HACK4Good Build products with real-world impact.
Registration Fee
FREE
Prize Pool
$15,000+
Winners
6
Bonus
Direct Entry
Featured Opportunity
Hack4Good 2026
Why it matters
This is not a typical hackathon. It is designed for teams building products with measurable community and market value.
What winners unlock
Cash prizes, expert mentorship, visibility across the AKKA ecosystem, and a direct pitch opportunity to VCs and startup founders*.
Who should join
Developers, designers, PMs, founders, analysts, data sceintists, and hackers ready to build with purpose.
Overview
HACK4Good
Build products with real-world impact.
A high-conviction hackathon for ambitious builders creating solutions across AI, community transformation, and cultural continuity — with mentorship, prize money, and a direct path to pitch to investors*.
Tracks
Choose a direction. Build where your work can create leverage.
AI & Future of Work
Build agentic systems and tools people actually use.
- • Multi-agent workflows
- • Real tools
- • Career intelligence
Example Ideas
- → AI Software Agency
- → Personal Travel Agent
- → Career GPS
Community & Impact
Solve real-world problems for people and organizations.
- • Health
- • NGOs
- • SMBs
Example Ideas
- → Fall Guardian
- → Grant Factory
- → Compliance Agent
Culture & Identity
Preserve and scale culture globally.
- • Heritage
- • Tourism
- • Artisans
Example Ideas
- → Kavya Creator
- → Authenticity Auditor
- → Global Artisan Agent
Timeline
A clear path from registration to investor visibility.
Registration Begins
Registration EndsIndependence Day
11:59 PM PST
Honoring 250 years of American history
Final Submission
11:59 PM PST
Winners Announced
Top 6 teams (2 in each track)
BONUS- VC Pitch Event*
The 6 Hackathon winning teams get direct entry to VC Pitch Event and compete to secure funding*
Submission Guidelines
What you need to submit to win.
BUILD INNOVATION
- • Problem Statement
- • Solution Overview
- • Target Users
- • System Design
- • Tech Stack
- • MVP Scope
CREATE IMPACT
- • Code Repository
- • Architecture Diagram
- • Live Prototype
- • Demo Video
- • Final Pitch Deck
- • Future Roadmap
Prizes
$15,000+
Cash prizes, credits, mentorship, recognition, and an opportunity to pitch your product in front of founders and venture capitalists.
AI & Future of Work
2 Winners
- Winner — $2,000
- Runner-up — $500
- Plus tech credits and direct entry into VC Pitch Event*
Community & Impact
2 Winners
- Winner — $2,000
- Runner-up — $500
- Plus tech credits and direct entry into VC Pitch Event*
Culture & Identity
2 Winners
- Winner — $2,000
- Runner-up — $500
- Plus tech credits and direct entry into VC Pitch Event*
2026 WINNERS
Celebrating the teams that built for impact.
AI & Future of Work
Hack4Good 2026
Winner
Team Agent X
Runner Up
Team Aqua Pulse
Community & Impact
Hack4Good 2026
Winner
Team Aethrox
Team Ctrl+AI
Team GeoTrader
Runner Up
Team SoundCue
Culture & Identity
Hack4Good 2026
Winner
Team Color IT
Team Auto Minds
Team Payaniga
Runner Up
Team Harbor
LINEUP
Meet Our Judges & Mentors
Judge+Mentor
Dr. Sajjan Shiva
- First Horizon Foundation Distinguished Professor
- University of Memphis
Judge+Mentor
Kiran Kumar
- Senior Vice President
- Greenlight
Judge+Mentor
Balaji Raja
- Senior Director
- Intuit
Judge+Mentor
Aditya Jain
- Executive Director
- JP Morgan Chase
Judge+Mentor
Vidwath Devaraj
- Director
- Morgan Stanley
Judge+Mentor
Prashanth Venkataiah
- CIO/IT Director
- Community Helath Centers of America
Judge
Gadigeppa Tuppad
- Software & Systems Engineer Leader
- Ford Motors
Rules & Eligibility
Clear, ethical, and founder-friendly participation guidelines.
Open to Developers, designers, PMs, founders, analysts, data sceintists, and hackers ready to build with purpose.
Solo participation or teams of up to 5 members.
Projects must align with Hack4Good themes and submit a working prototype in the final phase.
Use of open-source tools, public APIs, AI platforms, and pre-trained models is allowed.
Final Call
Build for good. Pitch for the future.
Join a community of ambitious builders turning ideas into products that matter. Start with an idea. End with a prototype, visibility, and a real shot at investor interest.
*Participation and entry into the VC Pitch Event is solely governed by the organizing committee of the VC Pitch Event. Hackathon winners may choose to opt out of participation, and non-participation will not impact the Hackathon cash prize.
All rules, regulations, guidelines, participation requirements, and prizes of the VC Pitch Event are governed and managed by the VC Pitch Event organizers.
The Hackathon Organizing Committee guarantees only entry eligibility for winners into the VC Pitch Event and is not responsible for final acceptance or selection.