1. Team Composition
- Team Size: Teams may consist of 1–5 members.
- Single Team Membership: Each participant can only be part of one team.
- Student-Only Track: All members must be full-time enrolled students at a university/accredited educational institution.
- Mixed Teams: If a team includes both students and industry professionals (non-full-time students), it will be considered for the community track (Track 6) and will not qualify for the student-only track.
2. Originality & Ownership
- Original Work: Projects must be created solely by the submitting team.
- Open-Source Libraries: You may include open-source libraries or frameworks but must credit them appropriately.
- Pre-existing Code: Code previously written for other projects is not allowed unless it is openly licensed and was publicly documented before the hackathon began.
3. Theme & Scope
- Relevance: Submissions must address the hackathon’s specified theme and the corresponding challenge prompt.
- Out-of-Scope Projects: Projects that do not align with the theme may be disqualified or judged separately.
4. Submission Requirements
- GitHub Repository: All code and artifacts must be hosted on GitHub. Prior to prize distribution, the organizing team will ensure the code used has been created during the hackathon.
- Repository Link: Provide a link to your GitHub repository in your final submission.
- Build/Setup Instructions: Include clear instructions (e.g., a README.md) on how to build and run your project.
- Project Description: Offer a brief overview of your solution’s objectives, key features, and tools/technologies used.
- Demo: If applicable, include a short demo video or presentation slides demonstrating your project’s functionality.
5. Logistics & Schedule
- Venue & Tracks:
- Student Tracks: Lakeside Expo Center
- Community Track: Lakeside Pavilion
- Opening Time (Day 1, Saturday, February 6, 2027):
- Overnight Arrangements:
- The venue closes at 8:00 PM on Saturday. All participants must leave by that time.
- Hacking resumes on Sunday, February 7th at 8:00 AM when the venue reopens.
- Amenities:
- Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and refreshments will be provided.
- Additional Food: The on-site Food Court is open for any extra purchases.
- Wi-Fi Access: Connect via CanesGuest.
- Registration Deadline: Teams must finalize their members by [deadline for finalizing team composition].
Day 1 (Saturday, February 6th, 2027) – *All times are in EST
- 8:00 AM – Venue Opens & Registration
- 9:00 AM – Dean’s Welcome
- 9:10 AM – Opening Remarks by Guest Speaker
- 9:30 AM – Challenge Prompts Distributed and Available
- 10:30 AM – Team Finalization Deadline
- 10:30 AM – Technical Workshop
- 11:15 AM – Hacking in Progress
- 12:00 PM – Lunch
- 1:00 PM – Hacking Continues
- 3:00 PM – Guest Session
- 3:45 PM – Hacking Continues
- 6:30 PM – Scaling AI Startups Panel
- 7:45 PM – First-Day Wrap-Up
- 8:00 PM – Venue Closes (all participants must exit)
Day 2 (Sunday, February 7th)
- 8:00 AM – Venue Reopens & Hacking Resumes
- 9:00 AM – Breakfast
- 10:30 AM – Check-In Sessions (Organizers will meet with teams)
- 12:00 PM – Final Preparation for Submission
- 1:00 PM – Lunch & Final Submission Deadline
- 2:00 – 4:00 PM – Judges’ Evaluations & Presentations
- 5:00 PM – Final Results & Closing Remarks
- 6:00 PM – Adjournment
6. Communications
- Official Channels:
- Announcements will be made primarily via Whatsapp Channels and via Hackathon@miami.edu email ID
- Urgent updates may also be posted around the venue or sent via email.
7. Liability & Insurance
- Equipment & Personal Items: Participants are responsible for their own devices and personal belongings. The organizers are not liable for loss or damage.
- Liability Waivers: Participants may be required to sign a waiver covering personal injury, equipment damage, or other relevant matters, as specified by the event’s terms.
8. Dispute Resolution & Enforcement
- Complaints & Disputes: Participants should direct any formal complaints or issues to hackathon@miami.edu or they can reach out to the Organizing Committee members at the Event.
- Penalties for Misconduct:
- Minor offenses typically result in a warning; repeated or serious violations can lead to disqualification and expulsion.
- Organizers reserve the right to enforce additional sanctions as necessary, up to a permanent ban from future events and reporting to law enforcement (UM Police Department).
9. Deadline & Format
- Submission Deadline: All entries must be received by Feb 7th Sunday 1:00 PM.
- Late Submissions: Late entries will not be accepted unless an official extension is announced.
10. Presentation
- Functional Demo: Teams must be prepared to present a working demo of their solution.
- Preferred Format: Live demos are encouraged. If a live demo is not feasible, a recorded demo video is acceptable.
- Q&A: Judges may ask questions regarding any aspect of your project.
11. Final Presentation Format
- Pitch Guidelines:
- Presentations must be limited to [3–5 minutes], with additional time for Q&A.
- Address the problem statement, solution approach, key features, and impact.
12. Judging Criteria
- Innovation & Creativity: Is the idea unique or does it solve an existing problem in a novel way?
- Technical Execution: How well is the project implemented? Is the codebase well structured and maintainable?
- Impact & Usefulness: Does it effectively address a real user need or problem?
- Presentation & Clarity: Are the project’s goals and functionalities communicated effectively?
- Solve for Miami: Does the solution contribute to solving a problem specific to Miami?
13. Compliance & Conduct
- Content Restrictions: Submissions must not include offensive, defamatory, or plagiarized material.
- Code of Conduct: All participants must adhere to the hackathon’s Code of Conduct and demonstrate respect toward others.
- Disqualification: Non-compliance with these rules or the Code of Conduct may lead to disqualification.
14. Intellectual Property Rights
- Ownership: Teams retain ownership of their projects unless otherwise specified by event organizers.
- Promotional Use: By submitting, participants grant the organizers permission to showcase their project in promotional materials (if applicable).
