DreamHacks 2026

about this event

DreamHacks 2026 is a free, virtual hackathon bringing together high school students ages 13–18 from around the world to build, learn, and collaborate.

Whether you have never written a line of code or you are already an experienced developer, DreamHacks gives you the mentorship, workshops, and community to turn an idea into a real project.

2026 Theme: Island

This year's theme is Island. We challenge participants to build technology that: Supports isolated or underrepresented communities, Promotes environmental sustainability and ocean conservation, Enhances emergency response and disaster relief, Explores new, uncharted digital frontiers.

Projects in any technical domain are welcome, but theme-aligned projects qualify for special prize consideration!

DreamHacks is organized by Sudhith Mannuru and Arshia Bajaj, with support from Georgia Tech student collaborators. We are proud to be supported by: Infosys · Project AAL · Young Connect · Nectura.ai · ArgosX · TigerClub. Bytefight at GT will also host an online AI and bot-building challenge before the event, along with a technical workshop to help participants level up.

What to Expect: Pre-Event Online Sprint — Join Bytefight's online challenge for bonus prizes and leaderboard recognition. Beginner-Friendly Workshops — Learn the fundamentals and get your project started, even with no prior coding experience. Mentorship — Receive feedback, debugging help, and project guidance from experienced student mentors. Team Formation — Find collaborators from around the world or compete solo. Project Showcase & Prizes — Submit your project, share a short demo, and compete for awards across multiple categories.

FAQ: Who can attend? High school students ages 13–18 from anywhere in the world. Do I need prior coding experience? Absolutely not. We have beginner-friendly workshops, accessible tracks, and mentors available to help you throughout the event. What is the team size? You can work independently or in a team of up to four students. Don't have a team? We'll help you find one during team formation. Is the event free? Yes! DreamHacks is completely free for all admitted participants. When is DreamHacks? August 30, 2026 — Virtual. More schedule and submission details will be shared with participants.

schedule

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