Southwest MN Hacks: Fall 2026
Southwest Minnesota's student hackathon returns. Two days to build your first app — all skill levels welcome.
Registration closes September 8, 2026.
Beginner Friendly
Open to all skill levels. Mentors and industry professionals are on hand to help you learn.
Build Together
Team up with 1 to 4 people, share skills, and build something real over the weekend.
Prizes & Mentorship
Compete for prizes, learn from mentors, and present what you build to a panel of judges.
What is a Hackathon?
A hackathon is a creative marathon where people come together to build something amazing in a short amount of time. Think of it as a hands-on workshop meets friendly competition.
Participants spend the time designing, coding, and presenting a project: an app, website, hardware prototype, or creative solution to a real problem. Projects are open-ended, and AI tools are welcome and encouraged. Along the way, you learn new skills, meet mentors, and have fun.
Event Details
Registration closes September 8, 2026.
Who Can Participate
Open to high school and college students of all skill levels. Whether this is your first hackathon or your tenth, you belong here.
Under 18? Getting your consent form done is on you. Send the parental consent form to a parent or guardian and make sure they complete it before check-in. You can't check in without it.
Read these before the event
Updated June 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Our Sponsors
Thank you to the partners who make this possible.
Run by the Southwest MN Hacks nonprofit in partnership with Aulden, hosted at SMSU.
Want to sponsor Fall 2026?
Help us support the next generation of student builders in Southwest Minnesota.
Sponsor a Future Event