{"id":124018,"date":"2026-04-10T14:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-10T14:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/?p=124018"},"modified":"2026-04-10T06:17:32","modified_gmt":"2026-04-10T06:17:32","slug":"biggest-us-hackathons-to-watch-out-for-in-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/blog\/biggest-us-hackathons-to-watch-out-for-in-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Biggest US Hackathons to Watch Out for in 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"124018\" class=\"elementor elementor-124018\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-0168a1b mylinks elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"0168a1b\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-82b903f\" data-id=\"82b903f\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-40c1664 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"40c1664\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>For event organizers, these hackathons are useful examples of what drives real engagement i.e. clear challenges, limited time, expert mentorship, and active collaboration. Looking at the largest hackathons also shows which event structures repeatedly drive scale \u2014 such as sponsor-backed challenges, mentorship access, and visible project outcomes.\u00a0<\/p><h2><b>What are Some of the Biggest Hackathons in the US in 2026?<\/b><\/h2><p>The term \u201cbiggest\u201d here refers to hackathons that consistently stand out through participant volume, sponsor backing, institutional reputation, prize value or long-term influence in the US developer ecosystem.<\/p><p>Some of the leading hackathons are-<\/p><h3><b>1. LA Hacks 2026<\/b><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f824ac0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"f824ac0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"418\" src=\"https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/LA-Hacks-2026-1024x535.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-124026\" alt=\"LA Hacks 2026\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/LA-Hacks-2026-1024x535.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/LA-Hacks-2026-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/LA-Hacks-2026-768x401.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/LA-Hacks-2026-1536x802.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/LA-Hacks-2026.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4e214b5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4e214b5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ceng.calpoly.edu\/connection\/2026\/01\/register-for-la-hacks-2026\/\">LA Hacks<\/a> 2026 runs from April 24 &#8211; 26 at UCLA and is one of Southern California\u2019s biggest student hackathons, with more than $30,000 in prizes and major sponsor participation. It qualifies as one of the largest West Coast hackathons because it consistently attracts large student participation, major sponsor challenges, and startup-oriented project submissions.<\/p><h3><b>2. HackAmerica 2026<\/b><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-39656ac elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"39656ac\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"415\" src=\"https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/HackAmerica-2026-1024x531.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-124025\" alt=\"HackAmerica 2026\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/HackAmerica-2026-1024x531.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/HackAmerica-2026-300x155.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/HackAmerica-2026-768x398.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/HackAmerica-2026-1536x796.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/HackAmerica-2026.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-86d61a8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"86d61a8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><a href=\"https:\/\/hackamerica.devpost.com\/\">HackAmerica<\/a> 2026 runs from April 11 &#8211; 18 and positions itself as one of America\u2019s largest online hackathons for high school and early-stage builders. It stands out because its online format allows participation at national scale, making it one of the larger remote hackathon models in the US.<\/p><h3><b>3. HackDavis California<\/b><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-86fce50 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"86fce50\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"327\" src=\"https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/HackDavis-California-1024x418.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-124027\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/HackDavis-California-1024x418.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/HackDavis-California-300x122.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/HackDavis-California-768x313.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/HackDavis-California-1536x626.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/HackDavis-California.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-338482f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"338482f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><a href=\"https:\/\/hackdavis.io\/\">HackDavis<\/a> is a student-run social good hackathon hosted by University of California, Davis. It is known for its beginner-friendly participation, sustainability themes and practical projects that solve community problems. It remains relevant because its social impact focus consistently attracts large student participation and sponsor interest around civic problem-solving.<\/p><h3><b>4. HackHCC<\/b><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-01e2f27 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"01e2f27\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"417\" src=\"https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/HackHCC-1024x534.