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The Midwest's biggest free hackathon for high school & college students. Our 2026 event wrapped in March — see the projects below, and join the 2027 waitlist to build with us next year.
const results = recap({ students: 500+, projects: 80+, // shipped in 7 hours mentors: 'Google, Amazon, Square, DroneDeploy', cost: 0 // 100% free, forever }); seeYouIn(2027); // 🚀 next year
In 2022, we started Northland Hackathon with a simple belief: every student in the Midwest deserves to understand how the internet works — not just as a user, but as a builder. Five years later, we're Minnesota's largest hackathon, and it's still completely free.
Minnesota ranks last in the nation for offering public computer science education — just 35% of schools offer CS classes, compared to a 57% national average. This is a serious problem. Students graduating without any exposure to coding are locked out of one of the most accessible, high-paying career paths of our time — especially those outside the Twin Cities metro.
We're different from other Minnesota tech programs because we don't teach a curriculum. There are no prerequisites, no textbooks, and no tests. Just a team, a real problem, a full day, and industry mentors from companies like Google, Amazon, and Square standing by to help you build something real. We measure success not by certificates — but by students who leave the event wanting to keep going.
Most people experience the internet from the back seat — consuming, scrolling, reacting. Northland Hackathon is about moving to the front. We want students to leave feeling like they can build the things they use every day.
Years running the Midwest's largest free student hackathon, growing every year from a small Minnesota experiment to a regional event.
Free for every student. No fees, no paywalls. Funded entirely by sponsors who believe in accessible tech education.
Industry mentors from top companies — Google, Amazon, Square, DroneDeploy — giving their time to help students build and grow.
"The goal isn't to turn every student into a software engineer. It's to make sure that no student graduates feeling like the internet is something that just happens to them. We want them in the driver's seat — curious, capable, and building."
Here are some of the projects built at Northland Hackathon 2026 — from AI-powered storytelling to skill-sharing platforms, all made in just 7 hours.
🥈 2nd Place
AI-powered app that interviews your loved ones and turns their memories into a beautiful, permanent keepsake in just 5 minutes.
🥉 3rd Place
A skill exchange platform for college students. Match with peers, teach what you know, learn what you crave — no money, just joy.
Send anonymous, joyful notes into a shared digital sky. Notes appear as floating sticky notes, paper planes, and envelopes.
A grid-based puzzle game with multiple levels, water and wall tiles, and creative strategy mechanics — all built from scratch.
Northland Hackathon has been recognized in regional press for its mission to bring free, high-quality CS education to every student in the Midwest.
Here are some salary samples:
Manager of Software Engineering at DroneDeploy
Jade Michael Thornton
Staff Software Engineer at onXmaps
Mike Trewartha
Software Engineer at Square
Amogh Kambale
Professor and Chair of St. Thomas Dept. of Software Engineering and Data Science; Director of the Center for Applied AI
Professor Manjeet Rege
Software Engineer at GOAT Group
Mikey Rogachevsky
CEO and cofounder of Misogi Labs
Jessica Mustali
Frequently asked questions
A chance to learn more about building things on the internet, writing code, and exploring careers in tech. Northland Hackathon will take place throughout the day, bringing together mentors and students from around the state in a fully remote capacity.
Basically to play around with ideas and make something new. Think legos or Kinex <3 We miss our Kinex ;(
We are originally from Minnesota. Right now the state is last in the nation for offering public computer science classes. We're Minnesota's biggest hackathon — and also the most fun. source
Yes, but we keep it a surprise. That said, every student who participates day of get an event shirt mailed to them.
Northland Hackathon is remote-based event!
Through both Californian and Minnesotan sponsors, Northland Hackathon is free for participants. If you want to sponsor or donate to the hackathon, email us [team [@] northlandhackathon.com]. Or you can donate here.
We're doing our best to accommodate all applications, but there will likely be a cap of how many students we can take. As a result, write a solid application and apply early.
If you're from NE Minnesota, apply for the Alworth Scholarship — a proud partner of Northland Hackathon.
Every student who participates gets an event shirt mailed to them.
Sign Up to Get Yours
Northland Hackathon runs entirely on the generosity of sponsors. Your support directly funds free event swag, prizes, and operations — keeping the event 100% free for every student across the Midwest.
Maximum visibility. Maximum impact.
Strong brand presence with the next generation.
Support the mission, get recognized for it.
Every bit helps keep this event free.
Reach out and we'll send over a full sponsorship deck. We're happy to discuss custom arrangements too.
Join the waitlist and we'll email you the moment 2027 registration opens.