Could your team develop an idea that makes a real difference and pitch it to judges from Imperial College London and industry? That's the challenge at the heart of the Imperial Hackathon Hong Kong and Macau 2026. And we'd love you to be part of it!
Registration is completely free for students in grades 10–12 studying in Hong Kong or Macau.
Quick links:
- How it works
- Why take part?
- How to take part in the Hackathon
- Challenge themes
- Who can apply
- Forming a team
- Key dates and deadlines
- Prizes and awards
- Judges and mentors
- FAQs
How it works
The Imperial Hackathon Hong Kong and Macau is an annual team-based competition. It is inspired by Imperial's approach of combining science, engineering, medicine and business (STEMB) with scientific discovery, innovation and entrepreneurship to tackle some of society's most pressing challenges.
As a Hackathon participant, you'll work in a team of your choosing to develop an innovative solution to a real-world challenge and pitch your ideas to judges from Imperial College London and industry.
Teams whose submissions impress the judges in the first round will be invited to pitch their ideas at the Hackathon Grand Final on 14 November 2026 at the Data Technology Hub, Tseung Kwan O InnoPark, HKSTP.
Register early to access information on this year's challenges and start preparing your team's submission.
Why take part?
Build new skills, meet like-minded students and discover what can happen when creativity, collaboration and innovation come together.
Work on real-world challenges
Explore important issues affecting society and develop ideas that could make a difference.
Build skills for the future
Develop teamwork, leadership, communication and problem-solving skills valued by universities and employers.
Meet like-minded students
Collaborate with ambitious students from different schools across Hong Kong and Macau.
Stand out from the crowd
Harness your super-curricular potential in a unique experience which you can use to strengthen future university applications.
How to take part
How to take part part 2
What happens next
Expert review
Imperial academics and industry leaders will review all submissions and select the strongest teams to progress to the grand final.
Shortlisted teams will receive additional support, mentoring and resources to help develop their ideas.
Grand final
Finalists will be invited to present their ideas in person at the Hackathon Grand Final on 14 November 2026 at the Data Technology Hub, Tseung Kwan O InnoPark, HKSTP.
Teams will pitch to an expert judging panel and compete for overall and special award prizes.
Challenge themes
You need to register to receive a detailed challenge brief.
Detailed challenge briefs, guidance and resources will be provided to registered participants.
Who can apply
We welcome competition entries from teams of people who:
- Are in grades 10–12 at the time of the grand final event on 14 November 2026;
- Attend a high school in Hong Kong or Macau; and
- Are comfortable speaking and presenting in English.
Students from all academic backgrounds are welcome.
- You do not need previous Hackathon experience.
- You do not need advanced coding skills.
- You do not need to be studying STEM subjects.
Great ideas rarely come from one person. The most successful Hackathon teams combine a mix of skills, perspectives and experiences. Whether your strengths are in science, technology, business, design or communication, your contribution matters.
Teams should consist of 4–5 members from your school who can work together to develop, test and present an innovative solution. You will also need to nominate an adult supervisor.
Key dates and deadlines
All application and submission deadlines are 23.59 (11.59pm) (HKT/MST) on the specified date unless otherwise stated.
Key dates and deadlines
2 September –24 September 2026
2026 Hackathon registration form is open.
25 September – 25 October 2026
Round one team submissions form is open.
26 October – 3 November 2026
Judges are reviewing round 1 team submissions.
Key dates and deadlines part 2
4 November 2026
Grand finalists announced on our website and social channels
5–13 November 2026
Team preparation for the grand final
14 November 2026
Grand final event at the Data Technology Hub, Tseung Kwan O InnoPark, HKSTP.
Prizes and awards
As well as the opportunity to showcase your ideas, you'll have the chance to compete for a range of prizes and awards.
Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards recognise the top-performing teams for their innovation, teamwork and impact. The overall champions will receive the Imperial Hackathon Trophy and an invitation, and financial support, to compete at the Global Natural Science and Innovation Competition Finals in London.
Specialist Awards celebrate excellence in areas including innovation, technical achievement, real-world impact, entrepreneurship, pitching and audience choice.
Learn more about this year's prizes and awards.
Judges and mentors
Your round one submission and the grand final event will be evaluated by a panel of academics, innovators and industry experts. They will also act as mentors, providing advice and guidance to this year's participants.
Judges and mentors for 2026 include:
- Professor Shahid Khan – Professor of Practice (Hepatology) & Consultant Hepatologist, focused on admissions, inclusivity and healthcare innovation.
- Dr Jackie Bell – Award-winning Senior Teaching Fellow in Computing, focused on EDI, outreach and STEM engagement.
- Lucas Cheung – Digital Strategy Lead at Google Hong Kong, focused on supporting start-up growth, AR/VR technology, and regional STEM education.
Read more about this year's judges and mentors.
FAQs
We've answered some of the common questions about the Hackathon below.
Please see our FAQ page for a full list of frequently asked questions. This page covers questions about deadlines, eligibility, forming a team, the grand final event and many more topics.
Frequently asked questions
- Who can take part in the Hackathon 2026?
- How many people can be in my team?
- How many teams can apply from one school or university?
- How much time will I need to commit?
- Can you help me find a team?
- Do you offer support during the competition?
- Can we change our team members?
The Imperial Hackathon Hong Kong and Macau 2026 is open to high school students in grades 10 to 12 who live in Hong Kong or Macau.
Your team should have four or five members.
For the high school track, a maximum of three teams can apply from one secondary school.
For the university and early career professionals track: no maximum applies to prescribed challenge teams and open challenge teams combined.
Early career professionals who are not currently affiliated with a university are not subject to an institutional cap and may apply independently of any university team limit.
If you are unsure whether your school or university has already reached its team limit, contact us at imperialhackathon@imperial.ac.uk before submitting.
The amount of time you spend on the Hackathon is up to your team, but we recommend setting aside a few hours each week between receiving the challenge brief and the submission deadline.
Most teams spend time researching their chosen challenge, developing their idea, preparing their proposal and creating their video pitch. Teams that plan ahead and meet regularly often find the process more enjoyable and less stressful.
If your team is selected for the Grand Final, you'll also need to attend the in-person event and spend some additional time preparing your presentation.
The Hackathon is designed to fit alongside your existing studies or work commitments while still giving you the opportunity to develop a high-quality submission.
We encourage you to form a team with classmates, fellow students, or colleagues wherever possible.
However, finding and forming your team is entirely your responsibility – we are not able to facilitate team matching or connect individual participants with potential teammates.
Some suggestions for finding teammates independently:
- Secondary school students: speak to your teacher, careers adviser, or school counsellor, who may be able to help connect you with other students at your school who are interested in taking part. You can also reach out through your school's student networks or social media.
- University students and early career professionals: your university's student association, departmental networks, or postgraduate society are good starting points. The Imperial Hackathon social media channels are also a useful place to signal that you are looking for teammates.
If you are unable to form a compliant team before the submission deadline, unfortunately you will not be able to enter the competition that year. We encourage you to start early to avoid this situation.
Yes. All participants will be invited to an online workshop where you'll learn more about the challenge themes, hear from members of the judging panel and have the opportunity to connect with other participants.
Teams selected for the Grand Final will receive additional support, including dedicated workshops, mentoring and guidance from Imperial College London academics, alumni and industry experts to help refine their ideas and prepare for the final pitch.
Yes, you can change your team members up to the team submission deadline of 23.59 (11.59pm) (HKT/MST) on Saturday 25 October 2026.
Email us at imperialhackathon@imperial.ac.uk about changes to your team.
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