October 13-14, 2023 + In-Person
Broward College – Central Campus, Building 13
Countdown to PlutoHacks
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What’s our hackathon all about?
PlutoHacks is a 24 hour in-person event where hackers will take a trip through the different stages of growth- from beginner, to expert, and everything in between. We give you the tools to build something great and the space to learn, iterate and evolve your idea. Our event will bring together people of all different backgrounds to learn and grow their skills, collaborate and make something awesome.
We all start from somewhere. You might start out thinking you’re dwarf planet, but after this event, you’ll realize that you’re a whole other planet. We want you to learn something new, achieve something you’ve never done before, and make awesome ideas happen! We are here for the creators, thinkers, and doers of this world.
Join our Hackathon as a…
Hacker
Mentor
Sponsor
Volunteer
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a "hackathon"?
A hackathon is a common event hosted by companies or schools where students come together to collaborate on a project. You can create a web project, prototype, mobile app, game, or even a hardware project. You can think of it as a coding marathon. Anything can be built. There are usually categories or “tracks” in a hackathon that can help you scope your project to a problem that needs to be solved.
Where and when is PlutoHacks?
Our hackathon will be happening from October 13 to October 14, 2023. This hackathon is open to all students in the United States, but in-person participation is required.
Is there a theme for this hackathon?
Every year we have different categories and challenges for the hackathon. You will find out about them during the opening ceremony. All of the challenges will be documented in our Devpost page, which will go live during the opening ceremony.
What are the categories/prizes?
All of the categories and prizes will be announced during the opening ceremony.
How can I become a sponsor?
If you are interested in sponsoring our event, please check out this page, and fill out the application at the bottom!
How much experience do I need?
You don’t need any experience to participate in our hackathon. We welcome students of all skill levels and academic backgrounds. We will have workshops prior to and during the hackathon as well as mentors available to provide help and guidance with your project.
All hackathon teams look different. You can be a programmer, a graphic expert, or even just someone with an idea!
How many hackers does PlutoHacks usually have?
What do I need to bring?
We recommend bringing your own laptop. If you do not have your own device, you may use our limited supply of laptops. We highly recommend using your own device, that way you don’t need to wait to install any software. Since this is a 24 hour hackathon, we also suggest bringing hygiene products, feminine products, blankets, or whatever reasonable item you need to be comfortable here!
Will we get swag?
You will get a swag package when you check in. Please make sure to input your correct T-Shirt size when filling out the registration form!
What about food?
We will be serving food throughout the event- free of cost! Our wonderful sponsors handle the expenses for breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinner!
How much does it cost?
Nothing! PlutoHacks is a free event for all those that wish to participate! Everything is funded by our sponsors.
How can I prepare for the hackathon?
We have created a hacker guide for all hackers. It will be available upon your registration acceptance.
Prior to the hackathon, we will also be having workshops on a variety of different topics that can help prepare you for the event. These workshops will be virtual and recorded.
What time do we start hacking?
You can visit our schedule here.
We will have an opening ceremony and closing ceremony, and there will be workshops and mini-events that will happen throughout the day.
Do I need to have a group?
You can either work solo or in a team. If you are working in a team, teams can have no more than four members. You can create or join teams prior to the hackathon, but we will also have a team formation session during the hackathon.
We do not force the creation of teams according to skill. We encourage you to make use of our #team-formation channel in our Discord server.
Who can attend PlutoHacks?
Our face-to-face event is eligible to all students (undergraduate and below) in the United States who attend in person. You must currently be a student or have graduated within a year. If you are under 18, you will have to fill out a waiver form when you register.
Only registered hackers can attend—no guests are allowed.
Can I start later on in the hackathon?
Life happens— come when you can and join a team! It’s all about learning and enjoying the experience.
Where can I see past submissions?
We have recorded all of our 2021 & 2022 winning submissions on these pages 2021 highlights & 2022 highlights! You can also see all of the submissions in the 2021 & 2022 Devpost.
Can I submit old projects?
No. All submissions must be original creations that were made during the timeframe of our event. You can not post any projects that were made prior to the hackathon. We do not allow cross submissions. We do check for this, so if you don’t follow these rules we will not consider your submission.
