Hackathon in Numbers
300 +
registrations
135
offline participants
2
challenges
55 hours
of mentoring
42
projects submitted
6
winning teams
INTRODUCTION
The GDE MIT Minds & Machines Hackathon is where ideas meet real-world impact. On February 27–28, 2026, more than 100 participants will gather at Gábor Dénes Egyetem (Budapest) for an intensive 30-hour innovation sprint. Over two action-packed days, developers, designers, engineers, and creators will team up to build AI-powered solutions that push boundaries – and compete for a 13,000 EUR plus valuable tech gadgets.
The event is organized by GDE MIT – Gábor Dénes Egyetem Mesterséges Intelligencia Tudásközpont, and it’s designed for both seasoned hackers and first-time participants. With a vibrant atmosphere, mentor support, chill zones, and plenty of fun activities, Minds & Machines is more than a hackathon – it’s a community.
WHAT’S OUR GOAL?
Our mission is simple: create solutions that matter. We’re looking for innovative, realistic and sustainable ideas that tackle existing problems defined by GDE MIT. Over the course of 30 hours, participants will prototype and present their ideas in front of a jury of experts.
CHALLENGES
One of the essential parts of a hackathon is the timing of the challenge publication. In the name of hackathon spirit, we are sharing the challenges a few days prior the event, so every attendee has equal time to choose one and come up with an innovative solution.
So if you do not wanna miss them, stay tuned and watch the website’s updates!
HOW IT WORKS
Teams will form on site or beforehand and work on their solutions during the hackathon. You’ll have access to:
- A fully equipped hackathon space with dedicated workstations, mentoring rooms, and chill zones.
- Expert mentors who’ll guide your technical and conceptual work.
- A jury of industry and academic experts will evaluate based on innovation, execution, and presentation.
You’ll submit your project via Devpost, present it in front of the jury, and if you make it to the finals, pitch live on stage during the closing ceremony.
PRIZES
We reward bold ideas and great execution:
6,000 €
for grand winner
3,000 €
for each of the two challenge winner teams
1,000 €
for audience award
The top 3 teams per challenge will advance to the finals. Finalists will present their solutions live to determine the Grand Winner.
WHO CAN JOIN
- Open to participants 18–28 years old, students or young professionals in IT or related fields
- International applicants welcome
- Minimum age: 18, with a valid Hungarian tax ID
- Preferred: team applications (teams are less likely to drop out)
Registration platform: Devpost
Registration period: November 3, 2025 – February 23, 2026 (first come, first served).
WHY JOIN
Network & community
Meet like-minded innovators from around the globe, showcase your ideas, and compete for major prizes and recognition.
Impact
Tackle meaningful projects that shape the future of AI and make an impact in one of the world’s most important industries.
Experience
Gain hands-on experience, guidance from mentors, and insights from industry experts to level up your skills.
GAME RULES
1. Submission process
All teams must submit their project on Devpost before the official deadline.
A valid submission includes:
- A GitHub repository (public source code)
- A project description
- A minimum 4–5 slide presentation
- A maximum 2-minute YouTube video demo
Draft submission deadline: Friday, February 27, 20:00
Final submission deadline: Saturday, February 28, 11:00
2. Evaluation process
Projects are evaluated by a professional jury delegated by GDE MIT.
Evaluation criteria include:
Innovation – originality and creativity of the idea
Execution – functionality, design, and technical quality
Impact – usefulness and potential real-world application
Presentation – clarity and persuasiveness of the pitch
Each challenge will have its own jury panel (3–4 members) selecting one Challenge Winner.
The top 3 teams per challenge advance to the finals and pitch live during the closing ceremony.
A Grand Winner is selected from among the finalists.
Optionally, participants can vote for an Audience Award on Devpost.
3. Prizes
In the Education Challenge, the 1st place team will receive €3,000, the 2nd place team members will each receive an Apple Watch Series 10, and the 3rd place team members will each win a Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ tablet.
In the Healthcare Challenge, the 1st place team will receive €3,000, the 2nd place team members will each receive a pair of Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses (Gen 2), and the 3rd place team members will each win a pair of Bose Ultra Open Earbuds.
Beyond the individual challenge categories, the overall Grand Winner – selected from the six finalist teams – will take home an additional €6,000 prize.
Audience Award, voted on by participants through Devpost, will grant an extra €1,000 to the team that wins the community’s vote.
4. Platforms Used
Devpost – registration, submissions, and community voting
Slack – main communication channel for announcements and Q&A
Zoom – for booking mentoring sessions
Microsoft Azure – Azure tokens provided for development and deployment during the hackathon
AGENDA
Friday, Feb 27
12:00 – 13:00: Registration
13:00 – 14:00: Opening ceremony
14:00 – 18:00: Mentoring sessions
17:00 – 18:00: Team building game
18:00 – 19:00: Dinner
20:00: Deadline for choosing challenge
Saturday, Feb 28
08:30 – 09:30: Breakfast
11:00: Final submission deadline
11:00 – 13:00: Audience Award voting
12:00 – 13:00: Lunch
14:00: Announcement of the finalists
14:30 – 15:30: Pitches of the finalist teams
16:00 – 16:30: Closing ceremony
Throughout the event: mentoring, games, chill room, fun activities to keep the energy high.
