LA Hacks is the largest collegiate hackathon in Southern California, and this year, we're celebrating being bigger and better than ever.
LA Hacks is excited to celebrate its 13th year back at Pauley Pavilion. With the ever changing and fast growing world of tech, our theme this year is New Horizons. Our team is excited to welcome 1,000 participants, mentors, and sponsors back to LA Hacks to learn, develop, and innovate on this journey.
Since its inception, LA Hacks has always been about community—the organizers, the sponsors, the hackers, the mentors, the volunteers, and all the people we hope to impact. And we plan on keeping it that way. As students, we understand that juggling academic commitments, job searches, and extracurriculars is overwhelming enough as it is. From our karaoke nights to sessions with trailblazers in the tech industry, LA Hacks is a space for you to take a break from all of that. Find inspiration in the people you meet and the projects you create. Come join us April 25-27, 2025 for 36 hours of building cool things, meeting cool people, and making cool memories with friends, both new and old.
All hackers must apply at https://lahacks.com/ and be accepted to participate.
PRIZE DISCLAIMER: All cash values listed down below is the monetary value of the prize(s) and are strictly listed just for the total prize pool calculation on this page. See prize description for the actual prize(s).
Tentative Prize Pool for 1st, 2nd, 3rd and Tracks: https://bit.ly/4i9xiZC
All Company Challenges: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/19ajEVatdSunUKzneLGXjZUbikbvhT5LnnLNelKh0fVs/edit?usp=sharing
Requirements
What to Build
LA Hacks features four submission tracks: Clean Code (Sustainability), Hack2School (Education & Productivity), Cold Hard Cache (FinTech), and Heart of the Matter (Healthcare). Learn more about each track on our website: lahacks.com.
To submit, your project must align with one of these tracks and demonstrate innovative use of technology to solve real-world challenges. We encourage you to think big, build creatively, and push the boundaries of what's possible!
What to Submit
Your submission must include:
- Project Description: A brief explanation of what your project does, the problem it solves, and which track it falls under.
- Code Repository: A public GitHub repository (or equivalent) containing your source code. Ensure it’s well-documented.
- Demo Video (2-3 min): A walkthrough of your project, showcasing its features, functionality, and how it works.
- Devpost Submission: A complete Devpost page with a clear summary, technologies used, and any additional resources (e.g., Figma designs, API docs).
- LA Hacks Google Form Submission: Submit the Google form to confirm your project submission for judging. Your submission is considered incomplete for the purposes of judging until you have submitted this Google Form.
Make sure your submission is original, adheres to the hackathon rules, and is completed within the hackathon timeframe!
Prizes
Overall: 1st Place
All Winners on the team get to choose their prize from an exciting pool, featuring options like the Meta Quest 3S, an ASUS Gaming Monitor, a DJI Mini 4K Drone, and more TBD!
Overall: 2nd Place
All Winners on the team get to choose their prize from an exciting pool, featuring options like the GoPro Hero, Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones, a Creality Ender 3D Printer, and more TBD!
Overall: 3rd Place
All Winners on the team get to choose their prize from an exciting pool, featuring options like the LEGO NASA Perseverence Rover, a JBL Portable Speaker, a 2TB Seagate External Hard Drive and more TBD!
Track: Clean Code
Track winners get to choose their prize from an exciting pool, featuring options like the Amazon Echo Dot, a FujiFilm Instax Mini 12, a Redgragon Mechanical Keyboard, and more TBD!
Build like the planet depends on it.
This track invites you to help our communities and ecosystems flourish sustainably—think community gardening apps, platforms promoting shared resources, or tools that encourage eco-friendly lifestyles. It's time to write some clean code for a cleaner, more sustainable future!
Track: hack2school
Track winners get to choose their prize from an exciting pool, featuring options like the Amazon Echo Dot, a FujiFilm Instax Mini 12, a Redgragon Mechanical Keyboard, and more TBD!
Class is in session! Build projects that spark curiosity and critical thinking. From classroom management tools to AI-driven personalized learning systems, create tech solutions that empower educators and enhance student success — so let’s go hack2school!
Track: Cold Hard Cache
Track winners get to choose their prize from an exciting pool, featuring options like the Amazon Echo Dot, a FujiFilm Instax Mini 12, a Redgragon Mechanical Keyboard, and more TBD!
