About the challenge

HACKSPHERE 2026 is the flagship international hackathon of Computer Science Atmosphere (COMPSPHERE), organized by the Student Executive Board (BEM) of the Faculty of Computer Science at President University.

This year, we invite visionary minds to explore our grand theme: "Web3 Innovation". The challenge is to move beyond conventional centralized applications by integrating core Web3 elements (such as decentralized authentication, advanced cryptography, immutable databases, or smart contracts) to solve rigorously validated real-world problems. (Note: Creating crypto tokens or DeFi instruments is NOT required). Teams are highly encouraged to build Hybrid Tech Stacks by blending Web2 architecture with Web3 elements and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

This is a Two-Phase Hybrid competition:

Phase 1 (Online Preliminaries - The Filtering): A 100% conceptual round focusing on research sharpness and technical strategy. No programming code is required yet. Teams must submit a comprehensive, data-driven Idea Proposal (PDF) via Devpost.
Phase 2 (Offline Execution - The 24-Hour Final): Only the Top 30 teams will advance to a grueling 24-hour coding marathon and Live Pitching session. Teams must build a fully functional Minimum Viable Product (MVP) based strictly on their Phase 1 proposal. This phase is held physically at President University in Cikarang, Indonesia, with virtual/hybrid teleconference options provided specifically for Full International and International Mix Teams.

Get started

Step 1: Read the Rules & Download Templates: Download and thoroughly read the Official Hacksphere 2026 Guidebook to understand the complete rules, prohibitions, and judging criteria. You must also download the Proposal Template (.docx) from the "To-dos" section to draft your submission.
Step 2: Register & Build Your Team: Create a Devpost account and enroll. You must form a team consisting of exactly 3 members. (Solo registrants must find teammates via our Discord server before submission). Participants must be active High School/Vocational students or University Undergraduates between the ages of 15-25.
Step 3: Select Your Category: Ensure your team aligns with one of our three official categories: National Team, Full International Team, or International Mix Team.
Step 4: Join the Compsphere Discord Hub & Post Twibbon: Every member must join the official COMPSPHERE Discord server and rename their profile to [TEAM NAME] - [PARTICIPANT NAME]. Additionally, all members must upload the official Twibbon to Instagram (the link to this post must be submitted with your proposal).
Step 5: Submit Your Proposal (Phase 1): Upload your finalized Idea Proposal (PDF format, max 10 MB) to the "Additional Info" section on Devpost before the strict deadline on September 18, 2026, at 23:59 WIB (GMT+7). Remember to strictly follow the file naming convention (e.g., [TEAM NAME]-[PROJECT NAME]-NATIONAL.pdf).

Requirements

What to Build

Web3 Infrastructure Solutions: Your project must align with the "Web3 Innovation" theme by integrating core Web3 elements (e.g., decentralized authentication, advanced cryptography, immutable databases, or smart contracts) to solve rigorously validated real-world problems. Creating crypto tokens or DeFi instruments is NOT required.
Industry Sectors & Real-World Use Cases: You have absolute freedom to choose your industry sector, such as Healthcare, Education, Agriculture, Green Energy, or Smart City infrastructure. You can utilize blockchain architecture to solve practical issues like healthcare records, supply chain logistics, public services, tamper-proof voting systems, decentralized digital identity, or intellectual property tracking. You must back your problem statement with real data, statistics, and actual field facts rather than mere assumptions.
Platform Flexibility: You have complete freedom to determine your product's delivery platform, including Web-based applications, Mobile apps (iOS/Android), or Internet of Things (IoT) hardware ecosystems.
Hybrid Tech Stack Integration: We highly encourage blending traditional Web2 architecture with Web3 elements, as well as integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) for features like data analysis, prediction, or automation.
The Strict "Functional MVP" Rule: You must build an original, fully functional MVP strictly during the 24-hour Phase 2 coding marathon. Presenting a prototype that relies on hardcoded data, pure UI mockups without a genuinely running backend, or using pre-existing projects created before the hackathon is strictly prohibited and considered a severe violation of technical integrity.