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-124024\" alt=\"HackHCC\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/HackHCC-1024x534.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/HackHCC-300x156.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/HackHCC-768x400.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/HackHCC-1536x800.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/HackHCC.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d0640e2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"d0640e2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Hosted in Houston, <a href=\"https:\/\/hackhcc.org\/\">HackHCC<\/a> is one of the growing regional hackathons in Texas with strong community college participation. Its relevance comes from regional growth and increasing workforce-linked participation, although it remains smaller than nationally recognized university hackathons.<\/p><h3><b>5. LaunchHacks V<\/b><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1b28685 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"1b28685\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"413\" src=\"https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/LaunchHacks-V-1024x528.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-124023\" alt=\"LaunchHacks V\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/LaunchHacks-V-1024x528.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/LaunchHacks-V-300x155.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/LaunchHacks-V-768x396.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/LaunchHacks-V-1536x791.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/LaunchHacks-V.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-db53128 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"db53128\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><a href=\"https:\/\/launchhacks-v.devpost.com\/\">LaunchHacks V<\/a> runs as a highly accessible youth-focused hackathon with remote participation. It attracts first-time builders because teams can join from anywhere in the US. Its strength is simple onboarding, mentorship, and startup-style pitching.<\/p><h3><b>6. HackMIT<\/b><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c2c9d44 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"c2c9d44\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"337\" src=\"https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/HackMIT-1024x431.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-124022\" alt=\"HackMIT\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/HackMIT-1024x431.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/HackMIT-300x126.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/HackMIT-768x323.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/HackMIT-1536x647.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/HackMIT.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-aca0af9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"aca0af9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Hosted by Massachusetts Institute of Technology, <a href=\"https:\/\/hackmit.org\/\">HackMIT<\/a> remains one of the most respected technical hackathons in America. Projects usually show strong engineering depth, AI applications, and systems thinking. Recruiters watch this event closely because finalist quality is unusually high.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p><p>Other long-established names such as PennApps and MHacks remain benchmark references because of their long-running sponsor ecosystems and alumni startup outcomes.<\/p><h2><b>Why do These US Hackathons Attract so Many Participants?<\/b><\/h2><p>Large hackathons have an appeal because they solve three needs at once i.e., learning, networking, and visibility. Participants usually join for-<\/p><ul><li aria-level=\"1\">Direct recruiter access &#8211; finalists often use hackathons as live portfolio proof during hiring conversations.<\/li><li aria-level=\"1\">Mentorship &#8211; helps participants improve project quality in real time, especially during short build cycles.<\/li><li aria-level=\"1\">Cash prizes and startup credits &#8211; these attract early-stage builders because they reduce experimentation cost after the event.<\/li><li aria-level=\"1\">Portfolio projects &#8211; Being built in 24-48 hours, they help participants demonstrate execution ability quickly during hiring or funding discussions.<\/li><\/ul><p>The best hackathon events also reduce friction: travel allowances, free food, cloud credits, and simple onboarding &#8211; all increase applications. That is why top hackathons fill up fast.<\/p><h2><b>Why are Virtual Hackathons Still Growing?<\/b><\/h2>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-01e98c6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"01e98c6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"448\" src=\"https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Why-are-Virtual-Hackathons-Still-Growing-1024x573.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-124021\" alt=\"Why are Virtual Hackathons Still Growing\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Why-are-Virtual-Hackathons-Still-Growing-1024x573.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Why-are-Virtual-Hackathons-Still-Growing-300x168.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Why-are-Virtual-Hackathons-Still-Growing-768x430.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Why-are-Virtual-Hackathons-Still-Growing-1536x860.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Why-are-Virtual-Hackathons-Still-Growing.