Note: This hackathon is only open to individuals who have already recieved an acceptance email from GDG McMasterU.
Important Info
📆 Friday Feb 6th, 2026 - Sunday Feb 8th, 2026
đź“Ť L.R. Wilson, McMaster University
đź‘Ą University/College Students from any Post-Secondary Institution
đź“ť Signups: Closed
NOTE: Overnight accommodations are not provided. Attendees are responsible for their own overnight arrangements.
About the challenge
This year, we will be hosting a 2-day in-person hackathon with many fun and fascinating workshops and events. This event is open to all skill levels, from novices to experts, and is perfect for anyone who wants to start a new project, learn something new, or meet new like-minded individuals!
Hacking
This year's hackathon is similar to the previous 'Solutions challenge' and 'Build with AI' hackathon, with optional events beginning on Friday, hacking and workshops commencing on Saturday, and judging taking place on Sunday. Our hackathon aims to accommodates individuals with any skill level and background knowledge on software and artificial intelligence - no prior experience is required! Event theme, prize categories and goals will be announced during the Opening ceremony.
Social Media
Learn more about our hackathon and other events across our committee from our Discord and Instagram!
Schedule
For more details about the hackathon schedule and associated room allocations, please refer to your hacker package, which should have been sent out to your email prior to the hackathon.
FAQs
1. Who can participate? What if I don't have any experience?
Mac-a-Thon is open to post-secondary students of all experience levels, from beginners to advanced developers.
2. Do I need to have a team to participate? What is the team size limit?
No! You can participate solo or in a team of 2-4 people. You do not need to have a team decided when you are applying.
3. Is Mac-a-Thon free to attend?
Yes - Food will be provided for the duration of the event. We also have swag and prizes available!
4. Do I have to attend Friday's event?
The Intro to Hacking workshop on Friday Feb. 6 is optional. Feb. 7th and 8th are mandatory to attend. Please look at the schedule below for more details.
5. Will overnight accommodation be provided?
No - Mac-a-Thon does not include overnight accommodation. Students should arrange for a place to stay for the overnight portion of the hackathon.
6. Will there be travel reimbursements?
Mac-a-Thon will not be provided travel reimbursements for this event.
7. What do I need to bring?
Hackers should bring a laptop, charger, headphones, a reusable water bottle and any other equipment they may want to use to develop their project. Food and drinks will be provided for the duration of the event.
8. When can I start working on my project?
Your project is to be developed within the time constraints of the hackathon - therefore, you cannot start hacking until after the opening ceremony. You may come up with and brainstorm ideas prior to the event. You may also use frameworks and other pre-built libraries in your project, as long as you credit it in your project documentation.
9. How many prize categories can I apply for?
You may apply for one prize category - this qualifies your project for that specific prize category as well as the 'Overall Best Hack' and runner-up prize.
10. What is a hackathon?
A hackathon is an event where students "hack" together and create an app, website, game, etc. in 24-48 hours. There will be no malicious "hacking".
Requirements
Project Scope
Each project must tackle an issue using one or more Google Technology. Problem statements should aim to tackle a vital issue in the world. Hackers can focus on any problem, but are also provided with themes and prize categories at the opening ceremony to build off of.
Submissions
Submissions for this event will be done through Devpost. Requirements for a submission may vary based on your project, but in general, should include some or all of the following:
-
Visual aids/diagrams (slideshows, videos, pictures/models of prototype)
-
Codebase (GitHub or other collaboration platform)
-
Prototype (simulation, screenshots, pictures)
- Online video demo: Create a 2-4 min video demo (this is separate from your live demo in front of the judge) for sponsors to view after. You can submit a Google Drive or Youtube link (make sure shared access is available)
THE JUDGING BREAKDOWN
- Each team has a total of 5 minutes with the judges, structured as follows:
- 90-Second Elevator Pitch: High-level overview of your problem, solution, and impact.
- 3 Minutes: Live demo, technical deep-dive, and Q&A with the judges.