Ideas are the most valuable currency – use them to make money move. Projects in this track enhance financial literacy, innovate investment platforms, or explore cutting-edge solutions using blockchain technology. Let’s build smarter systems to rake in the cold hard cache.
Track: Heart of The Matter
Track winners get to choose their prize from an exciting pool, featuring options like the Amazon Echo Dot, a FujiFilm Instax Mini 12, a Redgragon Mechanical Keyboard, and more TBD!
The doctor is in! This track invites you to tackle healthcare challenges and promote well-being from head to toe. Whether you’re building mental wellness platforms, enhancing diagnostics, or designing fitness apps that get hearts pumping, your remedies are vital for us to stay in peak condition. At the end of the day, your health is the heart of the matter.
Track: AI Agents League (Fetch.ai)
Most Impactful Vertical Solution: $2500 USD
Best ASI-1 Mini Implementation: $1500 USD
Best Multi-Agent System: $1000 USD
The future isn’t just automated—it’s agent-ified! Use Fetch.ai’s LLM ASI1-Mini to give your AI Agents the power to reason, and bring them to life with the uAgents framework or the Fetch.ai SDK. Whether you're building an AI Agent for healthcare, education, finance, or sustainability, this track is all about crafting intelligent, adaptable AI Agents for real world scenarios. So, let’s code, collaborate, and shape the next-gen AI Agents —because the best ideas don’t just run, they think and evolve!
Full Track Details: https://bit.ly/4bYzGzY
Google Gemini: Chase the Future!
1st: $2000 USD
2nd: $1000 USD
3rd: $500 USD
We challenge particiapnts to explore and leverage the advanced capabilities of Google Gemini 2.0/2.5 to develop innovative solutions across various domains, showcasing the potential of Gemini to solve real-world problems.
Gemini 2.0/2.5: Participants must utilize the Gemini 2.0/2.5 APIs and capabilities as the core component of their project. Encourage exploration of features like:
- Multimodal understanding: Image, audio, and text processing.
- Advanced reasoning and problem-solving: Complex queries, logical deduction.
- Code generation and understanding: Automating coding tasks, debugging, code explanation.
- Personalization and adaptation: Tailoring responses and experiences to individual users.
- Real-time interaction and conversation: Building conversational AI applications.
Full Challenge Description: https://bit.ly/3Ytweru
ROBLOX Civility Challenge: Building A Better Digital World
1st: $2000 USD, 2nd: $1000 USD, 3rd: $500 USD, 4th: $300
Every day, millions of people come to Roblox to create, play, and connect with each other in experiences built by our global community of creators. And now with Roblox Cube, our new core generative AI system for 3D and 4D, it’s easier than ever to create worlds from words. Join our Roblox Company Challenge and leverage Roblox Cube to build impactful experiences that help educate others about online safety and well-being. You could win $2,000, $1,000, or $500!
Full Challenge Description: http://bit.ly/4krosaT
Snap Inc. Challenge: Dream it. Build it.
1st: Spectacles + $3,000 USD
2nd: Spectacles + $2,000 USD
3rd: Spectacles + $1,000 USD
Create a Lens on Spectacles that pushes the boundaries of wearable AR. Whether it's leveraging AI, promoting health, building dream worlds, or solving everyday problems, showcase how Spectacles can enhance real-world experiences in innovative ways.
Build a Lens on Spectacles that showcases one or more of the following:
- The power of AI on AR glasses with experimental camera access
- How Spectacles can be used to be fit and healthy
- How one can create a world of their dreams
- How to get everyday utility around the house or office
Full Challenge Description: https://bit.ly/43HcB2F
Best of Groq
$500 Credit to Groq Swag Store
Build a creative and interactive multimodal app powered by Groq. Projects are judged based on the number of modalities powered by Groq (text, vision, audio), how innovative it is to solve a real world problem, UX, and design.
Linkd Challenge: Best Use of Linkd People Search
3 day SF offsite all expenses paid for + $1,000 USD + Linkd at your school
Linkd (YC X25) is building the world's first search algorithm designed around human interactions. We’re looking for the best and most creative interaction layer built on top of a provided database and search API of 350 000 UCLA alumni.
MSI Lucky's Hackening
4x MSI Claw A1M Handheld PC
In groups of 4, make the best project while using MSI hardware! Each participant will be able to utilize the MSI Raider GE68 HX laptop and a Pro MP monitor at LA Hacks! The winning team that makes the best project as judged by MSI will each win a Claw A1M handheld PC! Good luck!
