about this event
Badger Build Fest 2026 is a 24-hour hackathon where participants build the next big thing, hosted by the Tech Exploration Lab (TEL) alongside industry, campus, and student organization partners. Designed as a campus platform where frontier technologies are explored, tested, and brought to life, BuildFest brings together builders from across all majors to collaborate, innovate, and compete for over $10,000 in prizes.
Dates & Locations: When: Saturday, September 26, 11:00 AM – Sunday, September 27, 2026, 11:00 AM. Where: Morgridge Hall (Hello World & Garden Atrium) & 1403 University Ave (for overnight building). Comms: Join the TEL Discord for announcements and finding teammates early: https://discord.com/invite/ubAHakcM33
Tracks & Challenges: Every team will select exactly one Track to compete in and may enter up to two optional sponsor Challenges. Track finalists are selected through preliminary screening before the live pitch round on Sunday.
Applied AI & Automation (Sponsored by Google): AI agents, SaaS, automation, productivity, business workflows, fintech, analytics, and developer tools.
Health, Sustainability & Society (Sponsored by TEL): Health, sustainability, education, accessibility, campus/community, and social-impact applications.
Emerging Technology & Entrepreneurship (Sponsored by Wisconsin School of Business): Hardware, robotics, IoT, XR, blockchain, new products, ventures, and experimental technologies.
Note: Challenge awards are judged independently from Tracks.
Event Schedule (Run of Show) — Saturday, September 26: 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM: Participant check-in, breakfast & networking (Morgridge Hall). 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM: Opening ceremony, event overview, and sponsor Challenge intros. 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM: Idea pitching & final team formation. 11:00 AM: Hackathon begins! 12:30 PM – 3:00 PM: Lunch served. 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM: Student organization workshops, tabling, and mentor office hours. 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM: Dinner served (1403 University Ave). 6:00 PM onward: Overnight hacking continues at 1403 University Ave.
Event Schedule (Run of Show) — Sunday, September 27: 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM: Breakfast, mentor office hours, and final build time. 11:00 AM: Submissions Close (Repo, Video, Questions due). 11:30 AM: Lunch & Preliminary screening. 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM: Live finalist pitches (up to 5 teams per track). 3:30 PM – 4:00 PM: Winner announcements, Awards, and Closing Ceremony.
tracks
Applied AI & Automation
Sponsored by Google. AI agents, SaaS, automation, productivity, business workflows, fintech, analytics, and developer tools.
Health, Sustainability & Society
Sponsored by TEL. Health, sustainability, education, accessibility, campus/community, and social-impact applications.
Emerging Technology & Entrepreneurship
Sponsored by Wisconsin School of Business. Hardware, robotics, IoT, XR, blockchain, new products, ventures, and experimental technologies.
when
Badger Build Fest 2026 — Day 1
Check-in, breakfast and networking at 9:00 AM; opening ceremony and sponsor Challenge intros 10:00–10:30 AM; idea pitching and final team formation 10:30–11:00 AM; hackathon begins at 11:00 AM; lunch 12:30–3:00 PM; student organization workshops, tabling and mentor office hours 1:00–3:00 PM; dinner 5:00–6:00 PM at 1403 University Ave; overnight hacking continues at 1403 University Ave from 6:00 PM onward.
◍ Morgridge Hall (Hello World & Garden Atrium) / 1403 University AveBadger Build Fest 2026 — Day 2
Breakfast, mentor office hours and final build time 10:00–11:00 AM; submissions close at 11:00 AM (repo, video and questions due); lunch and preliminary screening at 11:30 AM; live finalist pitches 1:00–3:00 PM (up to 5 teams per track); winner announcements, awards and closing ceremony 3:30–4:00 PM.
◍ Morgridge Halltickets
| tickets | price | Fee | Status | description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Participant Registration | Free | TBA | Available | Attendance is free for participants; no ticket price was listed in the source record. |
prizes
| # | PRIZE | price |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Prize Pool | Prize pool for track and challenge winners | $10,000 |