About the challenge

From setting foot on the Moon to launching telescopes that reveal galaxies billions of light-years away, humanity has always looked to the stars with curiosity and determination. Girls Hoo Hack 2026 celebrates that spirit of exploration! We invite you to dream big and build boldly, ideating without any worldy limits. The next giant leap begins with curiosity. What will you create?

Requirements

What to Build

  • Any project that you think fits into our prize tracks listed below!

What to Submit

  • A link to your GitHub code repository for judging  - remember to make it public.
  • Identify which track(s) your project fits into (up to 3 tracks + any MLH tracks).
  • A maximum 3 minute video that demonstrates your project (hosted on YouTube, Vimeo, etc, and made public). Feel free to talk about the tools used, the inspiration behind the project, or anything else!

Hackathon Sponsors

Prizes

7 non-cash prizes
Best Overall
1 winner

This prize will be awarded to the project that exhibits creativity, innovation, and diversity of thought. Special consideration will be given to projects that promote women empowerment and the goals of Girls Hoo Hack/Girls Who Code at UVA.

Best Female Empowerment
1 winner

Join us in our mission to decrease gender disparity in the STEM workforce! Build a project that empowers women and emphasizes diversity.

Next Giant Leap!
1 winner

This prize will be awarded to the project that pushes the limits of technology and innovation, aimed at creating a meaningful future for humanity.

Most Sustainable
1 winner

This track rewards projects that focus on eco-friendly solutions and sustainability. Whether you're tackling energy efficiency, reducing waste, or promoting greener practices, projects in this category should aim to promote sustainability.

Best Beginner
1 winner

This prize is reserved for the best project by beginner hackers. To qualify for this prize, the team must be made up of a majority of beginner hackers.

Best Live Demo
1 winner

This prize will be awarded to the project that gives the most captivating live demo at the Live Demo Event!

Fan Favorite
1 winner

This prize will be awarded to the project that gets the most likes on their project by the end of the hackathon.

Devpost Achievements

Submitting to this hackathon could earn you:

Judges

TBD

TBD

Judging Criteria

  • Creativity and Design
    The project should showcase originality and uniqueness, as well as reflect creative thinking.
  • Implementation
    The problem should be solved effectively and efficiently.
  • Impact
    The project should be applicable to a real-world problem and its solution should have a positive impact.
  • Presentation/Demo
    The team provides a brief overview of the problem they are trying to solve. The team walks through their project and explains what it accomplishes. All team members play a role in the demo and speak in an engaging manner.
  • Functionality
    The deliverable works as intended.
  • Learning
    In their Devpost, the team should include their technical background prior to the project as well as what technical components they learned throughout the project.
  • Technical Difficulty
    The project demonstrates an effort to showcase a wide variety of complex and innovative technologies used.

Questions? Email the hackathon manager

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