Find your next hackathon.

How a hackathon works

Pick a hackathon and register. You accept the participation terms and the solution-rights declaration as you sign up, and the organizer confirms your place — if the event is full you go on the waiting list and move up when a seat frees. Your ticket carries a QR code for check-in at the venue.

Teams form on site, and they are flat: no leader, every member has the same rights. Once teams exist, your team ranks all of the hackathon's challenges from most to least wanted, and the organizer runs one allocation that gives every team exactly one challenge. Mentors publish what they can help with and when, and any team member can ask one for support.

You hand in a branch, tag and commit of your team's repository with a README explaining how to build and run it. Two scores make up the result: an AI evaluation of the technical work and the jury's score for your live pitch, weighted as the organizer configured. Rankings are published on the event page, and every participant gets a verifiable certificate afterwards.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to pay a participation fee as a hacker?

Participation in the Black Forest Hackathon is completely free of charge! We also provide food and drinks throughout the event, as well as the resources and mentors you need. The one exception: if you register and then don't turn up without checking out, you have to reckon with a no-show fee.

Stereotype alert: Do I need to know how to code?

No! The hackathon is open not only to programmers, but also to people from business, design, marketing, entrepreneurship, and many other backgrounds who want to build something cool in 48 hours.

What if I've never been to a hackathon before?

The Black Forest Hackathon brings together people with a wide range of skill levels. With keynotes and mentors, you can quickly gain the knowledge you need for your project, connect with others, and learn from each other.

I'm not currently enrolled as a student – can I still take part?

Yes, absolutely – the hackathon is open to anyone who's interested. Just sign up as long as there are spots available; the event page shows how many are left.

Will the hackathon take place in person?

Depending on the format, the classic hackathon takes place on-site, while the cyber security pentest is run in a hybrid setup.

Can I stay overnight?

The hackathon is not a 24/7 event. However, we're happy to help you find accommodation – whether that's a hotel or possibly a spare couch with another participant.

Can I sign up without a team?

Of course – most participants sign up without a team. On Friday, we'll have a dedicated team-building session where we introduce the topics and form the teams for the weekend. Teams are flat, by the way: there is no leader, and every member has the same rights.

I have no idea what I should work on during the weekend?

No problem – our sponsors have prepared exciting real-world challenges that you can work on over the weekend with support from top mentors.