about this event
SASEhack is a hackathon for college students, undergraduate and graduate. Any major, any experience level. You do not need to know how to code to take part.
Your hacking window is Friday, September 18 at 5:00 PM PT to Sunday, September 20 at 11:59 PM PT — about 55 hours. All project code must be written inside that window.
SASEhack runs under STEM Connect, SASE's flagship national convention, October 1-3, 2026 in Seattle, WA.
Two competitions: The Online competition runs September 18-20, fully remote, and is open to everyone — every project submitted here is judged and nobody has to travel. The SASEhack Pitch Competition takes place October 1 in Seattle for a selected group of teams invited after judging; at least one member must already hold a STEM Connect convention ticket. You can win without ever going to Seattle. The two competitions are judged separately.
Who can enter: Undergraduate and graduate students; enrolled at a U.S. college or university — any nationality, international students studying in the U.S. are welcome; 18 or older at the time of the hackathon; any major, any experience level — no coding background needed.
Teams are 1 to 4 people. You can enter alone, but we recommend at least two — every winning team so far has had two or more members. Find teammates in #sasehack-team-formation in the SASE Discord.
Prizes — about $3,700 total: Grand Prize, $1,000 cash, for every project submitted online; Runner-up, $750 cash, for every project submitted online; SASEhack Pitch Competition, $500 cash plus merch for every finalist, for teams invited to pitch live in Seattle; Best First Hack, $200 cash, for teams where most members are first-time hackers; and Track prizes × 5, about $250 of value each, for projects entered in that track. Cash prizes are split evenly among team members. Physical prizes are duplicated so everyone on the team gets one.
Tracks: Best Hardware Hack — build something physical, such as sensors, microcontrollers, robotics, wearables; a phone sensor or a cheap board counts. Prize: ELEGOO UNO R3 Starter Kit. Best Design Hack — for projects where the design does the heavy lifting; craft counts more than technical depth here. Prize: Wacom Intuos drawing tablet. Best Education, Accessibility, or Social Impact — for projects serving people badly served by what already exists; name who you built it for. Prize: Sony WH-CH520 headphones. Best Finance Hack — anything to do with money; it doesn't have to be bank grade, just make a financial decision easier or clearer. Prize: $250 cash. Spirit of Charge Up — carries this year's STEM Connect theme; build something that gives a person or a community a boost. No entry needed. Prize: Anker Nano power bank.
You opt in to tracks and prizes when you submit, and you can enter up to two tracks. See the Submission Requirements for what to submit and how to opt in.
Schedule — all times are Pacific Time (PT). Friday, September 18: 4:00-5:00 PM kickoff and opening ceremony; 5:00 PM hacking begins; 6:00-8:00 PM office hours. Saturday, September 19: 10:00 AM-12:00 PM office hours; 2:00-3:00 PM workshop: How to Perfect Your Pitch; 4:00-5:00 PM social / lounge; 6:00-8:00 PM office hours. Sunday, September 20: 10:00 AM-12:00 PM office hours; 6:00-8:00 PM final checks; 8:00-10:00 PM office hours; 10:00 PM-12:00 AM office hours; 11:59 PM hacking ends and submissions close. Office hours run in the Discord — no Zoom link needed. Gaps between blocks are heads-down hacking time.
After the hackathon: Judging runs September 21-30, and teams invited to pitch in Seattle are notified after submissions close. Thursday, October 1 — SASEhack Pitch Competition, Seattle. Friday, October 2 — Winners announced.
Pre-event workshops: Both ran before kickoff and were recorded. Slides and recordings are in #sasehack-resources in the Discord. AI Tools for Development — Wednesday, September 16. GitHub for Collaboration — Thursday, September 17.
Where everything happens: Discord is the hub — announcements, schedule, help channels, office hours, and team formation. Join the SASE Discord.
Full details: Everything is in the SASEhack 2026 Hacker Guide — schedule, judging criteria, prizes, rules, FAQ, and accessibility.
tracks
Best Hardware Hack
Build something physical. Sensors, microcontrollers, robotics, wearables. A phone sensor or a cheap board counts. Prize: ELEGOO UNO R3 Starter Kit.
Best Design Hack
For projects where the design does the heavy lifting. Craft counts more than technical depth here. Prize: Wacom Intuos drawing tablet.
Best Education, Accessibility, or Social Impact
For projects serving people badly served by what already exists. Name who you built it for. Prize: Sony WH-CH520 headphones.
Best Finance Hack
Anything to do with money. It doesn't have to be bank grade, just make a financial decision easier or clearer. Prize: $250 cash.
Spirit of Charge Up
Carries this year's STEM Connect theme. Build something that gives a person or a community a boost. No entry needed. Prize: Anker Nano power bank.
when
Kickoff and Opening Ceremony
Kickoff and opening ceremony, followed by the start of hacking at 5:00 PM.
◍ Online (Discord)Hacking Begins
Hacking window opens; all project code must be written between this point and the submission deadline.
◍ Online (Discord)Office Hours
Office hours run in the Discord.
◍ Online (Discord)Office Hours
Office hours run in the Discord.
◍ Online (Discord)Workshop: How to Perfect Your Pitch
Workshop on perfecting your pitch.
◍ Online (Discord)Social / Lounge
Social / lounge session.
◍ Online (Discord)Office Hours
Office hours run in the Discord.
◍ Online (Discord)Office Hours
Office hours run in the Discord.
◍ Online (Discord)Final Checks
Final checks before submissions close.
◍ Online (Discord)Office Hours
Office hours run in the Discord.
◍ Online (Discord)Office Hours
Office hours run in the Discord.
◍ Online (Discord)Hacking Ends and Submissions Close
Hacking ends and submissions close.
◍ Online (Devpost)SASEhack Pitch Competition
SASEhack Pitch Competition held in Seattle during STEM Connect; selected teams are invited after judging.
◍ Seattle, WAWinners Announced
Winners announced.
◍ Onlinetickets
| tickets | price | Fee | Status | description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online Competition Entry | Free | None | Available | Free to enter the online competition, open to all eligible U.S. college students; every project submitted online is judged. |
prizes
| # | PRIZE | price |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Prize | $1,000 cash | $1,000 |
| Runner-up | $750 cash | $750 |
| SASEhack Pitch Competition | $500 cash + merch for every finalist | $500 |
| Best First Hack | $200 cash | $200 |
| Track prizes × 5 | About $250 of value each | $250 |