Last updated: June 26, 2026
Engineering and Technology. See subject areas here: https://shadygrove.usmd.edu/about-usg/engineeringtechnologyhub
Health and Life Sciences. See subject areas here: https://shadygrove.usmd.edu/about-usg/healthandlifescienceshub
Public Service, Education and Social Sciences. See subject areas here: https://shadygrove.usmd.edu/about-usg/publicservicehub
Business Enterprise. See subject areas here: https://shadygrove.usmd.edu/about-usg/businessenterprisehub
You will get a chance to tell us the updated title after lunch.
Each team will have approximately 5 minutes to present their solution, followed by questions from the judges.
1. The Challenge & User Need (25 points)
Which challenge track did you select?
What specific problem or opportunity did you identify?
Who experiences this problem?
Why is it important to solve?
2. The Solution (25 points)
Demonstrate your application, website, or prototype.
Explain how it works.
Show how it addresses the identified need.
3. Innovation & Value (20 points)
What makes your solution unique, creative, or different from existing approaches?
Why would someone choose to use it?
What value does it create for users or organizations?
4. Impact & Future Potential (15 points)
What impact would this solution have if implemented?
How could it be expanded or improved with additional time and resources?
What would your next steps be?
5. Responsible Design (5 points)
What ethical, privacy, accessibility, bias, or responsible AI considerations did you address?
6. Presentation & Communication (10 points)
Present your idea clearly and persuasively - you have to win!
Demonstrate professionalism and effective teamwork.
A business presentation is only part of the game. You must also document
Your design choices,
Your starting prompt, and any major improvements in that prompt (save all prompts for later use).
Record competing ideas suggested by AI or by your group mates. You may need to return to them after the Hackathon
Write why you chose the one you are going to present? That thinking will help you sell your idea to the judges.
Challenge & User Need (max 25 points)
Is the problem clearly defined? Does the team demonstrate a strong understanding of the intended users and their needs?
Solution Quality (max 25 points)
Does the prototype effectively address the identified challenge? Is the solution practical and understandable?
Innovation & Value (max 20 points)
Is the idea creative, differentiated, and valuable to its intended audience?
Impact & Future Potential (max 15 points)
Could this solution realistically create a meaningful impact? Does it show promise for future development?
Responsible Design (max 5 points)
Were ethical, privacy, accessibility, or bias considerations thoughtfully addressed?
Presentation & Communication (max 10 points)
Was the idea communicated clearly, professionally, and persuasively?
A. Best Overall Solution: Awarded to the team that demonstrates the strongest combination of problem identification, innovation, practicality, and impact.
B. Most Innovative Concept: Awarded to the team that presents the most creative, original, or unexpected solution. May not be the most practical, but demonstrates exceptional imagination.
C. Best Real-World Potential: Awarded to the team the judges would be most likely to pursue, fund, adopt, or implement. Strong focus on feasibility, usefulness, and future growth.