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a7dd374 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"a7dd374\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Virtual hackathons remove geographical constraints, which increases total participation. Some of the virtual format advantages are-\u00a0\u00a0<\/p><ul><li aria-level=\"1\">Teams can join across time zones.<\/li><li aria-level=\"1\">Sponsors reach more developers.<\/li><li aria-level=\"1\">Mentoring sessions scale better.<\/li><li aria-level=\"1\">Recordings extend learning after the event.<\/li><\/ul><p>Virtual formats also lower travel cost, which makes participation possible for early-stage builders who would otherwise not enter national events.<\/p><p>This is especially relevant for platforms that support live interaction because hackathon engagement depends on breakout rooms, mentor access, and easy switching between sessions. A strong example is how many US organizers now combine onsite finals with online qualifying rounds.<\/p><h2><b>What Makes a Hackathon \u201cLarge\u201d?<\/b><\/h2><p>Large hackathons usually signal scale through operational complexity before official participant numbers are even visible.\u00a0<\/p><p>Signs of a large hackathon include-<\/p><ul><li aria-level=\"1\">Multiple sponsor tracks.<\/li><li aria-level=\"1\">Parallel workshops.<\/li><li aria-level=\"1\">Dedicated mentor hours.<\/li><li aria-level=\"1\">Live judging panels.<\/li><li aria-level=\"1\">Startup pitch finals.<\/li><\/ul><p>If an event has 15+ sponsors, separate product challenges, and recruiter access, it usually operates at large scale.<\/p><h2><b>How Do Sponsors Choose Where to Invest in Hackathons?<\/b><\/h2><p>Sponsors look for project quality, brand visibility, and hiring potential. They usually fund events that offer-<\/p><ul><li aria-level=\"1\">Strong technical review.<\/li><li aria-level=\"1\">Clear judging criteria.<\/li><li aria-level=\"1\">High-quality participant applications.<\/li><li aria-level=\"1\">Public demo visibility.<\/li><\/ul><p>That is why AI tracks now appear in almost every large US hackathon. Sponsors want practical demos, not only concept slides because hiring teams and product teams both evaluate whether participants can build under pressure.<\/p><h2><b>How Can Airmeet Help Organizers Run Hackathons?<\/b><\/h2><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/networking\/\">Airmeet<\/a> helps virtual hackathon organizers create the same interaction quality seen in large US hackathons without needing a complex event stack. Instead of managing separate tools for registration, sessions, networking, and sponsor booths, organizers can run everything inside one platform.<\/p><p>Participants can join keynote sessions, move into <a href=\"https:\/\/help.airmeet.com\/support\/solutions\/articles\/82000889310-how-to-setup-breakout-rooms-\">breakout discussions<\/a>, attend mentor hours, and visit sponsor spaces without leaving the event environment. Fast movement between sessions is critical because hackathons depend on short decision cycles, mentor access and rapid feedback.<\/p><p>Airmeet also supports live chat, stage sessions, and <a href=\"https:\/\/help.airmeet.com\/support\/solutions\/folders\/82000693764\">networking<\/a> tables, which are useful during judging rounds and final demos. For US companies running virtual innovation challenges or university partnerships, this reduces drop-offs during long event hours.<\/p><p>It also helps sponsors stay visible throughout the event instead of appearing only during opening sessions. For teams planning hybrid hackathons, Airmeet gives organizers one place to manage audience engagement before, during, and after the event.<\/p><h2><b>Conclusion<\/b><\/h2><p>The biggest hackathons in the US show that strong events are built around participation, not just attendance. The most successful hackathons bring together clear challenges, fast decision-making, sponsor visibility and real collaboration in a way that keeps participants involved from start to finish.<\/p><p>For organizers, these events offer a practical model for building communities that stay active beyond one event cycle. Whether the format is in-person, virtual, or hybrid, participation stays high when builders can collaborate easily, receive quick feedback, and present outcomes visibly.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-943f493 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"943f493\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;content_width&quot;:&quot;boxed&quot;}\" data-core-v316-plus=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ab26570 elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"ab26570\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<script>\n    \/\/ Function to set links to open in new tabs\n    function setLinksToOpenInNewTabs() {\n        \/\/ Get all anchor elements inside the div with class \"mylinks\"\n        var links = document.querySelectorAll('.mylinks a');\n        \n        \/\/ Loop through each link and set its target attribute to \"_blank\"\n        links.forEach(function(link) {\n            link.setAttribute('target', '_blank');\n        });\n    }\n\n    \/\/ Call the function to set the target attribute for the links\n    setLinksToOpenInNewTabs();\n<\/script>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-470f320 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"470f320\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;content_width&quot;:&quot;boxed&quot;}\" data-core-v316-plus=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-14e04df elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"14e04df\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">FAQ<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8588cf7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-toggle\" data-id=\"8588cf7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"toggle.