About the challenge

CRC Hacks is a virtual hackathon hosted by the Programming & Coders Club, where students build projects powered by APIs and AI. From November 9 to November 17, teams will connect real-world APIs with AI tools to solve a problem they care about, whether that’s a study helper, a community resource finder, an accessibility tool, or something no one has thought of yet.

 

You don’t need to be an expert. Beginners are welcome, and the best projects often come from a clear problem and a simple, working idea. Judges will reward projects that solve a real problem, use APIs and AI thoughtfully, and show a working demo.

Get started

1) Register on this page by clicking “Join hackathon.”

2) Find a team of up to 4 people, or work solo. Use club Discord to meet other participants.

3) Pick a problem and choose the APIs and AI tools you’ll use. See the Resources tab for ideas.

4) Build between November 9 and November 17.

5) Submit your project on Devpost before 5:00 pm PT on November 17.

Requirements

What to Build

Build a working software project that uses at least one external API and/or at least one AI capability, such as a language model, image recognition, speech-to-text, or recommendations. The APIs and AI should be central to what your project does, not added on at the end.

 

Your project can be a web app, mobile app, browser extension, bot, or command-line tool. It must be built during the hackathon period. You may use open-source libraries, frameworks, and starter templates, but the core of the project should be your team’s own work.

What to Submit

Each submission must include:

 

- A project description explaining the problem you’re solving, who it helps, and how your project works.

- A demo video of 3 minutes or less, uploaded to YouTube or Vimeo, showing your project working with real API calls. If any part is mocked or unfinished, say so in the video.

- A link to your code repository (for example, GitHub), set to public or shared with the judges. Do not include API keys or passwords in your code.

- A list of the APIs, AI tools, and technologies you used.

- Optional: a link to a live version of your project if one is available.

Hackathon Sponsors

Prizes

$100 in prizes
CRC Hacks Winner
$100 in cash
1 winner

$100 giftcard split between teams of 1-4 students.

Devpost Achievements

Submitting to this hackathon could earn you:

Judges

SA
President

Judging Criteria

  • Impact
    Solves a real, important problem for a defined group of users
  • API & AI integration
    APIs and AI are core to the project and well implemented, including secure keys, error handling, and staying within rate limits
  • Feasibility
    Realistic to build and maintain, including API costs and limits
  • Innovation
    A fresh approach or new combination of APIs and AI
  • Execution / working demo
    The demo shows the full flow working with real API calls
  • Presentation clarity
    The video and description are clear, organized, and easy to follow

Questions? Email the hackathon manager

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