What to Submit

Phase 1 (Online Preliminaries - Required for All):
- Idea Proposal (PDF): You must submit a 100% conceptual Idea Proposal in PDF format (maximum size 10 MB) to the "Additional info" section on Devpost.
- Mandatory Template: You MUST download and use the official Proposal Template (.docx) from the "To-dos" section. Your PDF must strictly follow this anatomy: Executive Summary, Data-Driven Problem Statement, Proposed Solution & Value Proposition, MVP & Key Features, Target Market & Impact Viability, and Tech Stack & System Architecture.
- Strict File Naming Convention: You must name your file based on your team category: [TEAM NAME]-[PROJECT NAME]-NATIONAL.pdf, [TEAM NAME]-[PROJECT NAME]-INTL.pdf, or [TEAM NAME]-[PROJECT NAME]-MIX.pdf.
- Twibbon Requirement: The link to your uploaded Instagram Twibbon post must be submitted alongside your Phase 1 Devpost idea proposal.
Phase 2 (Offline Execution - Required for Top 30 Finalists):
- Public Repository Link (GitHub/GitLab): A link to your public code repository must be submitted as evidence of your hacking commit history strictly over the 24-hour period.
- Presentation Slide Deck: A presentation deck in PDF or PPT format (maximum file size 10 MB) to be used during your 10-minute Live Pitching session.
- Live Deployment URL (Optional but Recommended): A link to a deployed, hosted version of your MVP (Cloud, Testnet, Web3 Public network). Deploying to a public network yields major consideration points over demonstrating purely via Localhost.

Hackathon Sponsors

Prizes

$1,247 in prizes

Grand Prize

$500 in cash

1 winner

Awarded to the overall first-place winning team of the competition.

1st Runner Up

$312 in cash

1 winner

Awarded to the second-place team overall.

2nd Runner Up

$187 in cash

1 winner

Awarded to the third-place team overall.

Public's Favourite

$62 in cash

1 winner

The team entitled to this award is selected based on the highest number of votes accumulated on the compsphere.id website.

Best Pitching

$62 in cash

1 winner

The team entitled to this award is selected based on achieving the highest score in the "Pitching & Q&A Defense" assessment component.

Best Innovative Web3

$62 in cash

1 winner

The team entitled to this award is selected based on presenting the best Web3 innovation.

Best High School

$62 in cash

1 winner

The team entitled to this award is selected based on the "Best High School" assessment component (awarded to the highest-performing high school team).

Judges

Muhamad Aldi Apriansyah
AI/ML Engineer at Mattel

Moshe Dayan
Global Winner Mattel Competition

Anudeep Bonagiri
Co-Founder & CEO at Cruze

Shrithik Senthilkumar
Co-Founder & COO at Cruze

Alina Olefirenko
Co-Founder & CTO of AlpacaRelay

Judging Criteria

Online Phase Judging Criteria
These are the criteria to be evaluated in this round, based on the PDF Proposal Idea submitted by each team on the DevPost platform:
Problem Relevance & Solution Fit (25%) - Online Phase
Assess the extent to which the issues raised are real, urgent, and supported by valid data. Also, assess whether the solutions proposed in the proposal truly address these issues in a logical and targeted manner.
Technical Architecture & Feasibility (20%) - Online Phase
Evaluate the logical system architecture and the suitability of the chosen tech stack. Also, assess the feasibility of the system design for implementation as a Minimum Viable Product (MVP).
Innovation & Value Proposition (30%) - Online Phase
Determine the level of originality of the idea and the extent to which the proposed solution is novel, innovative, and possesses a unique selling point that distinguishes it from similar applications or solutions already on the market.
Market & Impact Viability (15%) - Online Phase
Determine the potential for the solution to have a tangible impact when implemented in a real-world ecosystem, the clarity of the target market (users), the sustainability, and the scalability of the application.
Document Clarity & Structure (10%) - Online Phase
Assessing the clarity, completeness, and neatness of the document. This includes the ease of following the line of reasoning, a professional writing structure, and adherence to specified formatting guidelines.
Offline Phase Judging Criteria
These judging criteria will transition from the DevPost platform to the compsphere.id website; only teams that advance past the online round will be able to access the team dashboard and submit their work on the compsphere.id platform:
Functional Project & Live Demo (35%) - Offline Phase
Evaluating the technical validation and stability of the product. The judges will ensure that key features (Web3, AI, Blockchain, etc.) actually function. Projects that have been deployed live are preferred over those running on localhost.
Problem-Solution Fit & Public Impact (30%) - Offline Phase
Validating whether the built MVP is practical and relevant in solving real, data-driven problems. The evaluation focuses on applicability within the industry sector and potential for future scalability.
Creative Tech-Implementation (20%) - Offline Phase
Testing the efficiency and creativity of the architecture in integrating the tech stack (Web3, AI, IoT, Web2) within 24 hours. The assessment covers the reliability of the system logic and an audit of the commit history (GitHub/GitLab).
Pitching & Q&A Defense (15%) - Offline Phase
Evaluate the team’s communication skills and cohesion when presenting the product and defending technical/business arguments before the judges. This evaluation covers the entire process, from initial preparation through the Q&A session.