Main Description

Small Build; Huge Ripple!

Big problems feel impossible. Small tools don’t.

For two weeks, your team builds one small, focused project that makes a real difference for real people. It doesn’t have to change the whole world, just someone's world.

What counts as “impact”?

  • Saves time or effort — makes a boring or hard task easier
  • Saves resources — less waste, money, or energy
  • Opens access — helps someone who’s left out (disability, language, cost)
  • Spreads knowledge — teaches something that matters
  • Connects people — brings a group together around something useful

Format

  • Teams of 4–6
  • Two-week build window
  • All skill levels welcome — scope small, finish strong

Schedule

 

  • [Oct 5 - Oct 11] — Kickoff & Team formation
  • [October 12] — theme reveal & Building begins
  • [Oct 23] — Submissions due on Devpost
  • [Oct 26] — Demos, judging & awards

Requirements

Build a small, working project that fits the theme: it should make a real, noticeable difference for a specific group of people.

Each submission on Devpost must include:

  1. Project description — what it does, who it helps, and which impact category it fits
  2. Demo video (2–3 minutes max) showing the project working — uploaded to YouTube or Vimeo, or present a live demo at the ceremony
  3. Link to source code (public GitHub repo or similar)
  4. Team members — all teammates added to the Devpost submission
  5. Built with — languages, frameworks, and tools used

 

Projects must be started and built during the hackathon window. Using open-source libraries, APIs, and AI tools is allowed, but the core project must be your team’s own work.

Hackathon Sponsors

Prizes

3 non-cash prizes
1st place trophy
1 winner

For placing 1st in our Halloween Hackathon, you will be awarded with a custom SOSE 1st place Hackathon trophy! Very cool

2nd place trophy
1 winner

For placing 2nd place in our Halloween Hackathon, you will be awarded with a custom SOSE 2nd place Hackathon trophy! Very nice

3rd place trophy
1 winner

For placing 3rd place in our Halloween Hackathon, you will be awarded with a custom SOSE 3rd place Hackathon trophy! Very nice yes yes

Devpost Achievements

Submitting to this hackathon could earn you:

Judges

Kyle Dewey

Kyle Dewey
CSUN Professor

Mohammed Abdelrahim

Mohammed Abdelrahim
CSUN Professor

Ben Villalobos

Ben Villalobos
Microsoft/CSUN Alumni

Kevin Chaja

Kevin Chaja
FromZeroLLC

Shakthi Weerasinghe

Shakthi Weerasinghe
CSUN Professor

Misbah Hoque

Misbah Hoque
CSUN Professor

Salil Monga

Salil Monga

Fred Gross

Fred Gross
ARCS

Judging Criteria

  • UI/UX Appeal
    Does the project implement a visually clean UI design? Is the UI/UX easy for users to navigate and use?
  • Visual Appeal
    Is the project visually appealing? Does the project look good and clean overall?
  • Potential Impact
    How potentially impactful is the project? Does it reach a niche audience, and does its design serve that audience well?
  • Creativity
    How creative is the design of the project? Does it use creative elements and unique design choices that make it stand out from other projects?
  • Presentation Delivery (IN-PERSON JUDGES ONLY)
    Did the team present the project well? Did they present their ideas confidently?
  • Slides & Media
    Did the team's presentation media (such as slides) accurately capture the scope of the project?
  • Deployment
    Does the project deploy to the team's chosen platform? Does it run with little to no runtime bugs?
  • Usability
    Does the app work intuitively without requiring any external help? Does its design make it easy to use and work out of the box?

Questions? Email the hackathon manager

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