HackTX is an annual hackathon at the University of Texas at Austin. A hackathon is simply a space for students of any major to come together and come up with creative solutions using technology. They are a place to learn, to meet others, and to innovate. We design our hackathons to be beginner-friendly and will have plenty of mentors and workshops to guide you!
The event is open to college students over 18 year olds. This includes undergraduate and graduate students from other universities. All levels of experience and all majors are welcome! Beginner? No problem! We'll have mentors and workshops to help you develop new skills. All you need to come in with is a desire to create. Interested in learning something new? We'll have plenty of people to help teach you how to make an impact right from your own desk!
We're a group of UT Austin students who love bringing students who are passionate about technology together to build cool tech, learn new skills, and become involved in the hackathon and tech communities. We love organizing hackathons and we also love going to them. If you enjoy both of these, you should apply to join our team when applications open in December! Applications will be posted on our Facebook page. Need to reach out to us for any further questions or want to work with us for the next event? Email us at [email protected]!
To embrace inclusivity, all participants are expected to follow MLH's Code of Conduct to facilitate a safe space and a positive hackathon experience for everyone!
I’m brand new to hackathons, where do I start?
Don’t worry if you feel lost, apply anyways! As we’ve said before, we will have plenty of resources, mentors, and workshops for you to learn from. You don’t have to have a working product by the end, you can come to learn something new :) We’ve also created The Ultimate Hackathon Starting Guide for more information about hackathons and technologies to use!
How do teams work?
Teams can be up to 5 members. Each member of the team will have to apply individually but teams will be admitted together. To create a team, complete your individual registration. Then, go to your personal dashboard and enter a unique name for your team. Finally, give that team name to your team members (capitalization matters!). They should input that team name in their registration portal. After that, you're done with registration and should be able to view everyone who is on your team.
I don’t have a team, what should I do?
No worries! You don’t have to have a team, although we find that working with others and meeting new people is the best part of a hackathon and would recommend it!. Prior to the event, check out our Facebook group as there may be others looking for teammates there. We will also have team matching sessions where you can find people to work with at the hackathon!
Virtual Hackathon? How does that work?
Our team has worked really hard to bring some of the best parts of our hackathons to you virtually. We have some exciting new ideas and the essential parts of our event will still be there. You’ll still be able to connect with other hackers, learn new skills, network with our sponsors, and have all the resources to create an amazing project!
What do I need?
You will need a computer or some other technical device to work on and tune into our streams on. Try to download any necessary IDEs, packages, or any other large developer tools beforehand. To fully participate in our event, your internet connection needs to be able to handle a typical video call and live stream! We will also be using a group messaging system to communicate. Beyond that, just bring an eager attitude to make the most out of the hackathon!
When is registration?
Early Bird Registration opens September 7th and closes on September 18th at 11:59 PM. If you are accepted, you will have a week to confirm your registration. If you are not accepted at this time, your application will be reviewed again when registration closes completely on October 9th, 11:59pm.
When is HackTX 2020?
It'll be October 23-25, 2020! Hacking will be from 10 PM CT on Friday to 10 AM CT on Sunday. Exact schedule coming soon!
Any rules?
All work must be done at the event. You can't demo something you didn't build. Don't talk about Fight Club. All attendees (hackers, supporters, mentors, volunteers, etc.) must abide by the MLH Code of Conduct.
How do prizes work?
We are still working on the logistics for this but there will be some company-sponsored challenges as well as overall prizes for the hackathon. These prizes will be available for US attendees and we will work with you if you are international to figure something out. However, at this time, we cannot guarantee prizes for those that are international.
How much money will this cost me?
Zero. Zip. Zilch. Nada. Nothing. Gratis. It's free. Freetail Hackers provides students with mentors, workshops, swag, resources, and prizes for all of our events!
How do I volunteer at HackTX?
We are currently looking for volunteers to help with mentoring and/or judging. If you would like to be a technical mentor for our participants, fill out this form. And if you would like to help judge project submissions, fill out this form.
What about hardware projects?
Unfortunately, we cannot provide hardware this year but if you have your own, you’re more than welcome to submit hardware projects!
Swag???
Swag.
We will have swag for our US attendees. However, at this time, we will not be able to ship internationally.
