We hope that Pearl Hacks will help women and non-binary individuals of all skill levels realize their true value within tech, invigorate their educational journeys, and inspire one another to continue dreaming and achieving amazing things.

Requirements

Max 4 people per team
Original code/work
- Boilerplate code may be used, but you must cite your source(s)
  - Eligible sources consist of code from open-source tutorials and code given to hackers through sponsor workshops
- All code and/or other materials must have been written or produced within the time frame of the hacking period
No cross-hackathon submissions allowed
- You may not submit your Pearl Hacks project to another hackathon, or vice versa!
Late submissions will not be considered for prize judging, but may still be demo-ed at the fair

Prizes

$2,710 in prizes

Pearl Hacks (3)

Members of teams who win this prize can individually choose which prize option they want. First place winners can choose between a 23.8-inch HP IPS LED Monitor, Nintendo Switch Lite, FitBit Versa Lite, or a Oculus Quest 2 Headset. Second place winners can choose between a JBL Wireless Bluetooth Speaker, Polaroid Go Camera Bundle, Jayless Wireless Earbuds, or a Canabit Raspberry Pi Starter Kit. Third place winners can choose between a Logitech Wireless Keyboard + Mouse Combo, an Amazon Echo Dot, or an Arduino Starter Kit. All winners will receive a MLH enamel pin as well!

BCG-X: "Most Xciting Build"

This prize will be awarded to the team with the most Xciting, Xtra build! Winners will receive a pair of Apple AirPods.

Qorvo: "Highest STEM-Interest Inclusivity Hack" (2)

Qorvo is committed to nurturing STEM-interest with the highest possible level of inclusivity. We are seeking a hack that furthers this goal and will be looking for projects that are innovative, easy-to use, and, if possible, extensible. First place winners will receive iPads and runner-ups will receive FitBits!

Genesys: "Best Improvement of Customer Experience Hack"

We are looking for a platform that will improve customer experiences across any fields. Some areas can be University, healthcare, consumer retail - the sky is the limit! We are looking for originality and as much completion as possible between UI/coding. Ideally we would like to be able to test the project but a demo video is fine as well. We would ask that the teams also consider what they would add/continue to work on within their project post- PearlHacks. Winners will receive a $100 AMEX gift card and Genesys swag.

Bandwidth: "Best Community & Communications Hack"

As a telecom company, Bandwidth knows the importance of communication and building up our community. Show us how a hack that encompasses these two values for a chance to win a Bandwidth swag package, including Apple AirPods!

Capital One: "Best FinTech Hack"

Come one! Come all! And create your Best FinTech Hack which works to resolve one’s financial woes. Here is a dataset that is optional for you to use: http://api.reimaginebanking.com/. For the most creative technical solution, our prize is a $250 Amazon eGiftcard for each team member! Happy Hacking!

CapTech: "Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging"

CapTech will be giving out sling bags filled with CapTech swag for each member of the winning team for the Best Hack to promote Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging.

CoStar Group: "Best Use of Real Estate Data"

We are looking for the best implementation of public real estate data. Go crazy and show us what you got: Make an App, Dashboard, Chatbot, Visualization, Market Place, Route Planning for Vising Houses (field research), Price Prediction (ML), Property Comparisons, House Categorization… there is no limit just like at CoStar. Winners will receive a pair of CoStar Group branded AirPods.

Liberty Mutual Insurance: "Sustainability is Key"

How can we continue to provide society with products and services made of sustainable and renewable resources? Winners will receive a Fuji-film Instax Mini 11 Camera.

M & T Tech: "An Innovative Way to Promote Financial Understanding and Well-Being"

Utilizing your own experiences and financial hardships, work to build a solution to aid those who are looking to grow their understanding of finances and/or better their financial situation. Winners will receive a Nintendo Switch.

Vanguard: "Best Financial Literacy Hack"

Vanguard believes that investing is for everyone and developing financial literacy early on is essential in being set up for success and building a brighter future. Winners will receive an interview for one of Vanguard's entry-level/internship IT roles/programs.

WillowTree: "Best use of the Speechly voice API. "

We’re challenging hackers to incorporate Natural Language Understanding or Speech to Text using the Speechly Voice API in their hack. Winners will receive a Barefoot Dreams blanket and self-care kit to rest and recharge after their weekend of hacking.

Most Creative Use of Twilio

Twilio allows you to incorporate mobile messaging, phone calls and a ton of other awesome communication features right into your hackathon project using a web service API. Are you building an e-commerce website and want to send text notifications or email confirmations once an order is completed? Or maybe you'd like to verify users based on their mobile numbers? Twilio makes all this possible and more. Build a hack that simplifies your life using any Twilio API for a chance to win a Twilio Swag Box & GameGo Console ! Get started with $50 in free credit

Best Use of CockroachDB

Build your hackathon project on CockroachDB's open source and indestructible SQL database. Utilize CockroachDB in your hack for a chance to win a 3D printing pen for you and each of your team members. What's more, if you submit a verified project and are a US resident, we'll be sending you a free CockroachDB T-shirt while supplies last!

Best Domain Name from Domain.com

Register a .Tech domain name using Domain.com during the weekend for your chance to win a Domain.com branded backpack for you and each member of your team! Each team may submit one entry per person on the team. The more creative the domain the better!

Best Use of Velo by Wix

We know how difficult it can be to create a phenomenal website in a short period of time, especially when it comes to hackathons. Velo by Wix cuts down your development without sacrificing on functionality! With a built-in database and fully customizable JavaScript front-end and back-end, you can develop a full-stack application directly in your browser. With Velo, all the tools you need are conveniently located in one platform! Build your hackathon project with Velo by Wix for a chance to win Wacom Drawing Tablets for you and each of your teammates.

Best Use of Appwrite

Building a full-stack application can be time consuming, especially if you’re more of a frontend developer or lack experience with things like databases or authentication. At hackathons you want to make every minute count, which is why Appwrite is the missing ingredient to your recipe for a successful hack. With all the core backend functionalities you need already pre built and ready for customization, all you’ll need to do is make an API call to take advantage of an Appwrite database, media storage, user auth, and even custom compute functions. Use Appwrite in your hack this weekend for a chance to take home some Fitbits for you and your team.

Devpost Achievements

Submitting to this hackathon could earn you:

Judging Criteria

Basic Submission Eligibility
Submission teams must be 1-4 people. All code submitted for judging must have been written during the hackathon.

Frank Porter Graham Student Union	Public
$2,710 in prizes	147 participants

Pearl Hacks 2023

Pearl Hacks is dedicated to empowering women and gender nonconforming students in technology. In this weekend of fun and learning, you'll learn about tech and meet amazing people!

Who can participate