About the challenge
Southwest MN Hacks: Marshall Edition is Marshall's first-ever student hackathon. A beginner-friendly, 12-hour event where students come together to turn ideas into real projects.
Join us on Saturday, March 21, 2026 (8:00 AM to 8:00 PM) at the Upper Conference Center, Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU), Marshall, MN.
Students from high schools, community colleges, and universities will work in small teams (up to 4 people) to build technology solutions to real-world problems. By the end of the day, teams demo what they built, whether that's a website, mobile app, automation tool, data project, or AI prototype.
No experience necessary. This event is designed for first-time hackers just as much as experienced developers.
Sponsor Challenge: Schwan's Company, our Platinum Sponsor, is providing a real-world business challenge. Details will be announced at the opening ceremony.
What's Included (FREE)
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks throughout the day
- T-shirts and event swag
- Mentorship and technical support from SMSU Computer Science faculty
- Workshops and starter resources
- Plaques and medals for the top 5 teams
Get started
Who Can Participate:
- Ages 14+ (high school, community college, and university students)
- All skill levels welcome, from complete beginners to experienced developers
- Teams of 1 to 4 people (solo participants will be matched with a team)
How to Register: Visit southwestmnhacks.org to register. Registration is free.
Schedule
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 8:00 AM | Opening Ceremony & Welcome |
| 8:30 AM | Team Formation |
| 9:00 AM | Hacking Begins |
| 12:00 PM | Lunch |
| 3:00 PM | Afternoon Snacks |
| 5:00 PM | Submissions Due on Devpost |
| 5:15 PM | Team Demos & Presentations |
| 6:30 PM | Dinner |
| 7:15 PM | Awards Ceremony & Closing |
| 8:00 PM | Event Ends |
Hosted by ETM Software Solutions | southwestmnhacks.org
FAQ
Do I need coding experience?
Not at all! SouthwestMN Hacks is beginner-friendly. We'll have workshops, mentors, and resources to help you get started. No-code and low-code tools are welcome too.
How much does it cost?
Nothing. Completely free! Registration, meals, snacks, t-shirts, and all resources are included.
Do I need a team?
You can register solo and we'll help match you with a team during team formation. Teams can have 1 to 4 members.
What should I bring?
Your laptop, charger, and any devices you want to work with. We provide food, Wi-Fi, power strips, and workspace.
How do I submit my project?
All submissions go through this Devpost page. We'll walk you through the process at the event. Submit before 5:00 PM CT.
Can I use pre-existing code or projects?
You can use open-source libraries and APIs, but your project idea and core implementation must be new, started and built during the hackathon.
Requirements
What to Build
Build a new project that fits one of the two Schwan's sponsor challenges.
You can use any programming language, framework, API, or tool. No-code and low-code solutions are also welcome. The only requirement is that your project must be started and built during the hackathon on March 21, 2026.
You may use open-source libraries, templates, and APIs, but your core project idea and implementation must be original work created during the event.
What to Submit
All projects must be submitted through this Devpost page by 5:00 PM CT on March 21, 2026. Your submission should include:
- Project name and description - Tell us what you built and why.
- Challenge Selection - Which challenge did you choose?
- Project link - A link to your live demo, GitHub repo, or video walkthrough.
- Screenshots or demo video - Show us what your project looks like and how it works.
- Team members - List everyone on your team.
We will walk all participants through the Devpost submission process during the event.
Prizes
1st Place
Engraved plaque + gold medal for each team member. Featured on the Southwest MN Hacks website.
2nd Place
Engraved plaque + medal for each team member.
3rd Place
Engraved plaque + medal for each team member.
4th Place
Engraved plaque + medal for each team member.
5th Place
Engraved plaque + medal for each team member.
Devpost Achievements
Submitting to this hackathon could earn you:
Judges
Dr. Dan Kaiser
Professor of Computer Science & Department Chair, Southwest Minnesota State University
Annamalai Alagappan
Associate Professor of Computer Science, Southwest Minnesota State University
Oluleye Babatunde
Associate Professor of Computer Science, Southwest Minnesota State University
Judging Criteria
-
Innovation & Creativity | 25%
How original and creative is the idea? Does it offer a fresh approach to the problem? -
Impact & Usefulness | 25%
Does the project solve a real problem? Would people actually use this? How meaningful is the impact for the community, students, or businesses? -
Technical Execution | 20%
Does the project work? Is it functional for a 12-hour build? We value effort and learning, not just code quality. -
Presentation & Demo | 20%
Can the team clearly explain what they built, why it matters, and how it works? -
Completion | 10%
Did the team finish a working prototype? We reward teams that ship something, even if it's simple.
Questions? Email the hackathon manager
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