About the Challenge
VoltHacks 2026 is a hackathon focused on building real world solutions using hardware, IoT, and AI. Participants are encouraged to go beyond traditional software projects and create systems that interact with the physical world through sensors, embedded systems, automation, and intelligent devices.
Whether you're interested in robotics, smart devices, sustainability, healthcare technology, or open innovation, VoltHacks is designed to push creativity and engineering skills toward solving meaningful problems.
Tracks could include:
- Robotics & Embedded Systems
- AI + Hardware Integration
- Smart Health Technology
- Sustainability & Smart Cities
- Open Innovation
- Anything Engineering based with Impact
Participants will present their projects to a panel of judges, with awards recognizing innovation, technical complexity, and real world impact.
Get Started
- Register individually or with a team
- Brainstorm a project idea related to the challenge themes
- Build your project during the hackathon period
- Submit your final project on Devpost before the deadline
All skill levels are welcome. Whether you're experienced with hardware or just getting started, VoltHacks is meant to be a place to learn, collaborate, and build something meaningful.
Requirements
What to Build
Build a project related to one or more of the VoltHacks themes, such as:
- IoT systems
- Robotics and automation
- AI-powered tools
- Embedded systems
- Smart devices
- Sustainability or health technology solutions
Projects can be hardware-based, software-based, or a combination of both.
What to Submit
Each submission should include:
- Project name and short description
- Explanation of the problem your project solves
- Photos, screenshots, or prototype images
- Source code or GitHub repository (if applicable)
- List of technologies/components used
Teams should clearly explain how their project works and what makes it innovative.
Prizes
Grand Prize
$100 USD cash prize
$300 USD in Featherless.ai credits
CodeCrafters VIP Membership (2 Years) — $720 value per team member
Dialogate Lifetime Subscription
5 Notable projects besides the top 3 places will be granted lifetime subscriptions to Dialogate.
Additional Prizes Coming Soon
More prizes are currently being gathered by the VoltHacks team through sponsor partnerships and community support. Additional awards may be announced throughout the event as new sponsors join VoltHacks 2026.
Second Place
CodeCrafters VIP Membership (1 Year) — $360 value per team member
Dialogate Lifetime Subscription — $60 value per team member
Third Place
CodeCrafters VIP Membership (6 Months) — $180 value per team member
Dialogate Lifetime Subscription — $60 value per team member
Devpost Achievements
Submitting to this hackathon could earn you:
Judges
Ehsan Sadiq
Dialogate & Volthacks Founder
More Judges TBD
RatnaKumar Bonagiri
Senior IEEE Member
Ankur Bhatnagar
Senior IEEE Member
Swarnamalya Mohan
Senior AI/ML Advisor
Deepashree Rajendraprasad
Business Intelligence Developer, Carilion Clinic
Prashant Bhowmik
Lead Data Engineer | McKinsey & Company
Reshmika Dhandapani
Product Manager, Motorola Solutions
Judging Criteria
-
Innovation and Creativity
How original and creative the project idea is, including unique approaches to solving real-world problems. -
Technical Complexity
The depth of engineering, programming, hardware integration, or system design demonstrated in the project. -
Real World Impact
How useful, practical, or meaningful the project could be in real world situations. -
Design and Functionality
The overall quality, usability, and effectiveness of the project’s design and implementation. -
Presentation Quality
How clearly the team explains their project, including demonstrations, documentation, and communication of ideas.
Questions? Email the hackathon manager
Invite others to compete
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