Builder Guide

HackerSquad AI Remote Hackathon — Start Here

Welcome to the HackerSquad AI Remote Hackathon! Build a working AI project, share your progress, and submit it for a chance to win prizes.

Start by joining our Discord and getting involved. Discord is our main community hub for event information, organizer announcements, questions, finding teammates, and sharing what you’re building.

Join the HackerSquad Discord

1. Register and join the community

Register on Luma.

Every participant must register individually and receive approval, including every member of a team.

After registering, join Discord and introduce yourself. Tell the community:

• Your background and what you enjoy building.
• Your project idea or an area you want to explore.
• Whether you are looking for teammates.
• What skills you can contribute or where you could use help.

Please participate throughout the Hackathon: ask questions, help other builders, share progress, and check organizer updates regularly.

2. Know the key dates

All Pacific times use PST, UTC−8.

The submission deadline is November 16, 2026, at 07:59 UTC.

Results may remain provisional while eligibility and prize verification are completed.

3. Choose your team and project

You can participate solo or in a team of up to four people. Each person may join one competing team, and each team may submit one project.

Use Discord to meet potential teammates and discuss ideas.

Your project must use AI meaningfully. You could build:

• An agent that completes a useful workflow.
• A tool that helps developers work more effectively.
• An application for research, learning, or everyday tasks.
• A creative tool using images, video, voice, or music.
• Another AI-powered project that solves a clear problem.

Choose a manageable scope and focus on getting the core workflow working.

Existing projects are allowed, but you must clearly explain what existed before the Hackathon and what you built during it. Judges evaluate the work completed during the event.

AI coding assistants, APIs, libraries, templates, and no-code tools are welcome.

4. Read the rules and submission guide

Review the Official Rules and Submission & Judging Guide before building. Check Discord for organizer-shared resources and ask if you cannot find something.

A few essentials:

• Participants must be at least 18 or the age of majority where they reside, whichever is greater.
• Every team member must accept the Official Rules.
• Your project must demonstrate working functionality.
• Your Git repository must be public.
• Your demo video must be no longer than three minutes.
• Credit third-party work and disclose material outside assistance.
• Never publish API keys, credentials, confidential information, or unauthorized personal data.

The Official Rules govern eligibility, prizes, and participant rights.

5. Build in the community

Keep Discord part of your building process.

Share an early idea, a screenshot, a short demo, or a useful lesson. Ask specific questions when you get stuck, and offer feedback when another team shares its work.

When asking for technical help, explain:

• What you are trying to do.
• What you expected to happen.
• What happened instead.
• What you have already tried.

Check Discord regularly for more information and organizer announcements as the Hackathon progresses.

6. Prepare and submit your project

Open the HackerSquad submission page.

Your submission needs:

• Project name, description, and team roster.
• The problem you are solving and how your project uses AI.
• A demo video of up to three minutes.
• A public Git repository URL and exact submission commit SHA.
• A working app link or clear setup and run instructions.
• Disclosures of prior work, major tools, third-party components, and material outside assistance.

Test your links before submitting. Make sure judges can access the repository, watch the video, and evaluate the core functionality without purchasing a product.

Submit through HackerSquad by November 15, 2026, at 11:59 PM PST. Sharing your project in Discord does not replace the official submission.

7. Understand judging and prizes

Judges evaluate:

Prizes are awarded per winning entry:

• First place: US$500
• Second place: US$250
• Third place: US$100

Show what works, explain your contribution, and be honest about limitations. See the Official Rules for prize conditions.

Need help?

Start in Discord for event information, general questions, teammate introductions, and community discussion.

For private account, eligibility, submission, or security concerns, contact inquiry@hackersquad.io.