Join us for the 12th Annual DandyHacks, affiliated with the Computer Science Undergraduate Council (CSUG) at the University of Rochester! At DandyHacks, we are fully committed to being an accessible and beginner-friendly hackathon, to mentor, have fun, inspire, and encourage attendees to find joy in building awesome things throughout the 42-hours.
This year, DandyHacks will be IN-PERSON, from November 15th, 6:00 pm to November 17th, 2:00 pm EDT at Feldman Ballroom, Douglass Commons at the University of Rochester).
Further information on the event is available on our website at https://dandyhacks.net/
We hope that regardless of your experience and background in coding, you will learn something new and have fun!
Requirements
Hackers may only submit projects started on Friday the 15th or later. This year we will have a deadline of 10 am EDT, November 17th. Submissions will be CLOSED at 10:30 am.
To have their project eligible to win prizes, hackers must submit their project and present in front of our judges in Feldman Ballroom starting at 11:15 am EDT November 17th.
Please check off the tracks you'd like your projects to be considered under when submitting your project.
Prizes
Community Track
• 1st: JBL Flip 6
• 2nd: LEGO Lamborghini Huracán Tecnica
• 3rd: Anker 633 Power Bank
Entertainment Track
• 1st: Razer BlackWidow V4 w/ Yellow Switches
• 2nd: KODAK Step Instant Mobile Printer
• 3rd: Amazon Echo Dot (5th Gen)
Efficiency & Workflow Track
• 1st: Logitech G Pro Wireless Mouse
• 2nd: Corsair K60 RGB Pro Keyboard
• 3rd: Beats Solo Buds
[MLH] Most Creative Adobe Express Add-On
Wacom Wireless Drawing Tablet & JBL Go3 Speaker // Adobe Express is an AI-first, all-in-one content creation app that makes it fast, easy and fun to design and share videos, images, PDFs, flyers, TikToks, logos and more. Best of all, it’s free to get started. Add-ons in Adobe Express are simply extensions and integrations that are built upon very powerful APIs. These APIs provide access to the user’s document, connections to third-party tools, and so much more. You can extend the functionality of Adobe Express using add-ons to unlock new capabilities and workflows. Check out these add-ons to see what other cool ideas developers have implemented!
For this hackathon, we want you to build a creative add-on for Adobe Express. Users are looking for add-ons that involve assets like stickers or icons, work with presentations and data visualization, and work in roles like marketing and e-commerce. Build an Adobe Express add-on this weekend for a chance to win a Wacom Wireless Drawing Tablet and JBL Go3 Speaker for you and each member of your team!
*You can also submit to this prize category if you have a prototype idea for an add-on or have a partially completed add-on. As long as you’ve built with Adobe Express, we want to see your hack!
[MLH] Best Domain Name from GoDaddy Registry
Hack from Home Kit // 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 a Hack from Home Kit! Each Kit contains an assortment of awesome swag along with a tote for easy transport.
[MLH] Best DEI Hack sponsored by Fidelity
Fidelity Branded Wireless Charger // At Fidelity, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are viewed as major keys to the success of their business, which is why they are challenging you to come up with innovative ways to create forward-thinking financial tech that promotes equality for all people! We want you to use your hacking skills to find and build solutions that put financial opportunities and resources within reach for all communities, creating accessible, sustainable, and/or inclusive solutions. The team with the best hack will win a Fidelity branded wireless charger for each team member!
[MLH] Best Use of Terraform
Keychron K8 Wireless Keyboard // HashiCorp Terraform is a source available infrastructure as code (IaC) tool that makes building, deploying, and managing your projects even easier! Whether you’re working in the cloud or using local resources, Terraform can make managing and configuring your application simple and organized. From deploying Machine Learning models to spinning up virtual containers for your web applications, Terraform supports a wide array of cloud providers and services, taking the guesswork out of your next hackathon project. Dive into the documentation and discover all the ways Terraform can take the way you hack to the next level!
Terraform’s community edition is free to use with no credit card required! Utilize Terraform in your hackathon project this weekend for a chance to win some awesome Hashicorp prizes for you and each of your teammates!
[MLH] Best AI Project with Databricks Open Source
Assorted Lego Sets // Databricks is an open analytics platform that helps you build, deploy, and maintain large scale data & AI solutions! Whether you’re working with large language models using Mosaic AI, storing data with Databricks Data Lakes, or deploying GenAI powered applications using MLflow, Databricks Open Source software has the tools you need to make your hackathon project state of the art.
Build an AI powered project utilizing Databricks Open Source projects like the ones mentioned, or Databricks friendly Open Source projects like LanceDB and Llama Index, for a chance to win some amazing prizes for you and your teammates! Check out the following link to see all qualifying Databricks' Open Source technologies.
[MLH] Best Use of AI powered by Reach Capital
Logitech Webcam & Meeting with Co-Founding Partner at Reach Capital // AI has upended what we can accomplish with technology. Reach Capital (https://mlh.link/reach-capital) invests in the next generation of founders and technical talent, and they want you to use AI to transform the future of learning, health, and work. Build a project that impacts one (or all!) of these areas for a chance to win a Logitech webcam for each member of your team and the exclusive opportunity to discuss your creation with Reach Capital’s team of expert investors.
Most Dandy Hack
Voted on by all hackathon participants: the most creative project. Win a PenPal-sponsored networking card that brings anyone to your portfolio after tapping it on their phone.
Devpost Achievements
Submitting to this hackathon could earn you:
Judges
Wendi Heinzelman
Professor and Dean of Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
Joseph Loporcaro
Assistant Professor of Digital Media Studies and Computer Science
Andrew Read-McFarland
Assistant Professor of Computer Science
Nathaniel Angafor
Class of 2025
Zach Nguyen
Class of 2025
Adam Bowen
Class of 2027
Judging Criteria
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Completion and Functionality
Did the hack work? To what extent did the team achieve their goals? Does the project solve the problem that was initially presented by the team? Does it work as stated in their demo?
Questions? Email the hackathon manager
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