Cornell University's

Oldest and Largest Hackathon

September 20-22, 2019

BigRed//Hacks 2020 is delayed until spring.

Go check out IvyHacks!

Oct 1-4, 2020

Who we are

BigRed//Hacks is the oldest student-run, large-scale hackathon at Cornell University.

Across three days, Cornell and non-Cornell students alike gather to build the coolest and most innovative projects, meet amazing people, and win some prizes along the way!

Interested?

Join our email list to get the first scoop on upcoming events!

First Name *

Last Name *

Email Address *

Event Schedule

September 20th

Time	Event
3:00pm	Check In Begins (Call Auditorium)
4:00pm	All Buses Arrive
6:00pm	Opening Ceremony (Call Auditorium)
7:30pm	Dinner (PSB)
8:00pm	Hacking Begins	Team Formation
9:00pm	Wayfair API Demo (PSB 120)
10:00pm	IBM API Demo (PSB 120)
11:00pm	Google Cloud API Demo (PSB 120)

September 21st

Time	Event
12:00am	Insomnia Cookies
8:00am	Breakfast
9:30am	Hiking @ Beebe Lake
11:00am	Bloomberg Demo
12:00pm	Lunch
1:00pm	Happy 5th Birthday, BigRed//Hacks!
2:00pm	Wayfair Demo
4:00pm	Dog Petting (Arts Quad)
5:30pm	Shirt Giveaway
6:00pm	Cup Stacking
7:00pm	Dinner
9:00pm	Bowling (Helen Newman)
11:00pm	MLH Mini Event: Werewolf

September 22nd

Time	Event
12:00am	Stargazing
1:00am	Ice Cream!
8:00am	Hacking Ends	Breakfast
9:30am	Project Expo (Open to Public)
11:30am	Lunch
12:30pm	Closing Ceremony + Prizes (Call Auditorium)
2:00pm	Pack Up + Goodbyes
2:00pm	Buses Leave (Call Auditorium)

Unless noted otherwise, all events are in the Physical Sciences Building (PSB)

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is eligible to participate?

We are inviting all undergraduate and graduate students to participate in our hackathon. You don't need any past experience. You don't even need to be a computer science major! Our only requirement is that you are at least 18 years old and enrolled in an accredited college or university.

What will I need to bring?

Bring your school ID for registration. You are also responsible for bringing any equipment for building and demoing your hack: laptop, chargers, phones, etc. You may also want to bring a sleeping bag, change of clothes, and toothbrush.

Do I have to sign up with a team?

You don't have to sign up with a team, but it's certainly more fun! We allow teams of up to four people (they don't have to be from the same school), and while they can be specified on the application, you won't officially create your team until the event. If you don't have a team yet, we'll host a social before the hacking begins for you to meet other amazing people.

Are you providing food?

Don't worry, there will be lots of delicious food and beverages at our event, complimentary to all participants. We'll have vegetarian options as well.

Are hardware hacks allowed?

We will be providing a dedicated hardware lab with sensors, microcontrollers, and basic components. Some of our sponsors are bringing hardware to loan, but we still suggest that you bring your own equipment if you know that you'll absolutely need it.

What are the rules?

We want BigRed//Hacks to be fun and fair for everyone. Your project should be started from scratch and worked on only during the 36 hours, and you may only incorporate outside resources (code, graphics, sound, etc) that are freely licensed and accessible to all participants equally. Of course, maintain a positive, respectful attitude toward your fellow hackers throughout the event.

Why is there an application?

We want to guarantee that students from a wide range of schools and experiences are given an equal and fair chance to participate. Furthermore, we hope that the process will encourage registrants to be committed to building something awesome. Even if you've never been to a hackathon before, please apply!

How does travel reimbursement work?

At this time, we are unsure about how much travel reimbursement we will be able to offer. We currently have bus routes for the following schools: Buffalo, RIT, Princeton, Rutgers, and Binghamton. Depending on our budget and interest from other schools, we may be able to send out more buses! If your school is not listed, pease message us at [email protected] about travel reimbursement, and we will see what we can do on a case-by-case basis. In the past, we have capped reimbursement at $200 per person. Thank you!

Have more questions?

Send them to [email protected]!