AI applications with Auth0 for AI Agents.
Auth0 is free to try, doesn’t require a credit card, and allows for up to 7,000 free active users and unlimited log-ins. Make your new account today and use any of the Auth0 APIs for a chance to win a pair of wireless headphones for you and each member of your team!
Runner Up: Interactive Media Track
4x Disposable Cameras
[Figma] Best Design
Merch Bags
Runner-Up: Best Virtual Hack
4x Mechanical Keyboards
3rd Place: Best Virtual Hack
4x Lego Sets
Devpost Achievements
Submitting to this hackathon could earn you:
Judges
HackDuke Judges
Judging Criteria
-
Feasibility and Impact
How well does the hack fit the track theme? How well thought-out is the concept itself, with regard to both the problem it aims to solve and the solution that has been proposed? -
Innovation
How well does the hack approach the problem from a fresh perspective? Or, does the hack address a unique aspect of the problem that isn't already implemented or developed? -
Functionality
How well does the hack work? Are there common errors when running it? -
“Wow” Factor
Did any other aspect of the project "wow" you? How well does the project reflect the unique backgrounds and talents of each team member? -
Overall Presentation
How was the overall presentation of the hack? Did the hackers have a prepared pitch, or was it more off-the-cuff? How convincing was the pitch? How well did the hackers understand the scope of their problem?
Questions? Email the hackathon manager
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