Top 5 Hackathons in 2024: A Must-Attend List for Tech Enthusiasts

Hackathons in 2024 are shaping up to be some of the most exciting yet. As technology continues to advance at a rapid pace, these events bring together the best and brightest minds to collaborate, learn, and create innovative solutions to real-world problems.

Whether you’re a seasoned hacker or looking to attend your first hackathon, marking these events in your 2024 calendar is a must. The energy, creativity, and networking opportunities are unparalleled. Plus, scouted projects can lead to career-launching opportunities, investment interest, and beyond.

Keep reading for our handpicked list of the top 5 hackathons you won’t want to miss in 2024.

ETHDenver began in 2019 as a small, local event but has since expanded into one of the premier Ethereum hackathons globally. In 2023, they hosted their biggest event yet with over 4,000 attendees flocking to Denver.

Given this immense growth, 2024 promises to be their biggest year yet. ETHDenver has one of the most vibrant blockchain communities anywhere. So if you want to push the capabilities of Web3 and blockchain technology, look no further than ETHDenver 2024.

The best projects and ideas from this hackathon often go on to raise significant investment funding or even launch startup companies. So in addition to the excellent networking, it’s an opportunity to get your foot in the Web3 door in a big way.

As Canada’s biggest hackathon, Hack the North draws students from 100+ universities across 40+ countries to compete at the University of Waterloo each September. It’s an weekend packed with innovation, collaboration, and fun.

Like ETHDenver, Hack the North has expanded rapidly from a small, local event to 12,000+ applications in 2022. So you can expect 2024 to draw even more hackers and talent.

This hackathon connects hackers with leading tech companies like Facebook, Google, Apple, and more to form teams and develop amazing ideas into functional prototypes. It’s earned a reputation as one of the best college hackathons out there.

So if you’re a student hacker, put Hack the North at the top of your 2024 must-attend list!

Hosted annually at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), HackMIT calls itself “the hackathon for hackers, by hackers.” It started as an intimate event back in 2013 for 250 students but has since grown to 800+ hackers from around the world.

HackMIT sets itself apart with a strong focus on quality over quantity. So if you make it past the selective application process, you can expect collaboration with an elite cadre of hackers in areas like artificial intelligence, health tech, sustainability, transportation, and more.

Like other top collegiate hackathons, scouted projects can lead to tremendous opportunities. Several past HackMIT projects have gone on to launch startups backed by the likes of Y Combinator.

The incredible talent concentration packed into 36 hours makes HackMIT a prime environment for innovation. As long as that selective application goes your way, make sure to mark HackMIT toward the top of your 2024 must-attend list!

As one of Europe’s largest and most renowned hackathons, HackZurich draws 1,200+ hackers to Switzerland each year. The focus spans IoT, sustainability, health tech, transportation, and other pressing societal issues.

2022 marked their 10th anniversary, but HackZurich shows no signs of slowing momentum. Beyond the usual coding challenges and project development that defines hackathons, they incorporate additional elements like workshops, lightning talks, networking events, and more.

All this helps build HackZurich’s reputation as one of the most inclusive and beginner-friendly hackathons out there. So if European hackathons have intimidated you thus far, HackZurich’s welcoming energy makes it a great place to start in 2024.

Rounding out our list is HackHarvard, which calls itself “the largest student-run hackathon in the United States, organized by Harvard undergraduates for hackers everywhere.” After a pandemic hiatus, HackHarvard returned triumphantly in Spring 2022.

They set the participation record among US-based collegiate hackathons with 850 student hackers flocking to Cambridge. Like HackMIT, HackHarvard’s selectivity also makes it one of the more prestigious college hackathons. Expect more of what makes it great — boundary-pushing innovation, collaboration, and fun — when HackHarvard returns in Spring 2024.

Attending a hackathon — whether your first or fiftieth — takes courage and curiosity. But they reward those brave enough to try with experiences and connections that can change the trajectory of your education, career, or startup ambitions.

After reviewing this list of top 2024 hackathons, which one stands out to you? Will you push your skills to the limit at HackMIT or ETHDenver? Or network and learn alongside 1,200 fellow hackers at HackZurich? Maybe you’ll forge the next big startup at Hack the North or HackHarvard?

Whichever hackathon(s) you choose, embodying the hacker spirit of boundless innovation helps make these events so impactful. Approach them with an open mind, start conversations, ask questions, and see failure as part of the iterative process.

You just might have the next big idea that leads to startup fame and fortune. But even if not, attending hackathons in 2024 promises to be a weekend experience you’ll never forget.

So start making your 2024 travel plans, polish up that portfolio, and get ready to change the world one hack at a time! The innovation opportunity of a lifetime awaits.