About the challenge
Over the course of 24 hours, participants will come together to brainstorm, design, and build projects that tackle real-world problems while exploring new technologies. Whether you’re coding your first website, diving into AI, or experimenting with design, GirlHacks provides the tools, mentorship, and support to bring your ideas to life.
What makes GirlHacks special is our commitment to creating a welcoming and inclusive space where hackers of all experience levels can learn and grow. With beginner-friendly workshops, supportive mentors, and plenty of opportunities to connect with peers and industry professionals, you’ll leave with new skills, new friends, and a project you’re proud of.
Requirements
What to Build
You’re free to create anything you like at GirlHacks 2026! Alternatively, you can choose to build a project that aligns with one of the sponsor categories or tracks.
What to Submit
Please submit your relevant project materials, including your GitHub repository, through Devpost by the deadline. You may include a 2-3 minute demo video of your project, but it is optional. All teams must present their projects in person during the judging session, so ensure that at least one team representative is present at the location during that time.
Prizes
First Place
Each member of the top-performing team will take home a set of Air Pods Pro 3. Elevate your hack and claim the top spot!
Second Place
Impress the judges and secure a Fujifilm Instant Camera for each member of your team!
Third Place
Don’t miss your chance to snag a Mechanical Keyboard, awarded to each member of the third-place team.
Best Beginner Hack
PRIZE: Anker Bluetooth Speaker
New to hacking? You’re in luck! Teams with at least 50% first-time hackers can win one for every member!
Best Diversity Hack
PRIZE: Mouse
Teams where at least 75% of the members identify as women or non-binary in tech will have a chance to win one for every member!
Best Enchanted Grove Vibes Hack
PRIZE: Enchanted Grove Lamp
Dive into our Enchanted Grove theme for a chance to win! Each member of the winning team will receive one.
Best Use of Azure by Avanade
PRIZE: Avanade Backpack with goodies
Venture through Microsoft Azure and cultivate a groundbreaking solution. The most impactful and innovative use of Azure wins Avanade's Heart of the Grove rewards.
AI for the Modern Enterprise by ADP
PRIZE: Amazon Echo
Build an AI solution that turns messy enterprise conversations, meetings, and documents into actionable insights and next steps so nothing important is lost.
[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 Gemini API
MLH 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
SenseCAP Card Tracker
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 Tiger Data
Stream Deck Mini
Building high-performance apps under hackathon deadlines shouldn't mean spending half your weekend configuring complex databases or learning obscure query languages. Tiger Data extends PostgreSQL to give student developers an ultra-fast foundation for real-time data, time-series metrics, and complex analytics.
Why build with Tiger Data this weekend?
Standard SQL Power: Query massive datasets instantly using the SQL you already know, with no complex NoSQL aggregation pipelines required.
Unified Data Stack: Store relational user profiles and high-frequency metric streams side-by-side in a single database.
Instant Dashboards: Serve lag-free, real-time frontend charts using pre-computed Continuous Aggregates.
90%+ Data Compression: Store millions of events on free-tier cloud instances without running out of disk space.
Whether you’re building real-time IoT monitoring, AI-driven analytics dashboards, or financial prediction engines, show us how Tiger Data powers your project. The team that demonstrates the most innovative, impactful, and performance-driven use of Tiger Data will take home some great prizes!
[MLH] Best Domain Name from GoDaddy Registry
Digital Gift Card
GoDaddy Registry is giving you everything you need to be the best hacker no matter where you are. Register your domain name with GoDaddy Registry for a chance to win some amazing prizes!
Devpost Achievements
Submitting to this hackathon could earn you:
Judges
Andrew Gykobo
Industry Professional | Coastal Edge Systems
Yash Shah
Founder & CEO | Avarieux Inc.
Mengjia Xu
Professor | Data Science
Lei Zhang
Assistant Professor | Informatics
Keita Ohshiro
University Lecturer | Informatics
Matt Toegel
Professor | Informatics
Jaini Bhavsar
Professor | Data Science
Shuai Zhang
Assistant Professor | Data Science
Mahender Mangalasri
Architect, Application Security | Cognizant
Wen He
Postdoctoral Researcher | Center for Solar & Terrestrial Research
Adam Spryszynski
University Lecturer | Informatics
Karl Giannoglou
University Lecturer | Informatics
Rosemina Vohra
Senior University Lecturer | Informatics
Bharat Lohiya
Vice President of Technology | Barclays Investment Bank
Omar Woodruff
University Lecturer | Informatics
Alice Woodruff
Senior Software Engineer | Risepoint
Pantelis Monogioudis
Professor | Data Science
Thomas Licciardello
University Lecturer | Informatics
Pradeep Vontisubramanyam
Head of Data Analytics and AI | Reckitt
Kamlesh Naik
University Lecturer | Computer Science
DJ Kehoe
Senior University Lecturer | Informatics
Jennifer Farley
University Lecturer | Informatics
Keith Williams
Senior University Lecturer | Informatics
Judging Criteria
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1. Creativity and Innovation
How unique and original is the idea, and how effectively does it address a specific problem, even if it's simple? -
2. Design and UX
How easy is it to navigate the user interface, and how effectively does the visual design support the overall function of the project? -
3. Functionality and Implementation
Does the project function as intended, and does it meet the objectives outlined by the team, considering any constraints? -
4. Value and Impact
How could this project help or benefit others, and what is its potential for scalability and broader application? -
5. Presentation and Demo Quality
How effectively does the team explain their project, engage the audience, and showcase their work during the presentation?
Questions? Email the hackathon manager
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