- 30-Second Buffer: This is dedicated time for judges to finalize their scoring forms.
Logistics & Flow
- Be Early: Arrive at your assigned judging room at least 1 minute before your time slot.
- Silent Entry: If a team is still presenting, enter the room quietly and head to the designated 'Setup Space' to get your tech ready.
- Setup: There is no extra time for setup. Your project must be up and running the moment your 5-minute block begins.
- Stay Sharp: Once your time is up, please exit the room promptly so the next team can begin.
Pro-Tips for Success
- Focus on the "Why": In your 90-second pitch, tell the judges why your project matters before showing how it works.
- Stability First: Ensure your demo is staged and ready to go. Avoid long loading screens or complex setups during your live slot.
- Team Coordination: Decide who is speaking during the pitch and who is handling the demo to avoid talking over one another.
Prizes
First Place
- Fujifilm Instax® Mini SE Instant Camera Bundle
- Coffee Chat Opportunity with InternInsider (SWE Internship Summer 2026)
- 3 Months InternInsider Pro Membership
- 1 Year getcracked.io Membership
- 1 Year StrataScratch Professional Complete Membership
- 1 Week InterviewCake Subscription
- 1 Year Vue School License or a Junior Certification Exam Voucher
- 2 Year CodeCrafters VIP Membership
- MLH Winner Pins
Second Place
- SteelSeries Actis Nova 1 Multisystem Gaming System OR JBL Go 3 Portable Speaker
- 3 Months InternInsider Pro Membership
- 3 Months getcracked.io Membership
- 1 Year StrataScratch Project Pro Membership
- 1 Week InterviewCake Subscription
- 1 Year CodeCrafters VIP Membership
- MLH Winner Pins
Best Quality Education Hack
- Lego Set
- 1 Year StrataScratch Project Pro Membership
- 1 Week InterviewCake Subscription
- 6 Months CodeCrafters VIP Membership
- MLH Winner Pins
Best Smart Cities Hack
- Lego Set
- 3 Months InternInsider Pro Membership
- 1 Month getcracked.io Membership
- 1 Week InterviewCake Subscription
- MLH Winner Pins
[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 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 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 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 Snowflake API
Arduino Tiny ML Kit
Play with industry-leading LLMs on a single account using the Snowflake APIs. Adding AI capabilities into your application can be as simple as a single CURL command to Snowflake’s REST API.
Build customized applications, RAG powered chat bots, or embed AI-powered features into your app in half the time with half the hassle. Get started for free with a special, student 120-day Snowflake trial and check out this repository for an example of the Snowflake REST API in action.
[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!
Best Use of Backboard.io (by GitCloud)
Win $200 cash and $300 in API credits for Backboard.io
Best Use of Featherless.ai
1st Prize: Featherless Scale Plan worth $300
2nd Prize: Featherless Scale Plan worth $150
3rd Prize: Featherless Scale Plan worth $75
Devpost Achievements
Submitting to this hackathon could earn you:
Judges
Ahmed Khaleel
Tadeas Kriz
Ovesh Patel
Jil Shah
Liam Luimes
Justin Yeung
Solomon Hsu
Rehan Ayub
Reyhaneh Norouziani
Anshuman Panwar
Hasnain Haider
Cloud Security Engineer @ Caseware
Judging Criteria
-
Technical Execution
This criteria is not just about how much code was contributed to the project - it assesses the complexity of the challenge and the application of the technologies used. -
Presentation & Demonstration
Great projects should have great storytelling - this criteria highlights how the team communicates their goals and effectively pitches their idea to judges. -
Innovation
This criteria focuses on the uniqueness of both the project and its application to resolve your problem statement. Judges will be looking for creative applications of technology and whether the idea is truly 'brand new'. -
Impact
Each project should have a major real-world impact on some field or community of interest - this criteria assesses what that impact of the project is, and what the depth of the pain point being addressed is.
Questions? Email the hackathon manager
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