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toggle\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toggle-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-1401\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"1\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-1401\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon elementor-toggle-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-closed\"><i class=\"fas fa-caret-right\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened\"><i class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened fas fa-caret-up\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-toggle-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Are large US hackathons useful for beginners with limited coding experience?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-1401\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"1\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-1401\"><p>Yes, many large hackathons now include-<\/p><ul><li aria-level=\"1\">Beginner tracks.<\/li><li aria-level=\"1\">Guided workshops.<\/li><li aria-level=\"1\">Mentor checkpoints designed for first-time participants.<\/li><\/ul><p>Organizers increasingly want mixed-skill teams because fresh ideas often come from people who approach product problems without advanced technical assumptions.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toggle-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-1402\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"2\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-1402\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon elementor-toggle-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-closed\"><i class=\"fas fa-caret-right\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened\"><i class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened fas fa-caret-up\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-toggle-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Why do companies sponsor student hackathons instead of running private coding contests?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-1402\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"2\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-1402\"><p>Student hackathons give companies early visibility into emerging talent, product thinking, and developer preferences. Sponsors also gain brand trust because participants interact directly with engineering teams, which creates stronger hiring interest than traditional employer branding campaigns.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Are large US hackathons useful for beginners with limited coding experience?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"<p>Yes, many large hackathons now include-<\\\/p><ul><li aria-level=\\\"1\\\">Beginner tracks.<\\\/li><li aria-level=\\\"1\\\">Guided workshops.<\\\/li><li aria-level=\\\"1\\\">Mentor checkpoints designed for first-time participants.<\\\/li><\\\/ul><p>Organizers increasingly want mixed-skill teams because fresh ideas often come from people who approach product problems without advanced technical assumptions.<\\\/p>\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Why do companies sponsor student hackathons instead of running private coding contests?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"<p>Student hackathons give companies early visibility into emerging talent, product thinking, and developer preferences. Sponsors also gain brand trust because participants interact directly with engineering teams, which creates stronger hiring interest than traditional employer branding campaigns.<\\\/p>\"}}]}<\/script>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Explore the biggest US hackathons in 2026, top events, sponsor trends, virtual formats, and how organizers build high-engagement hackathon experiences.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":73,"featured_media":82298,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","filesize_raw":""},"categories":[210],"tags":[234],"industries":[137],"use_cases":[194,195,237,217],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v15.1.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Biggest US Hackathons to Watch Out for in 2026<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Explore the biggest US hackathons in 2026, top events, sponsor trends, virtual formats, and how organizers build high-engagement hackathon experiences.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/blog\/biggest-us-hackathons-to-watch-out-for-in-2026\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Biggest US Hackathons to Watch Out for in 2026\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Explore the biggest US hackathons in 2026, top events, sponsor trends, virtual formats, and how organizers build high-engagement hackathon experiences.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/blog\/biggest-us-hackathons-to-watch-out-for-in-2026\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Airmeet\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-04-10T14:30:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-04-10T06:17:32+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Blog-Meta-How-to-Run-a-Virtual-Event-Using-Best-Practices@2x.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2400\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Airmeet\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/\",\"sameAs\":[],\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/#logo\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/AM_Logo_Dark_WM-1.svg\",\"width\":802,\"height\":200,\"caption\":\"Airmeet\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/#logo\"}},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.airmeet.com\/hub\/\",\"name\":\"Airmeet\",\"description\":\"Resources, Guides &amp; 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