HackOHIO 12

The Premier Hackathon at Ohio State

October 24-25, 2026
Ohio Union & Online

What is HackOHI/O?

HackOHI/O is Ohio State’s largest annual hackathon. It’s an exciting 24-hour event where 800+ students from 60+ majors come together to code, learn, create, and network. Open to all fields of study it’s built for thinkers, makers, and doers who use technology to solve real problems, and build strong portfolio projects.

Participants form teams to develop tech solutions from scratch or tackle industry challenges, then pitch their prototypes to expert judges for feedback. The event emphasizes rapid innovation, interdisciplinary teamwork, and real-world skill-building.HackOHI/O integrates the KEEN Entrepreneurial Mindset, encouraging Curiosity, Connections across disciplines, and Creating Value through meaningful, impact-driven projects. Top teams may continue their work through the BOSS program with the Keenan Center for Entrepreneurship, including a “golden ticket” opportunity to pitch for up to $50,000 in funding.

HackOHI/O is part of the broader OHI/O ecosystem of hackathons and creative tech events that connect students with mentors, industry, and each other. It’s a welcoming space to build skills, explore ideas, and make an impact!

Mentors and Judges

HackOHI/O provides opportunities for industry and academic professionals to work directly with students.

Mentors will assist participants throughout the event with any questions or concerns they may have while creating their project. We welcome individuals with knowledge and expertise in various topics to help mentor students at HackOHI/O. This year, mentors can participate both virtually and in-person.

Judges will help us score teams on October 25th by reviewing their projects in the form of a video submission and live discussion with the teams. This year, judges will be virtual only. If you are interested in attending the event in-person and want to judge, please sign up to be a mentor as well.

Mentors Judges
Time commitment Shifts of 3 hours 3.5 hours
When Between 10:00 AM on October 24th to 10:30 AM on October 25th October 25th, 10:30 AM to 2pm
Where In-person @ the Ohio Union Virtual via Discord
What Give guidance and creative support throughout the event. Use judging criteria to score project videos, provide feedback, and submit teams for awards

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a hackathon?

A hackathon is best described as an “invention marathon”. Anyone who has an interest in technology attends a hackathon to learn, build & share their creations over the course of a weekend in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. You don’t have to be a programmer, and you certainly don’t have to be majoring in Computer Science. (Definition adapted from MLH organizer guide).

Will the hackathon be virtual?

This year, we will be hosting a hybrid event that is virtual and in-person. While we encourage teams to attend in person, there are ways for students, sponsors, and mentors to join us virtually and still participate.

It is imperative that all participants, regardless of in-person or virtual status, join the HackOHI/O Discord server to get access to all the event-specific details.

The join link will be sent in a confirmation email after the registration form has been completed.

Who can attend?

Anyone who is a student at a university! (AKA if you have a .edu email address, undergrads and grad students are both welcome). 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. Note, unfortunately, if you are under the age of 18 AND you are not an OSU student, you are not eligible to participate (OSU Policy). However, if you are an OSU student under the age of 18, you are eligible to participate. Likewise, if you are not an OSU student AND you are over the age of 18, you are eligible to participate.

How do I join a team? What is the team size requirement?

You can pick a team to join in the Discord server. Teams can be anywhere from 2-4 members, and we require all participants to be in a team to be eligible for judging. If you are looking for a team, we’ll be providing opportunities before and during the hackathon to find one. We’ll be posting more information on team formation events in our newsletters and on our social media accounts – be on the lookout!

What if I have no programming experience?

That’s okay! One of the goals of a hackathon is to learn new skills, and we will have mentors available to help you throughout your project. We will also host workshops prior to the hackathon to introduce you to new programming languages and/or tools. And remember, there are other ways to help out a team in their development beyond programming.

Is it free?

Yes, this event is free for all participants! We would like to thank our generous sponsors and supporters for making this possible.

Do I need to have an idea beforehand?

Nope! Many participants come up with their ideas at the hackathon. Challenges presented by our sponsors will be released the week before the event, which also sparks idea formation (and the chance for additional prizes!)

Can I work on my project before the event?

The spirit of a hackathon is to see what you can accomplish in one weekend. Although we will not prevent students from entering with pre-built components, when you enter your project for judging we ask that you are honest and transparent with the judges about what and how much was accomplished during HackOHI/O.

How can I help?

HackOHI/O provides opportunities for industry and academic professionals to work directly with students.


Mentors will assist participants in-person throughout the event with any questions or concerns they may have while creating their projects. We welcome individuals with knowledge and expertise in various topics to help mentor students at HackOHI/O.

Judges will help us score teams virtually on October 25th by reviewing projects, providing teams feedback, and completing a rubric form.

Will there be swag?

Yes, there will! Swag pick-up will happen as you enter HackOHI/O the morning of October 24th. Unfortunately, OHI/O is unable to ship swag to virtual participants. However, virtual participants who win awards will have prizes shipped to them.

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

HackOHI/O is hosted by OHI/O, an Ohio State student organization. Check out our other events at hack.osu.edu.

Hosted by OHI/O

OHI/O is a student organization at The Ohio State University dedicated to fostering tech culture at Ohio State and its surrounding communities in Central Ohio. OHI/O hosts multiple events throughout the year, including MakeOHI/O, ShowOHI/O, and High School I/O. Through these events, OHI/O provides students the opportunity to build with real technologies outside of the classroom and connects them with our industry partners.

HackOHI/O 2026 Event Information