University students and young professionals

Registration and participation is completely free.

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 Global Hackathon Hong Kong and Macau brings together current university students, recent graduates and early-career professionals to tackle complex real-world challenges through creativity and entrepreneurial thinking.

Whether you're interested in technology, healthcare, sustainability, engineering, business or entrepreneurship, this is your chance to develop new skills, expand your professional network and gain exposure to some of the brightest minds in innovation.

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 idea to judges from Imperial College London and industry.

Teams whose submissions impress the judges in the first round will be invited to pitch 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 people and discover what can happen when creativity, collaboration and innovation come together.

Collaborate with exceptional talent
Work alongside high-performing students, graduates and professionals from across Hong Kong and Macau who share your ambition, curiosity and drive.

Solve meaningful challenges
Address real-world problems inspired by science, technology, healthcare, sustainability and business innovation.

Expand your professional network
Build valuable connections with peers, mentors, judges and industry representatives that may continue long after the event.

Strengthen your experience
Demonstrate communication, problem-solving, leadership and teamwork through a project that goes beyond the classroom or workplace.

Explore new opportunities
Discover study opportunities at Imperial College London and take part in a unique experience that can strengthen future university and job applications.

How to enter the Hackathon

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 Saturday 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 prizes and specialist awards.

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:

• Current university students studying at universities in Hong Kong or Macau
• Recent graduates (graduated within the last three years) from universities in Hong Kong or Macau
• Early-career professionals, with up to three years of professional work experience, who are based in Hong Kong or Macau

People 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 or have studied STEM subjects.

Forming a team

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 of your choosing who can work together to develop, test and present an innovative solution. 

Key dates and deadlines

All application and submission deadlines are 23.59 (11.59pm) (HKT/MST) on the specified date unless otherwise stated.

Prizes and awards

As well as the opportunity to present your ideas to a prestigious panel, 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 a cash award and the Imperial Hackathon Trophy.

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) and Consultant Hepatologist, focused on admissions, inclusivity and healthcare innovation.
• Dr Jackie Bell – Award-winning Senior Teaching Fellow in Computing, focused on EDI, outreach & 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.