tomorrow's reality, today's vision.
smart cities edition.

There are very few hackathons focusing on social issues; we want to fix that and give you the chance to change the world for better by building applications that truly matter! You will also have the opportunity to get in touch with our awesome partners, slip into their shoes and solve real-world challenges using their API and expertise.

For two consecutive days, students and others interested in tackling challenges concerning Cybersecurity and/or Digital Government come together on HPI's campus to be creative, implement innovative ideas using code, gadgets and open data, and also to simply have a great time!

Yes, and that's quite a sure thing. We believe that Hackathons need the human contact that only in-person events can provide, and we're glad to announce that the HackHPI 2024 will be an in-presence event!

Yes. We comply with the MLH's code of conduct, which all attendees, partners, volunteers, and staff are required to agree to. We expect all of our attendees to be respectful and considerate of others. For your information, it is linked above this FAQ.

As of right now, there are only few rules concerning COVID regulations. We strongly recommend you to wear a face mask and to test yourself before the event, yet we can also provide you with a mask if you don't have any. No vaccination or recovery certificates required.

You can apply by filling all required information into the form below. We kindly ask you to only do so if you are planning to attend the hackathon, as you might otherwise take someone else's place. We will then evaluate your application and inform everyone by the end of March. Even if you are not selected at the beginning, you might have the chance to move up in our listings if someone else decides to leave. In cases where you need a prioritized response, indicate it in the form and we will try to contact you faster.

We believe that diverse teams come up with more creative solutions. A hackathon should be a way to experience teamwork and work on your abilities. We therefore encourage every major to apply, and give a warm welcome to young professionals as well. However, due to german law, every participant has to be at least 18 years old.

All challenges are connected to the subject of Cybersecurity or Digital Government, but as they are sponsored, we cannot yet exactly tell what awaits you. and honestly, who would want to miss the thrill of a surprise challenge? Anyways, the exact challenges will be announced soon, so stay tuned!

Feel free to use whatever you feel most comfortable with. Our partners will be happy to assist you with their APIs and know-how.

Nope! HackHPI is completely free, and we provide you with food, drinks (and a lot of caffeine! :D) during the whole Hackathon.

This is an all-night Hackathon, meaning that we won't stop until the last one standing. We will provide rooms in which you can sleep or just rest, but you're required to bring your own sleeping bag and air mattress. We're also planning on organizing a couch surfing option from Wednesday to Thursday for everybody coming early. If you wish to participate in this, whether you want to stay or offer a bed, please note that down when filling in the application form.

A Hackathon is an ideal place to meet other motivated students from other universities and majors. We will have a dedicated team building session on Wednesday, in which you can find your perfect teammates. We recommend a team size between 4-6 people.

Take S7 from Berlin Central Station ("Hauptbahnhof") towards Potsdam and exit at Griebnitzsee. It will cost just around 3,40€ one-way.

Bring your laptop and a charger, comfortable clothes, and, above all, motivation to hack! We will additionally announce the challenges and potentially interesting papers, data and tools, so if you want to, you can already research the challenges; however, this is not mandatory.

Unfortunately, we are not able to provide travel reimbursements.