NOTE: This challenge is only available to select teams of hackers attending UCLA. If interested, please reach out for more information.
DAIN Challenge: AI Agent Excellence & Innovation Awards
1st: $5,000 USD
2nd: $1,500 USD
3rd: $500 USD
All Winners: Agent Launchpad Invitation
Use the DAIN platform and Butterfly client app to rapidly develop and deploy AI agent services for consumers or businesses. Leverage DAIN's AI platform and industry AI tools to build and deploy a profitable, AI-powered business.
Full Challenge Description: https://bit.ly/3RfxHxq
Melissa Data Challenge
$200 Amazon gift card (4x $50 gift cards)
40k credits (valued at $160) to use for Melissa Lookups and Cloud APIs
Exclusive Melissa swag items
Visit Melissa office for refreshments, tour, and mock interviews
Given the Melissa UCLA dataset, plot it on a map to help visualize and develop a solution involving the identification of nearest relevant locations that addresses a problem in the community. Participants can analyze and optimize proximity-based solutions across various domains, incorporating different levels of complexity and filtering criteria with Melissa's APIs.
Full Challenge Description + Dataset: https://bit.ly/4hDnsOr
Warp Challenge: Best Developer Tool
4x Keychron Mechanical Keyboards
Build a hack that focuses on improving the developer experience in some meaningful way. This could address any part of the development lifecycle—creating, modifying, or testing software. We’re looking for projects that can be used by developers to improve their workflow.
MLH: Best Domain Name from GoDaddy Registry
Digital Gift Card
GoDaddy Registry is giving you everything you need to be the best hacker no matter where you are. Register your domain name with GoDaddy Registry for a chance to win some amazing prizes!
MLH: Best AI Application Built with Cloudflare
Arduino Kit
Cloudflare is one of the world’s largest networks enabling hackers like you to build, deploy, and deliver trusted applications, no matter where you are! With Cloudflare, you’ll have all the building blocks to create a full-stack application; from C3 (create Cloudflare command line) instance deployment to object storage. You can even run GenAI (LLMs, text to image, Voice to text etc..) in the cloud and leverage your AI functionality via API requests using Cloudlfare’s Workers AI! Enjoy Cloudflare’s generous free tier to get started at no cost! This weekend, we want you to build an AI Application utilizing Cloudflare’s numerous services for a chance to win Arduino Kits for you and your team!
MLH: Best Use of MongoDB Atlas
M5GO IoT Starter Kit
MongoDB Atlas takes the leading modern database and makes it accessible in the cloud! Get started with a $50 credit for students or sign up for the Atlas free forever tier (no credit card required). Along with a suite of services and functionalities, you'll have everything you need to manage all of your data, and you can get a headstart with free resources from MongoDB University! Build a hack using MongoDB Atlas for a chance to win a M5GO IoT Starter Kit for you and each member of your team.
(Resources Found Under MongoDB: https://hack.mlh.io/prizes)
MLH: Best Use of Gemini API
Assorted Prizes
It’s time to push the boundaries of what's possible with AI using Google Gemini. Check out the Gemini API to build AI-powered apps that make your friends say WHOA. So, what can Gemini do for your hackathon project?
Understand language like a human and build a chatbot that gives personalized advice
Analyze info like a supercomputer and create an app that summarizes complex research papers
Generate creative content like code, scripts, music, and more
Think of the possibilities… what will you build with the Google Gemini API this weekend?
Devpost Achievements
Submitting to this hackathon could earn you:
Judges
LA Hacks
Judging Criteria
-
Originality
Does it do something entirely novel, or at least take a fresh approach to an old problem? This category will be based solely on the idea. -
Impact / Usefulness
Impact lies in our hackathon’s roots. We look for hacks that have large social impact. Is the hack impactful? Does it fulfill a real need people have? This category will be based solely on the idea. -
Feasibility / Practicality
At LA Hacks, we look for new and original ideas, we want hackers to think outside the box, but we also want the ideas to be somewhat practical. Is this project feasible and practical in the next 3-5 years? This category will be based solely on the idea. -
Relation to Track
How closely is the project related to the track that it is submitted to? Is the hack made directly for the track or is it just a loose fit?
Questions? Email the hackathon manager
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