Join 100 students from all around Ottawa and build something incredible in just 26 hours.

Whether you’re joining us from across the city or just around the corner, Liftoff is all about bringing high school innovators like you together for a memorable hackathon experience.

MISSION STATEMENT:

It’s the year 3000, and interstellar travel has become a reality. However, voyages take centuries, and some passengers will be born in transit. Many will never see Earth again. Your mission is to design technology that helps humans remember, create, connect, and grow while traveling between the stars.

Requirements

Submission Rules

  • Submissions may not be submitted to multiple hackathons.

  • Submissions must include all design assets and source code created at Liftoff (e.g. via a link to your GitHub repository).

  • The project must reasonably fit the prompt of the hackathon, shown above.
  • Include pictures and perhaps videos for the judges to see. Make sure to spend time on each section, and be honest!
  • Indicate EVERY track you would like to go for during submission. 
  • 100% of your team must be first-time hackers to be eligble for the beginner category, only put either beginner or overall, not both. Beginner teams can choose to apply overall, but not the other way around.

Hackathon Sponsors

Prizes

4 non-cash prizes
Liftoff General Winners
2 winners

The 2 top projects of the entire hackathon! You will win:

1st Place: (4x) 4K Camera Drone

2nd Place: (4x) Smart Glasses

Best Beginner Hack
2 winners

The top 2 projects of beginner hackers! ALL members of your team must be a beginner hacker to qualify!

1st Place: (4x) Wacom Drawing Tablet

2nd Place: (4x) RBG Bluetooth Speaker & Wireless Phone Charger

Winner of "Life in the Stars"
1 winner

Living in space isn't easy. Build a practical tool that makes everyday life on a spaceship easier, more organized, or more efficient.

The top entertainment project will win:

1st: (4x) Bluetooth Sleeping Masks

Winner of "Beyond Language"
1 winner

Design something language-independent that can be enjoyed or used by aliens. (i.e. a game with only symbols)

1st: (4x) Mini Vacuum Desk Cleaner

Devpost Achievements

Submitting to this hackathon could earn you:

Judges

Daw Da

Daw Da
CS @ University of Waterloo

Lucas Jin

Lucas Jin
CS @ University of Waterloo

Akshayaa Pandiyan

Akshayaa Pandiyan
Senior Software Developer @ Nokia (PhD in Electrical Engineering)

Zanna Sowka

Zanna Sowka
UX & Product Designer @ Nokia

Jordan Lu

Jordan Lu
Senior Software Developer @ Nokia

Jenny Lin

Jenny Lin
Software Developer @ Thales

Alexandre Hassan

Alexandre Hassan
Automation Developer @ Nokia

Ismail Ahmed

Ismail Ahmed
DevOps Engineer @ Nokia

Judging Criteria

  • Innovation, Theme, & Creativity (25%)
    How original is the idea? / Does the project solve a unique or previously overlooked problem? / How on theme is the project?
  • Functionality (25%)
    Does the project work as intended? / Are there any bugs or limitations?
  • Impact & Usefulness (20%)
    How practical or impactful is the project in solving real-world problems? / Can this idea be scaled or improved further?
  • Presentation & Pitch (15%)
    Was the project explained clearly and effectively? / Does the demo showcase the value and functionality of the project?
  • Technical Difficulty (15%)
    How complex is the solution? / Does the implementation demonstrate technical expertise?

Questions? Email the hackathon manager

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