Welcome to ConHacks 2026, a hackathon hosted by the Conestoga Computing Society (CCS). For 36 hours, we are turning the Conestoga College, Waterloo Campus into a retro-futuristic dreamscape. Whether you are a "Hello World" beginner or a full-stack veteran, this is your platform to build, break, and deploy.
Hacking Challenge: Open (No specific theme, build whatever you dream up!)
The ScheduleMark your calendars. 36 Hours of Innovation.
Tuesday, April 28
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7:00 PM: Doors Open & Check-In
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8:00 PM: Opening Ceremony
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9:00 PM: Hacking Begins
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9:30 PM: Beginner Workshop: Zero to Hero (Git, Python, Venv, Setup)
Wednesday, April 29
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All Day: Hacking, Mini-Events, Workshops, and Mentorship
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Midnight: Midnight Snack & Activity
Thursday, April 30
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9:00 AM: Hacking Ends (Submission Deadline)
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9:00 AM - 11:00 AM: Judging Expo
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11:00 AM: Closing Ceremony & Awards
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Beginner Friendly: Our "Starter Pack" workshops will get your environment set up in minutes and ready to code anything. Mentors will be avaiable at most times to help you glide through any problems.
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Free Food & Swag: Participation will get you free food for the entire 36 hours including breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. You will also receive ConHacks 2026 themed merch, stickers, and much more.
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Career Boost: Connect with fellow hackers, sponsors, mentors, and the Conestoga Computing Association team. Get a project to display on your resume or portfolio.
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Vibes: A chill, lo-fi aesthetic environment designed for flow state.
Requirements
To qualify for judging and prizes at ConHacks 2026, all teams must adhere to the following submission guidelines:
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Devpost Submission: You must create a project page on Devpost by Thursday, 9:00 AM.
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Code Repository: A link to a public GitHub (or GitLab) repository containing your project code.
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Note: The repo must be created after hacking begins on Friday at 9 PM.
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Video Demo (Max 3 mins): A short video demonstrating your project in action. Show us what it does, what problem its solving, why its important, not just the code.
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Project Description: A brief text description of:
- The problem your trying to solve.
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What it does.
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How you built it.
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Challenges you ran into.
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What's next for the project.
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Team Size: Teams of 1–4 people are allowed.
The Sky's the Limit. You can build a web app, a mobile app, a hardware hack, a game, a terminal based tool, etc. If it solves a problem through software, it counts.
Prizes
1st Place
$1,200 CAD equivalent gift split among the team. ConHacks 2026 Trophies. Certificate of winning. Bragging rights. Free ticket to ConHacks 2027. Access to unique opportunities in exec positions of CCS and ConHacks in the future.
2nd Place
$800 CAD equivalent gift split among the team. Certificate of winning. Bragging rights. Free ticket to ConHacks 2027. Access to unique opportunities in exec positions of CCS and ConHacks in the future.
3rd Place
$400 CAD equivalent gift split among the team. Certificate of winning. Bragging rights. Free ticket to ConHacks 2027. Access to unique opportunities in exec positions of CCS and ConHacks in the future.
Best Beginner Hack
$200 CAD equivalent gift split among the team. Certificate of winning. Bragging rights. Awarded to the most outstanding project created entirely by a team of first-time hackers.
Best UI/UX
$200 CAD equivalent gift split among the team. Certificate of winning. Bragging rights. Awarded to the project with the most intuitive design, seamless user flow, and superior visual polish.
Best Technical Complexity
$200 CAD equivalent gift split among the team. Certificate of winning. Bragging rights. Awarded to the project with the most impressive code, algorithm, or backend engineering.
[MLH] Best Use of Gemini API
Google Swag Kits
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?
[MLH] Best Use of ElevenLabs
Wireless Earbuds
Deploy natural, human-sounding audio with ElevenLabs. Create realistic, dynamic, and emotionally expressive voices for any project, from interactive AI companions to narrated stories and voice-enabled apps. ElevenLabs will empower you to build rich, immersive experiences without the need for actors or complex audio production, using simply the power of AI.
Integrate fully autonomous audio experiences into your hack with ElevenLabs and give your project a voice, along with giving your team the chance to win some wireless earbuds!
[MLH] Best Use of Solana
Ledger Nano S Plus
The world of development is evolving fast and Solana is leading the charge with a network built to handle all of your infrastructure needs. Forget high fees and slow confirmations, it’s time to build applications that are fast, efficient, and scalable.
Harness Solana's core advantages like blazing fast execution and near-zero transaction costs to make your hackathon ideas become real world projects. With Solana, the possibilities are endless.
Create a game, social app, or consumer product that relies on instant, high-frequency transactions.
Design a sophisticated trading, lending, or decentralized exchange (DEX).
Build a prototype for supply chain, identity, or payments that can handle massive, real-world volume.
Show us how you can innovate with Solana for a chance to win some cool prizes for you and each member of your team!
[MLH] Best Use of DigitalOcean
Retro Wireless Mouse
DigitalOcean offers a reliable and easy-to-use cloud platform for every stage of your project. Leverage core services like Droplets, Managed Databases, and App Platform to build, deploy, and scale your application effortlessly. Building with AI? DigitalOcean Gradient™ AI enables you to build, train, and deploy machine learning models, including access to GPU infrastructure and serverless inference!
Sign up for DigitalOcean today and get $200 worth of free credits that you can use towards building your next great hack. Build with DigitalOcean's robust cloud infrastructure for a chance to win some great prizes for you and each of your teammates!
[MLH] Best Use of Snowflake API
Raspberry Pi 4
Play with industry-leading LLMs on a single account using the Snowflake APIs. Adding AI capabilities into your application can be as simple as a single CURL command to Snowflake’s REST API.
Build customized applications, RAG powered chat bots, or embed AI-powered features into your app in half the time with half the hassle. Get started for free with a special, student 120-day Snowflake trial and check out this repository for an example of the Snowflake REST API in action.
Devpost Achievements
Submitting to this hackathon could earn you:
Judges
Anish Reddy
President, Conestoga Computing Society (CCS); AI Engineer, Geotab
Judging Criteria
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Technical Complexity (30%)
We are looking at the code, not just the concept. Did you build a custom backend? Did you integrate complex APIs? Did you challenge yourself to learn a new stack? We want to see clean, functional, and impressive engineering. -
Innovation & Creativity (30%)
Is this idea unique, or is it just another To-Do list app? We are looking for projects that push boundaries, solve problems in novel ways, or are simply fun and unexpected. -
Design & Polish (20%)
A great hack needs to look good and feel good. We are judging the User Experience (UX) and the User Interface (UI). Whether it’s retro-pixel art or modern minimalism, is the design sleek, intuitive, and cohesive? -
The Pitch (20%)
You have 3 minutes to sell us your dream. We are judging your ability to articulate the problem, the solution, and the potential impact. A working demo is crucial—show, don't just tell.
Questions? Email the hackathon manager
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