• YHack V. 2020
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YHACK V. 2020

YHACK V. 2020

November 7-14 (Virtually)



Applications Closed

What is YHack V. 2020?

YHack is Yale's largest annual hackathon, and has been running since 2013. Every year, typically, 800+ students from colleges all over the US (and the world!) come to Yale for a weekend, forming teams of 2-4 to brainstorm, design, and build technologies that address meaningful real-world problems, based on a set of challenges provided by our sponsors. At the conclusion of the hackathon, projects are judged by our sponsors, and the teams with the most innovative projects for each challenge are awarded prizes (courtesy of our sponsors).

This year, however, due to the COVID-19 situation, YHack will be converted to a virtual format -- dubbed YHack V. 2020 -- while still embodying the same spirit of YHack. Since we are no longer constrained by the physical constraints of travel, we have also extended YHack V. 2020 to be a week long instead, to allow participants to build more extensive and sustainable projects that will make a more tangible and substantial difference, compared to a traditional weekend hackathon.

Check out our Facebook event as well!

Another note: if you are not participating in YHack V. 2020, but you are a member of the Yale community and want to check out some of the YHack V. 2020 online events that we have planned throughout the week (e.g. technical workshops, panel discussions), please use this link to check out our schedule (you need to be logged in to your yale.edu email)!


Hacking at Yhack

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People

1,000+ hackers and makers from universities around the world

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Events

Fun-packed festivities like gaming competitions and performances

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Sponsors

Large companies and inspiring startups looking for talented students like you

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Mentorship

Get mentorship with experts in the tech industry

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Prizes

Prizes ranging from professional gaming keyboards to smart devices

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Hacks

Build an awesome project of your own with the help of engineers from top tech companies!

application

To help us select from all the qualified candidates who apply, we have everyone go through an application process. We’ve tried to keep our questions as short as possible because we understand that students are busy people.

We also don’t differentiate based on experience. Whether you are a first-time hacker or a hackathon veteran, you are all equally encouraged to apply. YHack is a great opportunity to learn and grow as a developer, so we hope that you’ll join us for YHack V. 2020.


Q&A

  • General
  • Logistics
  • Applications

When is YHack V. 2020?

It will take place (virtually) from November 7th to November 14th.

What if I have no experience?

You've found the perfect place and time to learn! Whether you're a designer, coder, tinkerer or somewhere in-between, there will be dedicated events and mentors to ease your way through your first YHack experience. And don't worry - applications are NOT filtered by experience. Our focus is on providing the best overall experience, not accepting only the best hackers. After all, everyone had to start from somewhere!

How do teams work?

This year, you'll be able to apply in teams of up to four! If you can't find a team beforehand, worry not - there will be time to form teams after registration.

How much does it cost to attend?

Zilch, zero, nada, free! All you have to do is pull up from the comfort of your own room!

What do I need?

All you'll need is a laptop, charger, and snacks!

What can I win?

In our view, hackathons aren't about winning. We encourage you to use the time to demo a new technology or turn a stranger into a close friend. However, that isn't to say we don't have amazing prizes! There's a wide range of prizes from top prizes like Google Homes to nice gear. Still curious? Take a look at our prizes from last year!

Have other questions?

Email us at [email protected], and we'll respond as soon as we can!

How will this virtual format change things?

The core concept of the hackathon remains identical to past years. You’ll be able to engage with other hackers and mentors, attend exciting events throughout the week, build a project, and win prizes! The only difference is that you will be participating virtually from the comfort of your home (or wherever you are)!

How many people are allowed in a team?

Teams can be of size 2-4.

How will judging work in this virtual format?

Instead of traditional science-fair style judging, we are following a pre-recorded submission model where each team will submit a video demo of their project. Judges will have 24 hours to score submissions. The top five submissions will present live to a panel of judges and to YHack V. 2020 participants.

Will there be swag?

If you are in the US, then we’ll be shipping a t-shirt to commemorate YHack V. 2020 to you free of charge! Unfortunately, we aren’t able to ship swag internationally.

What about hardware hacks?

Unfortunately, supplies for hardware hacks will not be available and will not be reimbursed.

When are applications due?

The application deadline has been extended to November 1st.

Do Yale students get priority applications?

All Yale students are guaranteed admission as long as you apply before the deadline.

Can I apply with a team?

Yep! Just create or join a team. And if only part of your team is accepted, email us at [email protected] , and we'll take a look.

Who can come?

Any undergraduate or graduate student is eligible to enter YHack with confirmed registration. Unfortunately, we will not be accepting any high school students.

Sponsors

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DAML_logo facebook_logo
fedex_logo mouser_adi_logo
ripple_match_logo YSEA_logo



Partnering with YHack provides companies an incredible opportunity to connect with the world's most talented college students.

Interested in sponsoring? Send us an email at [email protected] for more information!

Affiliates

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