Kennedy Hackathon

The Kennedy Hackathon: AI for Good will take place on Saturday, April 26th from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM. The entire event will be hosted at the HKS, Littauer L-P-9 Malkin Penthouse. Please arrive a few minutes early to settle in and get ready for a full day of innovation and collaboration.

This hackathon is open to Harvard and MIT undergraduate and graduate students of all backgrounds. No coding experience needed! Whether you're studying public policy, computer science, humanities, or anything in between - your perspective is valuable. The only prerequisites are creativity and a passion for solving real-world problems using AI tools.

Your team will need to develop a functioning interactive prototype that demonstrates the use of AI for public impact. The final submission must include:

• A working demo accessible via link
• Presentation slides (if used in your 3-minute pitch)
• Clear identification of the problem being addressed
• Demonstration of how AI tools are leveraged in your solution

All work must be completed during the hackathon hours. While you can brainstorm ideas beforehand, the actual development of your prototype must occur within the designated time.

Top teams will be awarded with Target gift certificates:

• First Place: $100 Target gift certificate
• Runners-up: $50 Target gift certificates each

Beyond the material prizes, this is an excellent opportunity to build your portfolio, network with like-minded innovators, and potentially develop a solution with real-world application.

Projects will be evaluated by our panel of judges based on the following criteria:

• Impact potential (30%): How significantly could this solution address a real-world problem?
• Technical implementation (30%): How well does the prototype function within the time constraints?
• Creativity and innovation (20%): How original is the approach to solving the problem?
• Presentation quality (20%): How clearly is the solution communicated in the 3-minute pitch?