Hook ’Em Hacks is UT Austin’s newest student-run hackathon — a 24-hour innovation sprint designed to bring together creators, coders, designers, and problem-solvers from every major and skill level.

Our mission is to build a high-energy, beginner-friendly environment where students can experiment, create, and launch ideas that matter. Whether you're building your first website, training a machine learning model, prototyping hardware, or creating something totally unexpected, Hook ’Em Hacks is the place to bring your imagination to life.

What Makes Hook ’Em Hacks Special

 

  • Beginner-Friendly Tracks: Clear pathways for first-time hackers with workshops, mentors, and guided challenges.

  • Industry-Led Workshops: Learn from engineers and professionals across software, AI, hardware, and product design.

  • Personalized Mentorship: One-on-one support throughout the event from experienced students and industry mentors.

  • Innovation-Focused Tracks: Themes such as AI, Sustainability, FinTech, and Social Good (final tracks announced closer to event).

  • Community-Driven: Created by UT students, for UT students — accessible, inclusive, and supported by a growing tech community.

Requirements

⭐ SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

To be eligible for judging, teams must submit the following on Devpost:

Required

  1. Project Description
    A clear explanation of what you built, the problem you aimed to solve, and your solution’s key features.

  2. GitHub Repository
    Include your code, organized and documented well enough for judges to understand the implementation.

  3. Demo Video (2–3 minutes)
    Show your project in action — explain the idea, walk through the features, and demonstrate functionality.

  4. Devpost Submission Form
    Fill in all required fields, including tech stack, challenges, accomplishments, and what you learned.

Optional but Encouraged

  • Live demo at the expo

  • Designs/mockups, datasets used, or architectural diagrams

  • Additional documentation or instructions for running your project

 

Projects must be created exclusively during the hackathon.

Hackathon Sponsors

Prizes

$1,500 in prizes
Cash
$250 in cash
6 winners

Devpost Achievements

Submitting to this hackathon could earn you:

Judges

Noah Fishman

Noah Fishman

Judging Criteria

  • Code Quality

Questions? Email the hackathon manager

Invite others to compete

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