DivHacks is Columbia University's premier student-led annual diversity hackathon. DivHacks strives to create an empowering and inspirational space for students who are historically underrepresented in the tech industry, addressing the systemic exclusion and erasure of those who exist outside the standard definition of what it means to be a computer scientist. Our goal is an experience that not only reimagines what diversity should look like in the tech industry but gives students the tools to use technology to implement change.
Education
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In your current education system, what is the barrier that prevents the availability of the program to everyone and how does that inform the way you can improve the structure?
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How can we assist the international student population in times of remote learning, redesigning strategies for inclusivity?
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What is missing to provide equality in education?
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What can technology facilitate in helping parents in homeschooling their children?
Wellness
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Where can we fill in existing gaps in the Wellness world?
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Think of a time when a resource benefited your physical and/or mental health - is there a way to better that? If not, is there a way to provide the resource to everyone who needs it but don’t have access to it?
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How can we deconstruct the traditional stigma around wellness being something people are ashamed and discriminate for?
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What are solutions to how COVID-19 has affected the availability to practice wellness?
Healthcare
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How can we use technology to detect and resolve health issues?
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What are ways to increase healthcare access?
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Vaccines are a big topic for us now - what are tools to improve the current vaccination system?
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How can we mitigate inequality in the healthcare systems?
Connectivity
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What are ways to spread empathy and understanding to the community?
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Social Media is a way of bringing us together, but it can also be a way of distancing ourselves from reality. How can we achieve a middle ground?
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In what ways can we encourage inclusivity and equity?
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What are some personal challenges you faced in your community that you would like to change?
Requirements
1. All submissions must be in by 9 am ET Sunday October 10th.
2. Projects submitted for a prize:
Must be no more than 30% starter code
Must be started and completed during the event
Must submit a two minute video demoing your project. If it goes over two minutes, the judge will not watch the remaining time.
Can only be submitted to DivHacks. That is, you cannot double submit to another hackathon.
Must be submitted to one of our four main tracks. Add on prizes are optional.
3. If you just want to submit for swag, no need to select a prize category! You may submit anything you created over the weekend, even something you made in a workshop!
4. Beginner Hack is for a team with all people who have never hacked before. This will largely be evaluated based on what you learned, so be sure to talk about that in your video and your DevPost
5. The winners of the four tracks will be asked to present a live demo at closing. Please be ready to demo your work in a live format!
6. You may submit a Figma prototype or slide deck! These will be heavily considered for Best Design or Best Pitch! Version history must still show it was created during the event. You also will still have to submit to one of the main tracks!
Prizes
Overall Best Project
One team from each track, Education, Wellness, Healthcare, and Connectivity will be selected as a winner. Selected based on pitch, design, creativity, and execution.
Best Pitch
Best proposal of a product addressing a problem space. Can be in the form of a prototype or a slide deck.
Include an EdTech Bundle sponsored by Leading Learner
Best UI/UX Design (Accessibility Focused)
Most mindful of accessible designs. Aesthetically pleasing can be a plus - project is judged based on the front end design.
Include an EdTech Bundle sponsored by Leading Learner
Best Beginner Hack
This prize goes to a team made of all beginners who showed the most growth and effort.
Include an EdTech Bundle sponsored by Leading Learner
Most Fun or Unique Hack
The team with the most creative, out of the box, or goofy hack!
Best Use of Google Cloud Prize
⭐Google Branded Backpack⭐
⭐Google Cloud Swagbox⭐
Build your hackathon project with a suite of secure storage, powerful compute, and integrated data analytics products provided by Google Cloud for a chance to win a Google Branded Parkland Backpack. Find an MLH Coach if you run out of credit.
Claim your up to $100 of Google Cloud credit per account! You can claim credits $50 at a time, and can create additional accounts if you use more than $100 in credit. Use code 14noticE to get started
All Participants Award
Free Balsamiq Usage + $50 Google Cloud credits for each attendee
Best Space App powered by Space Force
Wireless Bluetooth Speaker
The sky is not the limit! Try your hand at making a space-themed application for a chance to win a wireless Bluetooth speaker for you and your team from the U.S. Space Force! We’re looking for amazing solutions to any space-related problems you can imagine. For any sci-fi enthusiast, this is the perfect opportunity to push the limits of your creativity by building the technology of tomorrow, today. We can’t wait to see the solutions you build!
Please note: the majority of your team members must be located in the United States to qualify.
Most Creative Use of Twilio
⭐Twilio Swag Box & GameGo Console⭐
Twilio allows you to incorporate mobile messaging, phone calls and a ton of other awesome communication features right into your hackathon project using web service APIs. Get started today for free with no credit card needed!
Just signup with a new account and get over $50 of free Twilio credit!
Twilio makes all this possible and more. Build a hack that simplifies your life using any one of Twilio’s APIs for a chance to win a Twilio Swag Box and GameGo Console for you and each of your teammates!
Best Use of Auth0
⭐Exclusive Auth0 Swag made for MLH⭐
Auth0 wants your applications to be secure! Use any of the Auth0 APIs for a chance to win some exclusive swag, including a Miir 12oz tumbler, Rubiks Cube, and sticker! Why spend hours building features like social sign-in, Multi-Factor Authentication, and passwordless log-in when you can enable them through Auth0 straight out of the box? Save some time on your hack and set yourself up for a big win. It doesn't take much to get started. Auth0 is free to try with up to 7,000 free active users and unlimited log-ins.
Make your new account today!
Best Domain Registered with Domain.com
⭐PowerSquare Qi Wireless Charger⭐
Register a .Tech domain name using Domain.com during the weekend for your chance to win a PowerSquare Qi Wireless Phone Charger for you and each member of your team! Each team may submit one entry per person on the team. The more creative the domain the better!
Devpost Achievements
Submitting to this hackathon could earn you:
Judges
Megan Hofmann
Carnegie Mellon University
Nora Wixom
Apple
Sarah Morrison-Smith
Barnard College
Galicia Gordon
Leading Learner
Jonathan Xu
Alexey Shepelev
Anna Rekow
Judging Criteria
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Quality of Pitch
How well does the proposal of the project address a problem space. Can be in the form of a prototype or a slide deck. Rate on a scale from 1-5. -
Quality of UI/UX Design
Does this UI/UX seamless incorporate accessibility features? Aesthetically pleasing can be a plus - project is judged based on the front end design. Rate on a scale from 1-5. -
Fun/Uniqueness Factor
How creative and out of the box was this project? Rate on a scale from 1-5.
Questions? Email the hackathon manager
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