HackED 2026 - Rules

 

Dates

  • February 20-22, 2026

Eligibility

  • Participants must be undergraduate students aged 18 or older.
  • This hackathon is designed for undergrads and graduates of up to one year
  • Teams may consist of up to 5 members. Solo participation is also allowed.

Project and Submission Requirements

  • All projects must be developed between February 20-22. 2026
  • Participants may use publicly available libraries and APIs but must credit them in their project submission.
  • All code and assets used in the project must comply with licensing laws and be the original work of the participants, except for third-party libraries or assets as noted.
  • Submissions must be completed through Devpost by the project submission deadline on February 22, 2026, 10:46 AM MST.

 

General Requirements (HackED Main and Hardware)


There is no theme for the main competition. Teams may create any project of their choice. Projects must be functional and demonstrable to judges. Submissions should be presentable and reasonably free of major bugs. All work must be original and created during the hackathon.

Hardware Category Requirements


Projects submitted to the Hardware category must include a hardware component. There is no theme restriction. Projects will be evaluated using the same general judging criteria as the main competition.

CMP Department Prize Requirements


All team members must be enrolled in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Alberta. Eligible programs include Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Mining Engineering, and Petroleum Engineering. Projects follow the main HackED judging criteria.

APIC and RCES Energy/Power Stream Requirements

APIC Energy Themes:

  • Renewable and DER Integration and Large Loads

  • Data, AI and Grid Modernization

  • Grid Stability and Electricity Markets

  • Climate Resilience of Power Systems

  • Policy and Social Innovation in Electricity

RCES Themes:

  • Reliable and resilient grid for energy integration

  • Low emission energy utilization through electrification

  • Alternative and clean biofuels and green hydrogen with carbon capture

Projects must align with one or more of the listed themes to qualify for this stream.

Diversity in Engineering – Social Good Prize Requirements
Projects must focus on one or more of the following areas:

  • Accessibility: Improve accessibility in software (web, desktop application, operating systems, etc.)

  • Privacy: Help users understand, protect, or regain control over their personal data and digital footprint

  • Education: Educate users about a topic (e.g., educational games, language learning applications)

Projects that are irrelevant to these themes, presented disrespectfully or in bad faith, or that have significant potential to cause harm that is not adequately considered may be disqualified from this category.

PRIZES

HackED Main Prizes
1st: $1100 plus Mentorship Opportunity
2nd: $800
3rd: $600

Hardware Prizes
1st: Arduino Kits plus Mentorship Opportunity
2nd: Arduino Kits

CMP Department Prizes
1st: $500
2nd: $300
3rd: $200

APIC and RCES Energy/Power Stream Prizes
1st: $100 Amazon Gift Card plus funded opportunity to present at a research symposium in Calgary
2nd: $75 Amazon Gift Card
3rd: $50 Amazon Gift Card

Diversity in Engineering – Social Good Prizes
1st: $800
2nd: $600
3rd: $400

JUDGING CRITERIA AND WINNER SELECTION

HackED Main and Hardware Categories
Projects will be evaluated based on:

  • Execution: How well the project works

  • Complexity: The level of technical skill required

  • Polish: Presentation quality and presence of significant bugs

  • Originality: Creativity and uniqueness of the idea

  • Utility: Ability to address a real need or improve someone’s life

Diversity in Engineering – Social Good Prize
Projects will be scored using the following breakdown:

Utility (10 points)

  • Potential to make a difference for people with accessibility needs, improve privacy and data control, or serve as an effective educational tool

Execution and Polish (5 points)

  • Practicality, usability, and functionality

  • Presence or absence of significant bugs

Accessibility (5 points)

  • Whether the interface is accessible to a variety of users

Complexity (5 points)

  • Technical difficulty and level of skill required

Originality (5 points)

 

  • Creativity and whether the solution is uncommon or innovative

 

Judging will take place on February 22nd from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM MST (tentative). Winners will be announced during the closing ceremony at 5:00 PM MST.

Code of Conduct
HackED 2026 adheres to a strict code of conduct to ensure a safe and respectful environment for all participants. Any form of harassment, discrimination, or inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated. Participants are expected to behave professionally and respectfully toward others. Violations may result in disqualification or removal from the event. The University of Alberta code of conduct will also be expected to be followed by all attendees. https://www.ualberta.ca/en/human-resources-health-safety-environment/media-library/my-employment/code-of-conduct/employee-code---posted.pdf