About the challenge
ForgeHacks is a student-focused online hackathon dedicated to AI for Real World Problems. We challenge you to forge practical, impactful AI solutions that address genuine challenges people and communities face today, whether in healthcare, education, or everyday life.
This is about building something that could realistically be used, tested, or extended beyond the hackathon. You will work across six specialized tracks (), each with a focused problem space. Track prompts will be released closer to the event so everyone starts on equal footing.
Tracks:
- AI + Healthcare
- AI + Education
- AI + Climate
- AI + Business
- AI + Cybersecurity
- AI + Creativity
Find the released prompts at https://forgehacks.dev
What makes ForgeHacks special
- Pure focus on real-world applicability of AI
- Student-led organizing team
- Emphasis on learning, mentorship, and building something that lasts
- EDIT: New Sponsor Featherless.ai -> giving Free API Access to opensource LLMs (like Deepseek, Llama, etc.) to all participants during building time. Join the Discord for more info.
Get started
- Register on Devpost
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Join the ForgeHacks Discord:
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Form a team of 1–4 students (solo is welcome). Find team members on the Discord
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Watch for track prompts and kickoff announcements
Whether this is your first hackathon or your tenth, come forge something real.
Requirements
What to Build
Build a working AI-powered project that addresses a real-world problem within one of the six official tracks. Your solution should demonstrate clear use of AI/ML (models, APIs, agents, computer vision, NLP, recommendation systems, etc.) and show how it could create tangible value for users or communities.
What to Submit
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Project title and short description (clear problem + solution)
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Track selection (Mention one of the six official tracks)
- Public demo video (2–4 minutes max) that shows:
- The problem you are solving
- How the project works
- Posted online like on Youtube
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GitHub repository with source code and a clear README
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Written project description covering:
- Problem statement and target users
- Technical approach and technical components used
- How the solution creates real-world impact
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Screenshots, architecture diagram, or deployment link for testing
Incomplete submissions (missing video or code) will not be eligible for judging.
Prizes
1st Place
$100 Cash
$300 Featherless Credits
More(TBD)
2nd Place
50$ cash
More (TBD)
3rd Place
25$ cash
More (TBD)
Track Prizes
Certificates
More (TBD)
Devpost Achievements
Submitting to this hackathon could earn you:
Judges
Ishaan Singh
Sushant Punuru
Aditya Shrivastava
Nevasini Sasikumar
Sashank Agarwal
Viraj Sabhaya
Prakshal Doshi
Esha Tariq
Saylee Mhatre
Sharath Chandra Kampili
Sachin Gurjar (Mentor)
Anudeep Bonagiri (Mentor)
Judging Criteria
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Real-World Impact & Relevance
How clearly the project addresses a genuine problem. Potential for actual use or meaningful benefit to users/communities. -
Technical Implementation & AI Use
Quality of the AI/ML components, technical depth, correctness, and thoughtful integration of AI (not just a wrapper). -
Innovation & Creativity
Originality of the idea or approach. Fresh combinations of technology or novel application to the problem space. -
Execution & Completeness
Working demo, polish, usability, and how much was actually shipped during the hackathon. -
Presentation & Communication
Clarity of the video, README, and written description. Ability to explain the problem, solution, and impact simply.
Questions? Email the hackathon manager
Invite others to compete
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