The Ohio State University's
annual hackathon.


Watch the video!

Ohio Union, Columbus, Ohio
October 27 - 28, 2018




Welcome to Columbus


On October 27th, join us at HackOHI/O—the Ohio State University's largest hackathon—for a weekend of building and creating real projects with awesome people. Over 750 undergraduate and graduate students will design, build, and demonstrate projects to a live audience of students, faculty, and representatives from tech companies. HackOHI/O is put on by OHI/O, a student-led organization that aims to build and foster the tech community at Ohio State University.




Meet great people.


Learn something new.


Build something amazing.




Meet other passionate, fun and creative students from OSU and universities across the nation. Our industry partners are also sending professional developers, designers, marketers, and hustlers to provide mentorship. If you're interested in participating, all attendees must adhere to our Code of Conduct.



Hype Events


OHI/O, our partnering student organizations, and our sponsors are hosting a series of great events leading up to the hackathon. These events include tech talks, workshops, and social gatherings that help students prepare for the hackathon, gather ideas, and build teams!




Prizes



Winning teams will receive up to 4 of the prizes below, 1 for each team member!

Best Software Hack

Microsoft Surface Laptop


Best Hardware Hack

Nintendo Switch


Most Impactful Hack

Ultimate Ear Blast Speaker


Best Designed Hack

BeatsX Wireless In-Ear Headphones


Most Original Hack

Daydream VR Headset


Most Ambitious Hack

Hexgears X-1 Mechanical Keyboard


Best New to Hack

Fujifilm Instant Camera and Film


Best Clutch

Tile Mate - 4 Pack






F.A.Q.



Here are some common questions that people ask. If you have any additional questions, please contact us at hackathon@osu.edu.

I want to apply for HackOHI/O. What's the timeline?

Registration for HackOHI/O is now closed. If you're having trouble receiving emails or confirming your application, please reach out to registerhackohio@gmail.com. The first waves of acceptances to the event have already been sent out, and more acceptances will be sent out on a rolling basis starting Monday, Oct 15. Keep an eye on your email for updates, and you can check your application status anytime by logging into the registration portal. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to registerhackohio@gmail.com.

I want to come, but I didn't get a ticket. What should I do?

Come in the morning and you will entered onto the waitlist. Everyone from the waitlist will be let in on a first-come, first-served basis if there are open spots when the morning check-in deadline ends. So if you ARE registered, be sure to get there before the deadline!

What is a hackathon?

A hackathon is a fun 24 or 36 hour event that brings together multi-disciplinary students with varying experience from across the nation together to create, innovate, and build a project all within one weekend. Students have access to professional mentors, workshops, and loaner hardware during the event. They also have the opportunity to showcase and demo their work projects to judges and other exposition attendees at the end of the event.

What sort of projects do people make?

All sorts of things! Previous projects have included mobile apps, websites, smart mirrors, light-up glasses, pancake printers...the possibilities are endless.

But... I don't know how to code!

Not to worry! HackOHI/O provides opportunities for first-time programmers. From workshops, to resources to mentors and teammates, you'll be sure to pick up skills over the weekend. Past that, teams need more than just coders and great projects always start with diverse teams. Everyone has some knowledge and perspective they can bring to the table.

Is it free? What about food?

HackOHI/O is free to participate in! We'll be providing you with great meals, snacks, and drinks throughout the entire event. We've got participants' food restrictions covered, too.

Who can participate?

Anyone who is a student at a university! We encourage all levels of expertise to join. Whether this is your first hackathon, or you've been to hackathons around the nation, HackOHI/O provides an opportunity to collaborate and create something amazing. All participants are expected to follow our Code of Conduct.

Anyone is welcome to attend our Sunday showcase, where our winners will present their projects. Registration to the showcase is located here.

What should I bring?

Bring a laptop, a phone, some comfy clothes, appropriate chargers, and toiletries! Remember your toothbrush and paste. Leave any pre-written code at home; your projects should be started and completed at the hackathon.

I registered... When do I pick my team?

Upon verifying your account, you can pick a team to join in the application portal. Please note that everyone on the team must join it individually!

If you are still in need of a team, no worries! OHI/O provides opportunities before and during the hackathon to find a team. We have a team formation group on Facebook, which you are welcome to join. We'll be posting more information on team formation events in our newsletters and on our social media accounts - be on the lookout!

How large can teams be?

All participants should be in teams of 2 to 4. We hope to encourage teamwork while keeping team sizes manageable for a 24 hour event.

Do I have to have an idea?

