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 GuideDesign 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.
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.
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
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Your Project
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Can be a website, app, animation, or any creative coding/low‑code solution.
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Bundle all source files (or low‑code export) into a single PDF. Include screenshots, diagrams, or hardware photos as needed.
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Demo Video (Max 3 minutes)
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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
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Devpost Fields
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Project Title & Description
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Category (Beginner or Advanced)
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Team Member Names & Roles
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GitHub/Live Demo Link (if available)
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Attachments: Code PDF, demo video link, one‑pager PDF
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Prizes
StartWell Rising Innovator
Changemaker Recognition
Nextgen Wellness Innovator
StartWell Swag Packs
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
MBBS, MD
Dr. Inon Schenker
PhD, MPH, Senior Global Public Health Expert and Social Entrepreneur, Impact for Health Future, Jerusaelm, Israel
Dr Narasimha Manoj Turlapati
MBBS, MD Public Health Physician
Dr Sinthu Sarathamani Swaminathan
World Health Organization - NPSN
Amo Mengying Zeng
Front-End Developer
Surya Teja Avirneni
Distinguished Engineer
Ruchi Mangharamani
Senior Advisor – Analytics & AI Strategy, Elevance Health
Satwik Reddy Jambula
Senior Application Developer
Erdi Gao
Senior Data Scientist, Walmart Global Tech
Judging Criteria
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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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