A humanitarian hackathon is a collaborative event where individuals with diverse skills and backgrounds come together to create innovative solutions addressing humanitarian issues. Unlike traditional hackathons, which often focus on general technology or business challenges, humanitarian hackathons are dedicated to solving problems that affect people's well-being and survival, such as healthcare, education, and disaster response.

Every team will have 4 students. Teams can consist of any mix of eligible students (see below for eligibility). An ideal team should have a mix of strategists who focus on business and planning, implementers who take care of the software, and innovators who contribute deep domain expertise.

If you are currently an undergraduate student (from any University) in Qatar or a high-school student (11-12th grade), then yes! Note that we consider the 2024-2025 academic year, so Fall 2024 graduates are not eligible.

Yes; the application form this time around is team-based. However, if you are interested and do not have a team yet, or are part of a team and in need of more members, you may fill out our Admission of Interest Form, and we will attempt to aid you in your search.

Not every member of a team must know how to program or be majoring in computer science. We are looking for individuals who are passionate about making a difference and contributing to humanitarian causes, regardless of their academic or professional background. However, we do expect every team to have some developers that can deliver the final software solution.

Not at all! The environment at these events is designed specifically to encourage everyone to have fun and help each other. You will in fact have access to mentors whose aim is to guide you through this journey.

We are expecting to have around 60 teams.

The majority of the hackathon will take place remotely, allowing you to work at your own pace and from any location you find convenient. The in-person sessions will be held at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar or Multaqa in Education City. For detailed timings, please refer to the schedule section.

Participation is free and includes opportunities for networking, workshops, lots of food, and merch.

To register, find a team and fill out the online form before the application deadline. Applications are approved on a rolling basis, so registering early increases your chances of attending. Once the registration period ends, you will have a limited time to confirm your attendance at the event. Otherwise, your spot will be allocated to another person.

TBA, keep an eye on the schedule section and discord server

After acceptances are rolled out, the themes assigned are permanent.

Evaluation criteria will be shared during the hackathon.

You are free to use any programming language and tools for your project. Yet you should be thinking about the judging criteria and how you can best meet them.

Yes, mentors will hold remote and in-person office hours on predetermined dates. More details will be shared via the schedule and during the event.

Yes, you are encouraged to bring your own equipment such as laptops, chargers, and any other tools you may need for your project. We will not provide any technical equipment for you.

There is no specific dress code for the hackathon.

No, you cannot work on a project that you have already started. Hackathons are typically focused on creating new projects within a limited time frame.

You might think your project isn’t impressive or it might not be finished so you don’t want to present it. You should present it anyway! Honestly, hackathons aren't about being the best or being competitive. It’s all about having fun, making friends, and learning how to become better at things you care about. Presenting your hack gives you a chance to be proud of what you’ve done, and you should be proud.