Can I use a boilerplate?
Yes. A boilerplate is essentially a starter project that can be generated from different libraries or frameworks. As long as your project doesn’t center around the boilerplate, you may use them. Use caution when using boilerplates, as judges can disqualify your project.
Who can I reach out to with questions?
You can reach us at computer-science@broward.edu or you can reach out to an organizer on our Discord server by tagging @organizer.
How do I use Discord?
Since Discord is where we hold all communication, you should familiarize yourself with the platform. Visit this link to get a basic understanding of how Discord works!
Schedule
Take a look at our schedule during the hackathon.
Note: The schedule is subject to change!
Hackathon Schedule
Friday, October 13
12:00 PM – Check-in + Lunch
1:00 PM - Opening Ceremony
During the opening ceremony, PlutoHacks will be officially introduced and the prizes and categories will be announced!
2:00 PM – Hacking Starts!
3 PM - 6 PM Events
6:00 PM – Dinner
7 PM - 12 AM Events
11:45 PM – Midnight-ish Pizza
Saturday, October 14
12 AM - 9 AM Events
7:30 AM – Breakfast
11:30 AM – Lunch
2:00 PM - Submission Deadline
2:30 PM – Judging Presentation
3:30 PM – Deliberation Begins
4:30 PM – Closing Ceremony
Sponsors
All of the funding for our hackathon is thanks to the following sponsors!
Organized By
Follow us on social media for updates!
About Submissions
All submissions must be original creations that were made during the timeframe of our event. You can not post any projects that were made prior to the hackathon. We do not allow cross submissions. We do check for this, so if you don’t follow these rules we will not consider your submission.
Our submission platform will happen through Devpost. We encourage you to create an account for the time being until we release our Devpost community for 2023.
You can use any technologies you would like to use for your project. There are no restrictions on the technologies, frameworks, or libraries you can use.
Submission requirements:
- GitHub link (if applicable)
- Demo video (no longer than 3 minutes)
- Devpost submission
After you submit your projects online, all the teams will gather and present their projects to judges. It will be similar to the format of a Science Fair, where you will present your project more than once to different judges that pass by.
Events | 3 PM – 6 PM
Below are our events that are happening during the hackathon from 3 PM to 6 PM EST. There are workshops, panels, challenges, and other events of all sorts happening during this time.
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Agile Workshop | Room 130 + Virtual
Learn about Agile and how you can incorporate this project management mindset into your project!
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
XR/Unity Workshop | Room 130 + Virtual
Curious about the world of immersive technologies? Join this workshop to learn about extended reality and how you can contribute using the Unity engine!
Sponsor Fair | Main Hallway
Come here to network with our sponsors and partners!
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Digital Accessibility Workshop | Room 130 + Virtual
Learn how digital creators can make the web and other digital spaces better by understanding the impact accessibility can make on users.
Sponsor Fair | Main Hallway
Come here to network with our sponsors and partners!
Events | 7 PM – 11 PM
7:00 PM – 7:50 PM
Women in Tech Panel | Room 105
8:00 PM – 8:50 PM
How to Use APIs | Room 105
Got a specific thing you want your app to do? There might be an API that can take care of that for you! Learn about how you can integrate APIs in your project!
9:00 PM – 9:50 PM
Cybersecurity Panel | Room 105
To be announced…
10:00 PM – 10:50 PM
How to Present | Room 105
Learn how to present your projects from an industry professional!
Events | 12 AM – 9 AM
12:00 AM – 1:00 AM
● Midnight Karaoke | Room 130
2:00 AM – 3:00 AM
● Cup Stacking Challenge | Main Hallway
4:00 AM – 5:00 AM
● The Great Rock Challenge | Main Hallway
6:00 AM – 6:45 AM
● Oreo Challenge | Main Hallway
7:00 AM – 7:30 AM
Sunrise Yoga | Outside - Back Entrance
Spending too much time staring at the screen? Maybe now is the time to wind down, go outside and stretch your muscles with some good ole’ yoga.
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
How to Submit Your Project | Virtual
Join this session if you need help putting together your project submission! We will guide you from point A to point B on the submission process.