Nope! Many students come up with an idea at the hackathon. By talking to fellow students and coming to our pre-hype events, you'll find opportunities to join an idea that piques your interest. If you get stuck, we'll have a nice list of ideas to help you out.

Can I mentor?

Yes! We welcome individuals with knowledge and expertise in various topic areas to help mentor students at HackOHI/O. If you're interested, please contact us to find out more information!

When will I be notified of acceptance?

We're currently in the process of reviewing all applicants and sending acceptances out in waves through mid-October. Stay tuned - you can check your application status anytime in the registration portal.

How are projects judged?

HackOHI/O is proud to have dozens of judges consisting of academia, industry professionals, and alumni. On Sunday, participants will share their projects with two sets of two judges, who will score the project based on several criteria: technical difficulty, functionality, intuitiveness, usefulness/impact, creativity, teamwork, and overall wow factor. Remember - the competition is only a small part of the event! The most important part is to have fun and build something amazing.

Are travel reimbursements available?

We plan on sending buses to schools in and around Ohio who have a high number of registrants. We also have a limited number of Marathon gift certificates for students who carpool to HackOHI/O from out of the Columbus area. If you're in need of travel reimbursement or would like to learn about bus options, please reach out to us at hackathon@osu.edu.

Will there be a lockdown this year?

There will be no lockdown this year (so students may leave and re-enter the event at any time throughout the weekend), but we will be requiring the buddy system for students who choose to leave during the building's non-public operating hours, 11:30 PM - 7 AM. If you'd like to leave the event for the night, please keep this in mind.

Can I bring my desktop computer and a monitor?

Yep! Each participant's space isn't too big, but there should be enough space on the table top and ground for a desktop/monitor setup. Please note that we do not have ethernet connections available - you should come with a wireless adapter, if you do not have one already.

Wow, this all sounds so great! Who hosts HackOHI/O?

HackOHI/O is hosted by several Ohio State student organizations united under OHI/O. You can check out our other events at https://hack.osu.edu.



Sponsors


Without our sponsors and supporters, HackOHI/O wouldn't be possible. By joining us, you'll be in touch with some of the best developers, designers, and builders in the state. Our team will ensure that you have an incredible experience.



Supporters






Schedule



Saturday, October 27th

Time Event Location
7:30 AM Sponsor check-in begins 1st floor, center tables
8:00 AM Doors open; student check-in 2nd floor, outside Ballroom
8:00 AM Team-building event Round Room
8:30 AM Breakfast Ballroom / Great Hall / Senate Chamber
9:30 AM Opening keynote Ballroom and Live-Streamed!
10:00 AM Hacking begins! Ballroom / Great Hall / Senate Chamber
12:00 PM Chris Orban Tech Talk Maudine Cow Room (Basement)
1:00 PM Lunch Ballroom / Great Hall / Senate Chamber
2:00 PM Microsoft Panel Maudine Cow Room (Basement)
4:00 PM JPMorgan Chase & Co. Tech Talk Maudine Cow Room (Basement)
7:00 PM Dinner Ballroom / Great Hall / Senate Chamber


Saturday Long-Term Activities

Time Event Location
10:00 AM (Sat) - 9:00 AM (Sun) Hacker Lounge + Xbox Room Round Room
11:00 AM - 12:00 AM Relaxation Lounge Dance Room 1 (Basement)
11:00 AM - 11:00 PM JPMorgan Chase & Co. Networking & Interviews Founders' Room


Sunday, October 28th

Time Event Location
12:00 AM Midnight Snack Ballroom / Great Hall / Senate Chamber
2:00 AM 🎃 Halloween Movie! 🎃 Great Hall
7:30 AM Breakfast Ballroom / Great Hall / Senate Chamber
8:00 AM Teams register for judging Ballroom / Great Hall / Senate Chamber
10:00 AM Hacking ends! Ballroom / Great Hall / Senate Chamber
10:30 AM Judging begins Ballroom / Great Hall / Senate Chamber
11:00 AM Lunch Ballroom / Great Hall / Senate Chamber
1:00 PM Judging ends Ballroom / Great Hall / Senate Chamber
1:30 PM Showcase Begins Performance Hall
3:00 PM Showcase ends Performance Hall


Judging



Logistics




Criteria



Media + Stats from 2017





24

Hours

667

Hackers

55+

Majors


20+

Universities Represented

100+

Judges & Mentors

200+

Gallons of Coffee


$9k+

Worth of Prizes

19k+

Square Feet
of Space

30k+

Miles Traveled

Brought to you by…

OHI/O

ACM-W

Made with in Columbus