Best Overall
The project that makes the whole room quiet down.
November 8–15, 2026 · Online · 100% free
ICE
HACKS
2026 Edition
A week online for high schoolers to build something that actually runs — software, hardware, or the weird idea in between.
Live countdown to opening
00days
00hours
00mins
00secs
Online · software, hardware, anything · 200+ hackers
8 days · $10K in prizes · all skill levels
0+HACKERS
0DAYS
$0KPRIZES
0%FREE
About the event
Eight days on the ice,
and something that runs.
Ice Hacks is a free, online hackathon for high schoolers. You show up on November 8 with an idea, or with nothing at all, and you leave on November 15 with a working project and a demo.
Built for first-timers
Workshops start from absolute zero, mentors stay around all week, and you do not need a single line of code to apply.
Everything is covered
Entry is free. Software, hardware, design, weird ideas — if it can freeze, it can ship.
Judged by people who build
Mentors and judges who actually make things. The feedback is the prize most people remember.
Project tracks
Five categories,
five sets of prizes.
Build whatever you want. These are just the buckets we hand trophies out of.
Best First Hack
Only open to people at their first hackathon. Ever.
AI & Machine Learning
Models, agents, and things that think a little.
Social Impact
Something your own community would actually use.
Design & Craft
The one that looks and feels unreasonably good.
The week
Eight days.
Opening + workshops
Check in, hear the rules, then we start.
Team formation
Show up solo or with friends. Teams are 1–4.
Hacking begins
The freeze starts. Build anything you want.
Build week
Workshops, mentors, and late-night hacking.
Submissions
Last push, then everything gets locked.
Demos + awards
Show it off, then we close the ice.
Questions
Frequently asked.
What is a hackathon?
A week where you build something from scratch with a small team, then show it off. There is no exam, no grade, and nothing to lose. Most people come in with no idea what they are making and leave with a thing that works.
Who can come?
Any high school student. You do not need to be from a particular school, district, or club. You do not need a team either.
What if I have never written code?
Then you are exactly who we built this for. Workshops start from zero, mentors are around all week, and Best First Hack is a prize only first-timers can win.
What does it cost?
Nothing. Entry is free. You need a laptop, a charger, and decent internet.
Do I need a team or an idea?
No to both. There is team formation after opening ceremony on Nov 8, and teams are up to four people. Plenty of people show up alone.
Sponsors
The people who keep
the ice frozen.
Gold
Silver
In-kind