Welcome to NextSpark Hacks!

Have an idea you’ve been meaning to build? This is your chance.

NextSpark Hacks is a student-led hackathon for curious people who want to turn their ideas into something others can use. Whether this is your first project or you’ve built several before, bring your creativity, try something new, and see what you can make.

Build Something That Matters

Choose a real-world problem you care about and create a project that helps address it. You could build an app that makes everyday tasks easier, a website that connects your community, an educational game, or something completely unexpected.

Start with a simple question: Who could this help, and how?

Why Join?

Make something of your own. Turn an idea into a working project you can demonstrate and keep improving.
Learn by building. Try a new tool, work through challenges, and put your skills into practice.
Meet other builders. Share ideas with people who enjoy creating things.
Bring your perspective. You don’t need the biggest idea—thoughtful solutions to everyday problems matter too.

Your First Hackathon? You Belong Here.

You don’t need to know everything before you start. Pick a manageable idea, build the most useful part first, and explain what you learned along the way. A small project that works well can say a lot.

Requirements

What to Build

Build a working prototype that addresses a real-world problem. Your project can be a website, mobile app, game, AI tool, or another software solution. Choose a problem you care about and show how your project could help.

Create your project during the hackathon’s submission period. You may use existing libraries, frameworks, APIs, and AI tools, but clearly credit them and explain your own contributions.

What to Submit

Your Devpost submission must include:

Project description: Explain the problem, who your project helps, what it does, and how you built it. Include challenges you faced and what you learned.
Source code: Provide a public GitHub repository or equivalent link with setup instructions.
Demo video: Submit a 1–3 minute video showing your project in action and explaining its main features. Make sure judges can watch it without requesting access.
Screenshots: Include at least one screenshot of your project.
Tools and credits: List the technologies, external resources, and any AI assistance used.

Optional: Include a live demo link so judges can try your project.

Submit everything before the deadline, check that your links work, and clearly identify any features that are still planned or incomplete.

NextSpark Hacks

Prize breakdown

Timeline

About

Requirements