about this event
HackOHI/O is a 24-hour hackathon that attracts over 800 participants annually for a full weekend of coding, learning, networking, and innovation. HackOHI/O gives students a unique, experiential-learning opportunity to build technology projects from scratch in a welcoming environment.
Teams can come with an idea themselves or can take inspiration from challenges presented by our supporting companies and organizations. After 24-hours of "hacking", teams present their projects to industry experts and judges to get feedback and compete for prizes.
HackOHI/O is hosted by OHI/O, a student organization at The Ohio State University. OHI/O is dedicated to fostering tech culture at Ohio State and its surrounding communities in Central Ohio.
OHI/O is proud of the legacy HackOHI/O has created over the past 13 years at Ohio State. This year, HackOHI/O is opening its doors to professionals for the first time. If you're currently working in industry, this track lets you experience the energy of HackOHI/O alongside the student community, while competing in a space built just for you.
Professional teams take on the Build Anything challenge and are not permitted to participate in the company sponsored challenges. Professionals follow all standard HackOHI/O rules, and are judged only against other professional teams for their own dedicated prizes. Teams must be made up entirely of professionals — students currently enrolled in any college coursework are not eligible to join a professional team or compete in this track. Because part of what makes HackOHI/O special is the connections made on-site, professionals are strongly encouraged to attend in person for most of the Oct 24th.
Mentors and Judges: HackOHI/O provides opportunities for industry and academic professionals to work directly with students. Mentors will assist participants throughout the event with any questions or concerns they may have while creating their project. We welcome individuals with knowledge and expertise in various topics to help mentor students at HackOHI/O. This year, mentors can participate both virtually and in-person. Judges will help us score teams on October 25th by reviewing their projects in the form of a video submission and live discussion with the teams. This year, judges will be virtual only. If you are interested in attending the event in-person and want to judge, please sign up to be a mentor as well.
Please refer to the HackOHI/O 2026 website for information on shifts, location and time: https://go.osu.edu/hack2026judgementor
tracks
Student Track
Students build technology projects from scratch, either with their own idea or inspired by challenges presented by supporting companies and organizations.
Professional Track
Open to industry professionals for the first time. Professional teams take on the Build Anything challenge, are not permitted to participate in the company sponsored challenges, follow all standard HackOHI/O rules, and are judged only against other professional teams for their own dedicated prizes. Teams must be made up entirely of professionals; students currently enrolled in any college coursework are not eligible.
when
HackOHI/O 2026
Day one of the 24-hour hackathon; professional teams are strongly encouraged to attend in person for most of the day.
◍ The Ohio State University - Ohio UnionHackOHI/O 2026
Final day, when judges score teams by reviewing project video submissions and holding live discussions with the teams.
◍ The Ohio State University - Ohio Uniontickets
| tickets | price | Fee | Status | description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Admission | TBA | TBA | Available | Registration is handled through the HackOHI/O 2026 website; pricing is not stated in the listing. |
prizes
| # | PRIZE | price |
|---|---|---|
| Professional Track | Dedicated prizes for professional teams, judged only against other professional teams | TBA |
| General | Prizes for teams presenting their projects to industry experts and judges | TBA |