About the challenge

StartWell – The Student Wellness Hackathon is a call for student innovators, coders, designers, and changemakers to reimagine what wellness means in today’s world.

This challenge is built on the belief that health is not a destination but a journey—one that blends physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being into a dynamic and personal continuum.

StartWell invites you to explore how technology can empower individuals to take ownership of their wellness, support their peers, and create tools that make well-being more inclusive, accessible, and inspiring—right from campus to community.

Whether you're solving for self-care, digital detox, mental health support, or holistic routines—this is your moment to design solutions that spark better beginnings.

Let’s build a healthier future, starting with us.

Requirements

What to Build

StartWell – The Student Wellness Hackathon invites you to explore the power of AI and Agentic AI by building innovative tools that support personalized, mindful health journeys—designed by students, for students and beyond.

You’re encouraged to take inspiration from the following themes (or go beyond them!) to create tech that makes well-being more accessible, engaging, and intelligent:

🥗 AI-Powered Diet Guide

Design an app where users can set personal wellness goals—like building muscle, glowing skin, healthy aging, or managing a health condition—and get customized diet suggestions.
Agentic AI can take it further by placing supplement or grocery orders based on the user’s plan and preferences.

🧘 Exercise Video Creator with Smart Subscriptions

Build an AI solution that generates short, personalized workout or stretch routines (like yoga, strength training, or facial exercises).
Let Agentic AI recommend and even enroll users into virtual fitness classes, therapy sessions, or wellness communities that match their goals.

🎵 Mood Tracker with Music Therapy

Create an app that detects and logs the user’s mood, and then suggests calming or energizing music to help manage stress or enhance focus.
Agentic AI can help by booking counseling sessions or suggesting mental health check-ins when needed.

In addition to these, feel free to explore ideas around data-driven health insights, automated content creation, or student engagement bots using multi-agent AI systems inspired by ADK frameworks. Your project should center around building tech that promotes smarter, more conscious approaches to health and wellness.

 

 

What to Submit

  • Your Project

    • Can be a website, app, animation, or any creative coding/low‑code solution.

    • Bundle all source files (or low‑code export) into a single PDF. Include screenshots, diagrams, or hardware photos as needed.

  • Demo Video (Max 3 minutes)

    • Show your project in action. Briefly explain:
      1. Problem statement
      2. How your solution works
      3. Impact on health/well‑being
      4. Technologies/tools you used

  • Devpost Fields

    • Project Title & Description

    • Category (Beginner or Advanced)

    • Team Member Names & Roles

    • GitHub/Live Demo Link (if available)

    • Attachments: Code PDF, demo video link, one‑pager PDF

Hackathon Sponsors

Prizes

18,000+ in prizes
+ other prizes
StartWell Rising Innovator
10,000 in cash
1 winner

Changemaker Recognition
5,000 in cash
1 winner

Nextgen Wellness Innovator
3,000 in cash
1 winner

StartWell Swag Packs
5 winners

These special recognition gifts will be awarded to selected students who demonstrated:
✔️ Unique ideas
✔️ Commitment to wellness innovation
✔️ Positive team spirit and collaboration

Devpost Achievements

Submitting to this hackathon could earn you:

Judges

Dr Darlin Nitin Titus

Dr Darlin Nitin Titus
MBBS, MD

Dr. Inon Schenker

Dr. Inon Schenker
PhD, MPH, Senior Global Public Health Expert and Social Entrepreneur, Impact for Health Future, Jerusaelm, Israel

Dr Narasimha Manoj Turlapati

Dr Narasimha Manoj Turlapati
MBBS, MD Public Health Physician

Dr Sinthu Sarathamani Swaminathan
World Health Organization - NPSN

Amo Mengying Zeng

Amo Mengying Zeng
Front-End Developer

Surya Teja Avirneni

Surya Teja Avirneni
Distinguished Engineer

Ruchi Mangharamani

Ruchi Mangharamani
Senior Advisor – Analytics & AI Strategy, Elevance Health

Satwik Reddy Jambula

Satwik Reddy Jambula
Senior Application Developer

Erdi Gao

Erdi Gao
Senior Data Scientist, Walmart Global Tech

Judging Criteria

  • Innovation & Originality – 25%
    1. How unique or creative is the solution? 2. Does it bring a fresh approach to solving wellness challenges? 3. Is the idea forward-thinking or inspired by emerging trends in AI and digital health?
  • Technical Execution – 20%
    1. Is the solution technically sound and well-built? 2. Does it function as intended, even if as a prototype? 3. How effectively are AI or agentic AI elements implemented?
  • Wellness Impact & Relevance – 30%
    1. Does the solution address a real need in the wellness, mental health, or personal health journey? 2. Could it make a meaningful difference for individuals or communities?
  • User Experience & Accessibility – 15%
    1. Is the solution easy to use and visually clear? 2. Does it consider accessibility and diverse user needs? 3. Is the user journey intuitive and empathetic?
  • Scalability & Sustainability – 10%
    1. Can this solution grow or adapt to broader audiences or real-world settings? 2. Are resources, ethics, and long-term use thoughtfully considered?

Questions? Email the hackathon manager

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