NextGen Hackathon

Presenting The NextGen Hackathon, an exciting innovation marathon organized by the ACM Fremont Chapter in association with the Soft Computing Research Societyon on September 20-21, 2025..

This hackathon is a dynamic platform where students, professionals, and tech enthusiasts come together to brainstorm, build, and showcase cutting-edge solutions to real-world challenges. Whether you’re a seasoned coder, a design prodigy, or a curious beginner, the event offers a collaborative space to learn new skills, experiment with emerging technologies, and network with like-minded innovators.

This is your chance to turn your bold ideas into impactful prototypes. Guided by mentors and industry experts, you will tackle significant problems, push the boundaries of technology, and help pave the way for the next generation of problem-solvers. Join us to innovate, build, and make a difference!

Hackathon Themes:

Participants are challenged to build innovative solutions in one of the following domains. You are free to identify a specific problem within your chosen theme.

1. AI for Social Good
2. GreenTech & Climate Action
3. Web 3.0 & Decentralized Applications
4. Future of Mobility
5. Cybersecurity for the future and more

Eligibility:

• This competition is open to all university students (undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral), working professionals, and technology enthusiasts.
• There are no age or educational background restrictions. We welcome participants from Engineering, Design, Business, Sciences, and all other fields.

Team Formation:

• Participants must form teams of 2 - 4 members.
• Inter-college/Inter-organization team members are allowed and highly encouraged.
• Inter-specialization team members are highly encouraged. A diverse team with developers, designers, and business strategists often creates the most well-rounded solutions.
• Lone wolves are not allowed; participation is strictly team-based.

Competition Format & Rounds:

The hackathon will be conducted entirely online in two major rounds:

Round 1: Idea Submission

• Format: Teams must submit a 2-page PDF document outlining their proposed solution. The document should include:
• The problem you are solving and your chosen theme.
• A clear description of your proposed solution and its unique features.
• The proposed technology stack.
• The potential real-world impact and feasibility of your idea.
• Judging: Submissions will be evaluated based on innovation, clarity, feasibility, and potential impact. Shortlisted teams will advance to the Final Prototype Round.

Round 2: Prototype Development & Final Presentation

• Format: Shortlisted teams will build a functional prototype or a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) of their solution.
• Grand Finale: The top teams will be invited to present their solutions live (virtually) to a distinguished panel of judges from industry and academia.

Rules & Regulations:

1. Code of Conduct: All participants must maintain a professional and respectful environment. Harassment or any form of misconduct will result in immediate disqualification.
2. Originality: All work must be the original creation of the team. Ideas and code should be developed during the hackathon. Using pre-existing projects is strictly prohibited.
3. Open Source: The use of open-source libraries, frameworks, and public APIs is permitted and encouraged. You must declare all such components in your final submission.
4. Intellectual Property (IP): Your team will retain full ownership of what you build. By participating, you grant the organizers the right to showcase your project for promotional and non-commercial purposes.
5. Submission Deadlines: All deadlines are final. Late submissions will not be considered for evaluation.
6. Judging: The decision of the judging panel is final and binding. The judging criteria will include:
• Innovation & Creativity: How original and novel is the solution?
• Impact & Relevance: How effectively does it address a real-world problem?
• Technical Implementation: The quality, functionality, and elegance of the code.
• User Experience (UX/UI): How intuitive and well-designed is the final product?
• Presentation: Clarity and persuasiveness of your final pitch.
7. The organizers reserve the right to modify any rules or timelines. All changes will be communicated clearly to the participants.

Rewards & Prizes:

• Winner: $1000
• First Runner-Up: $500
• Second Runner-Up: $250
• All finalists will receive Certificates of Recognition
• Certificate of Participation for all teams that successfully complete Round 1 submission

Have questions?

Feel free to reach out to us at secretary@scrs.in