About the challenge

HelloHacks is a beginner-friendly hackathon built to give first-time hackers a positive start in tech. Through bootcamps, workshops, and structured mentorship, participants move step-by-step from ideation to development to pitching—finishing with a project and the confidence to keep building.

Get started

No experience needed. Join our bootcamps to learn coding basics, then dive into the hackathon with mentors, resources, and a printed handbook to guide you. Bring a laptop and curiosity—we’ll support the rest.

Requirements

What to Build

You can build any software project you’d like—web, mobile, or otherwise. The focus is on learning and creating, not complexity.

What to Submit

Submit your project on Devpost with:

  • A short description of what you built

  • Screenshots of your project

  • (Optional) A 1-minute video skit to be considered for the People’s Choice Award

 

Hackathon Sponsors

Prizes

$CAD 600+ in prizes
+ other prizes
First
$CAD 300 in cash
1 winner

Second
$CAD 200 in cash
1 winner

Third
$CAD 100 in cash
1 winner

Audience Choice
1 winner

You MUST submit a video if you want to be eligible for this award!

Devpost Achievements

Submitting to this hackathon could earn you:

Judges

Leonidas Zhang

Leonidas Zhang

Arielle Murad

Arielle Murad

Gagan Dhillon

Gagan Dhillon

Riza Kazemi

Riza Kazemi

Bhoomi Shah

Bhoomi Shah

Alex Shin

Alex Shin

Camille Walters

Camille Walters

Pavan Khiani

Pavan Khiani

Mahak Mithani

Mahak Mithani

Brian Bondoc

Brian Bondoc

Simranjit Singh Sran

Simranjit Singh Sran

Liuba Azarova

Liuba Azarova

Edward Hou

Edward Hou

Emma Gray

Emma Gray

Zoya Khurana

Zoya Khurana

Judging Criteria

  • Pitch & Communication: 35%
    How well did the team present their idea? Was it engaging and well-structured?
  • Project Functionality: 35%
    Does the project work as intended? Are core features implemented and demoed effectively?
  • UX & Design: 20%
    Is the project intuitive, well-designed, and user-friendly?
  • Technical Complexity: 10%
    Is the project technically impressive? Does it go above and beyond what's expected of a beginner hacker?

Questions? Email the hackathon manager

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