HackOHI/O 2026
OHI/O · Ohio State University
Prize breakdown
Apple iPad
1st Place Prize
Non-cashSony XM6
2nd Place Prize
Non-cashMeta Quest 3S (128 GB)
3rd Place Prize
Non-cashNinja CREAMi Deluxe Ice Cream & Frozen Treat Maker
Raffle Prize
Non-cashKeurig K-Express Single Server K-Cup Pod Coffee Maker
Capstone Prize
Non-cashMovo Dual Wireless Lavalier Microphone w/ Charging Case
Most Social Prize
Non-cashKODAK PIXPRO FZ45 16MP Digital Camera
Most Original Prize
Non-cashKeychron V6 Wired Custom Mechanical Keyboard
Most Technical Prize
Non-cash
Timeline
- Submissions openOct 24, 2026
- Submission deadlineOct 25, 2026
About
REGISTER FOR HACKOHI/O 2026: https://hack.osu.edu/2026
What is HackOHI/O?
HackOHI/O is a 24-hour hackathon that attracts over 800 participants annually for a full weekend of coding, learning, networking, and innovation. HackOHI/O gives students a unique, experiential-learning opportunity to build technology projects from scratch in a welcoming environment.
Teams can come with an idea themselves or can take inspiration from challenges presented by our supporting companies and organizations. After 24-hours of “hacking”, teams present their projects to industry experts and judges to get feedback and compete for prizes.
HackOHI/O is hosted by OHI/O, a student organization at The Ohio State University. OHI/O is dedicated to fostering tech culture at Ohio State and its surrounding communities in Central Ohio.
OHI/O is proud of the legacy HackOHI/O has created over the past 13 years at Ohio State. This year, HackOHI/O is opening its doors to professionals for the first time. If you're currently working in industry, this track lets you experience the energy of HackOHI/O alongside the student community, while competing in a space built just for you.
Professional teams take on the Build Anything challenge and are not permitted to participate in the company sponsored challenges. Professionals follow all standard HackOHI/O rules, and are judged only against other professional teams for their own dedicated prizes. Teams must be made up entirely of professionals — students currently enrolled in any college coursework are not eligible to join a professional team or compete in this track. Because part of what makes HackOHI/O special is the connections made on-site, professionals are strongly encouraged to attend in person for most of the Oct 24th.
Requirements
What to Build
Participants in the hackathon are expected to build a functional prototype or software solution that aligns with the theme of the event. Teams should aim to demonstrate innovation, creativity, communication, and impact. Projects can address challenges provided by sponsoring companies. Additionally, teams are encouraged to explore interdisciplinary approaches, combining knowledge from areas like engineering, humanities, or business to create unique and meaningful solutions.
What to Submit
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Google Forms Submission (Not Devpost): All teams must submit their projects through a Google Forms link, which will be shared on the hackathon Discord. Do not submit your project on Devpost. Any submissions made on Devpost will not be considered for judging or prizes. Ensure that your submission includes:
- A project title and description
- A video demo (up to 3 minutes) showcasing the project’s features and functionality
- A clear explanation of the problem being solved and how the solution addresses it
- Any relevant technical documentation, code repositories (e.g., GitHub), or diagrams
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Presentation: During the presentation portion, participants will share their pre-recorded video with a panel of judges and other participants in their assigned Zoom room. There will be no live demos; judges will base their feedback and scoring on the video shared and the Q&A session after the video is played. Judging will occur in two rounds. Each group will be assigned to either the first or second round, and the specific round assignment will be communicated on Discord.
- Submissions open
- Oct 24, 2026
- Deadline
- Oct 25, 2026
- First seen
- Sep 29, 2026
- Last seen
- Sep 30, 2026