N-SEA 2026 Hackathon

Building Equitable AI Solutions

April 10-11, 2026 | 48-Hour Innovation Challenge

Hours

Tracks

$25K

In Prizes

Competition Tracks

Choose your track and build solutions that promote equitable AI

Youth Track

High School Students

Eligibility Requirements

•Currently enrolled high school students (grades 9-12)
•Teams of 2-4 students with faculty advisor
•Age requirement: 14-18 years

Challenge Areas

•AI for Educational Equity
•Bias Detection in Social Platforms
•Accessible AI Applications
•AI Ethics Awareness Tools

$10,000 Prize Pool

1st: $5,000 | 2nd: $3,000 | 3rd: $2,000

College Track

University Students

Eligibility Requirements

•Currently enrolled undergraduate or graduate students
•Teams of 2-5 students (cross-institutional teams welcome)
•Valid student ID verification required

Challenge Areas

•Algorithmic Fairness Solutions
•Healthcare AI Equity
•Financial Inclusion AI
•Criminal Justice AI Reform

$15,000 Prize Pool

1st: $8,000 | 2nd: $4,500 | 3rd: $2,500

Competition Framework

Registration & Team Formation

Team Registration Deadline

June 10, 2026

All teams must register before the deadline. Late registrations will not be accepted.

Team Composition Requirements

2-5 Members

Youth Track: 2-4 students with faculty advisor | College Track: 2-5 students with valid enrollment

Technical Requirements & Standards

Solution Requirements

Demonstrate measurable bias mitigation or equity enhancement in AI systems
Include comprehensive data sources and methodology documentation
Present working prototype with clear functionality demonstration
Address scalability and real-world deployment considerations

Deliverables Portfolio

Source code repository with comprehensive documentation
5-minute video demonstration showcasing key features
Technical report (maximum 10 pages) detailing methodology and results
Business impact assessment and implementation roadmap

Compliance & Ethical Standards

Ethical AI Commitment

All participants commit to developing solutions that promote equity, fairness, and social benefit. Solutions must demonstrate positive impact on underrepresented communities and address systemic biases in AI systems.

Prohibited Practices

Plagiarized or copied solutions
Privacy-violating data collection
Solutions that amplify bias or discrimination
Unauthorized use of proprietary datasets

Integrity Standards

All code must be original or properly attributed
Open-source libraries and APIs are permitted
Transparent methodology and data documentation
Honest representation of capabilities and limitations

Evaluation Framework

Expert Panel Assessment Process

Solutions undergo comprehensive evaluation by distinguished judges from academia, industry, and policy sectors. Each team presents their solution in a structured 15-minute session (10-minute presentation + 5-minute Q&A).

Technical Review

Code quality, architecture, and implementation assessment

Impact Evaluation

Social benefit and equity advancement measurement

Presentation Assessment

Communication clarity and demonstration effectiveness

Comprehensive Assessment Matrix

Social Impact & Equity Assessment

30 Points

Primary Evaluation Criteria

Addresses documented AI system disparities
Demonstrates measurable bias reduction
Shows scalable social benefit potential

Considers diverse stakeholder perspectives
Provides evidence of community engagement
Aligns with equitable AI principles

Technical Implementation Excellence

25 Points

Technical Standards Assessment

Code quality and comprehensive documentation
Appropriate AI/ML methodology selection
Robust system architecture and design

Performance optimization and scalability
Security and privacy implementation
Integration capabilities and compatibility

Innovation & Research Methodology

20 Points

Innovation Evaluation Framework

Novel algorithmic fairness approaches
Creative technology application strategies
Unique problem-solving methodologies

Original research insights and contributions
Interdisciplinary integration effectiveness
Breakthrough thinking demonstration

Deployment Viability

15 Points

Implementation Assessment

Functional prototype demonstration
Realistic deployment pathways
Resource requirements planning
Long-term sustainability considerations

Communication

10 Points

Presentation Quality

Clear problem articulation
Effective demonstration
Professional delivery
Technical Q&A proficiency

Distinguished Awards Program

Youth Track Recognition

$10,000 Prize Pool

First Place $5,000

Second Place $3,000

Third Place $2,000

College Track Recognition

$15,000 Prize Pool

First Place $8,000

Second Place $4,500

Third Place $2,500

Special Recognition Categories

Innovation Excellence

$1,000 + Mentorship

Breakthrough approaches to AI fairness and bias mitigation

Social Impact Leadership

$1,000 + Platform Feature

Solutions with measurable community benefit and equity advancement

Community Choice

$500 + Recognition

Voted by conference attendees and community stakeholders

Registration & Competition Process

Participate in NSEA 2026's flagship hackathon competition. Competitive registration with limited capacity - secure your team's position by June 10, 2026.

Competition Process & Timeline

Phase 1: Registration & Team Formation

Registration Period

Now through June 10, 2026

Team registration, eligibility verification, and preliminary project concept submission

Phase 2: Development Competition

48-Hour Development Sprint

April 10-11, 2026

Intensive development period with mentor support, technical resources, and comprehensive workspace facilities

Phase 3: Presentations & Recognition

Final Presentations & Awards Ceremony

April 11, 2026

Team presentations to expert panel, awards ceremony, and recognition during NSEA 2026 closing session

Registration questions or technical requirements clarification? Contact our organizing committee for comprehensive support.

Competition Infrastructure & Support

Technical Resources

High-performance computing environment with GPU clusters
Enterprise-grade internet connectivity and cloud services
Premium development platforms and AI/ML toolkits
24/7 technical support and infrastructure monitoring

Expert Mentorship

Distinguished mentors from leading AI research institutions
Industry experts from major technology companies
Specialized workshops on fairness metrics and bias detection
Business development and commercialization guidance

Comprehensive Support

Complete meal service and refreshment provisions
Ergonomic workspace with collaborative facilities
Executive networking opportunities and industry connections
Post-competition incubation and funding pathway access