VENUSHACKS

A hackathon is a 2-day event where students from different backgrounds come together to collaborate on a project.

Our hackathon will take place in-person, where teams of up to 4 work together on brainstorming an idea and bringing the technology for that idea to life! Submit your project within the 26 hour window for the chance to win some awesome prizes!

You can also attend workshops, hear from inspiring speakers, and network with company representatives and fellow hackers.

All applications will close on May 1st at 11:59pm.

Yes! Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be provided! Snacks will also be available during the hackathon.

Unfortunately, hackers must attend all 2-days of the event and are required to check-in every day. If you absolutely can’t make it to a portion of the event, you must notify us in advance venushacks.uci@gmail.com. If any extenuating circumstances arise, please let us know and we will plan with you accordingly!

VenusHacks 2026 will be fully in-person! Hackers should expect to be available in-person for all 2 event days from Saturday morning to Sunday afternoon.

You can build any project that you and your team want! Feel free to brainstorm ideas beforehand, just remember that all code must be written during the hackathon. Additionally, if you want to try to win a specific prize, you can tailor your project to fit the judging criteria of that category.

Unfortunately VenuHacks can not provide any overnight or travel accommodations. Please plan around overnight stays and travel to UC Irvine accordingly.

Feel free to send us any questions at venushacks.uci@gmail.com!

We hope this event inspires and highlights high school, undergraduate, and graduate students ages 18 or older who identify as women, gender minorities, or allies interested in technology.

There are also opportunities to participate as mentors and volunteers to support hackers!

VenusHacks will run from Saturday, May 16th to Sunday, May 17th. The venue will be open from 8:00 AM to 12:00 AM on Saturday and from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Sunday. The hacking period will take place from 11:00 AM on Saturday to 1:00 PM on Sunday. On Sunday, the judging and closing ceremony will run from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM.

No problem! VenusHacks is for everyone regardless of their experience. Don’t let it stop you from applying! We will be providing resources and workshops to help new hackers get started on projects and learn new technologies. There will also be mentors at the event to help guide you!

Bring a valid photo ID, laptop, charger, and anything else you would need to hack! We also encourage bringing a refillable water bottle to help stay hydrated. When you arrive, you will be given a badge that you must have on you at all times during the event.

Applications are to be submitted individually, but yes, you’re able to work on a team! Teams can be formed prior to the hackathon in our Slack channel, or during our team formation event at the start of the hackathon. Each team can have up to 4 people, and can’t be changed after the team formation event passes.

You will be building the project from scratch during the hackathon. Hackers who come to the hackathon and work on a pre-built project will be disqualified from the competition. However, feel free to explore and brainstorm ideas about the potential projects before the hackathon!

Yes! They’re a secret :3