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>_HACKHARVARD_CHALLENGE_2025

SOLVE REAL WORLD_CHALLENGES

Love cracking tough problems? Compete against talented peers in 3 intense days of coding challenges, guided by Harvard champions who dominated national competitions.

EASY: 15 Challenges
MEDIUM: 25 Challenges
HARD: 10 Challenges
LEADERBOARD_STATS
$10K+
PRIZE_POOL
Target
50+
CHALLENGES
Lightning
24HR
FINAL_HACK
challenge_environment.tsx
Students competing in coding challenges
NEW RECORD
42ms Runtime!

Code.
Create.
Collaborate.

HackHarvard is a 3 days innovation program inspired by Harvard University's premier undergraduate hackathon. It's designed for students in Grades 6 - 12 to experience hands-on problem solving, technological prototyping, and collaborative innovation.

Hosted with Learn with Leaders, the program challenges students to tackle global issues through coding, creativity, and teamwork. Across four days, participants take part in intensive technical workshops and a 96-hour student-led hackathon. They choose a theme, such as education, healthcare, sustainability, or smart cities, and, with guidance from Harvard student mentors and industry professionals, design and present solutions to real-world challenges.

HackHarvard isn't just about learning to code. It's about learning how to think, collaborate, and transform ideas into impact.

Key Benefits for the Students

Hands-on Innovation

Students go through the full hackathon cycle, identifying problems, building prototypes, and refining their ideas with mentor support.

Hackathon Showcase & Teamwork

Teams will pitch their projects to a panel of judges and present them at the Hackathon Fair on the final day.

Code Brackets

Skill-Building Workshops

Sessions on Python, JavaScript, APIs, UI/UX design, AI, and more help students strengthen both technical and creative skills.

Mentorship from Harvard Students

Harvard Student Mentors guide participants throughout the journey, sharing insights on innovation, research, teamwork, and leadership.

Globe

Global Recognition

Top teams may be invited to showcase their work at the next Hackathon event at Harvard University campus in Cambridge, USA.

Target

Real-World Relevance

Participants tackle challenges in education, healthcare, climate action, and other global domains, developing socially aware solutions.

Program Details

FORMAT
Location
In-person at Özel Ege Lisesi
DATES
Calendar
28–30 November 2025
ELIGIBILITY
Students from Grades 6–12
DURATION
3 DAYS
TRACKS
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Education 🎓
Health 💖
Climate & Energy 🌱
Smart Cities 🏙️
CERTIFICATION
Diploma
Certificate of Participation from HackHarvard
FEE
Dollar
USD 600 per student
PROGRAM PARTNER
Learn with Leaders
Book a Meeting Apply Now

Level Up Your Skills

Our program offers a variety of workshops designed to help participants build the skills they need for a successful hackathon experience. Explore our diverse workshop offerings across different areas of technology and project development.

PROGRAMMING FUNDAMENTALS

  • Introduction to Scratch
  • Python Basics
  • JavaScript Essentials I
  • JavaScript Essentials II
  • Front-end Development Fundamentals

DEVELOPMENT TOOLS

  • Version Control with GitHub
  • Creating and Using APIs

WEB & APP DEVELOPMENT

  • Building Web Apps with React
  • Mobile App Development with Thunkable
  • Creating AI-powered Web Applications

DATA & MACHINE LEARNING

  • Data Analysis in Python
  • Machine Learning Fundamentals
  • Advanced Machine Learning Techniques
  • Understanding Statistical Models

PROJECT DEVELOPMENT

  • Hackathon Ideation Strategies
  • UI/UX Prototyping with Figma
  • E-commerce Business Fundamentals
  • The Art of the Pitch
  • Brand Development Essentials

*Tentative List

Learn From The Best

These aren't just mentors—they're proof of what's possible. Harvard students who were coding in their bedrooms a few years ago, now building the future. They'll show you exactly how they did it.

Jerry

Jerry

Physics & Mathematics • Harvard '27

Plus Makes complex physics feel like magic

From coding physics simulations to advising policy, Jerry shows you how computational thinking opens every door. Ask him about optimization, modeling, or how to geek out over history while solving climate problems.

Sahana

Sahana

Stats & CS • Harvard '27

Plus Turns ideas into profitable ventures

Built iOS apps, ran e-commerce businesses, and studied biostatistics—all before senior year at Harvard. She'll teach you how to turn data into decisions and code into companies.

Yuen Ler

Yuen Ler

Computer Science • Harvard '25

Plus Hackathon legend & startup founder

Won 4 hackathons, co-founded an AI startup, and is joining Amazon as a Software Engineer. If anyone knows how to hack, build, and win—it's Yuan. He lives and breathes innovation.

Kathryn

Kathryn

Computer Science • Harvard '27

Plus From space tech to health innovation

Built CubeSats for NASA, applied ML to public health, and landed two Amazon internships—all while teaching algorithms. She proves you can create impact across any field you choose.

Hugo

Hugo

Mathematics • Harvard '26

Plus Data wizard with real-world experience

Worked in fintech, mastered Python and C#, and turned data science into an art form. Hugo will show you how math isn't just numbers—it's the language of solving impossible problems.

Ivan

Ivan

CS & Applied Maths • Harvard '27

Plus Teaching legend who builds at scale

Teaches CS50 (Harvard's legendary coding course) to thousands worldwide and leads algorithm development for a college matchmaking app used by 1,600+ students. He knows how to make tech people actually love.

...plus many more brilliant Harvard mentors!

Every mentor was once exactly where you are now. They remember what it's like to not know where to start, to doubt yourself, to dream big. That's why they're here—to pay it forward and help you skip the mistakes they made.

Your 3-Day Transformation

In just 72 hours, you'll go from "I have an idea" to "I built this." Here's exactly how it happens.

Calendar
Day 1

KICKOFF, TEAM FORMATION & IDEATION

  • Registration & Orientation
  • Opening Ceremony
  • Ice-Breaking Activities
  • Hackathon Introduction & Track Selection
  • Workshop: Ideation & Problem Discovery
  • Team Formation & Brainstorming
  • Evening: Initial Planning & Research
Calendar
Day 2

DEVELOPMENT & SKILL BUILDING

  • Registration & Orientation
  • Opening Ceremony
  • Ice-Breaking Activities
  • Hackathon Introduction & Track Selection
  • Workshop: Ideation & Problem Discovery
  • Team Formation & Brainstorming
  • Evening: Initial Planning & Research
  • Workshop: Programming Fundamentals (Python/JavaScript)
  • Hackathon Coding Time Begins
  • Technical Mentor Check-Ins
  • Workshop: API Integration / App Development
  • Continued Team Development
  • Evening: UI/UX Design Checkpoint + Branding & Product Polish
Calendar
Day 3

FINAL SPRINT, PITCH & CELEBRATION

  • Workshop: Machine Learning / Data Analysis
  • Individual Team Consultations
  • Final Coding Sprint
  • Workshop: The Art of the Pitch
  • Pitch Practice & Feedback
  • Hackathon Fair & Project Presentations
  • Awards Ceremony & Closing Remarks

About HackHarvard

HackHarvard is Harvard University's flagship student-led hackathon, hosted annually by the Undergraduate Tech and Innovation Community. Founded on the belief that students can be powerful problem solvers, HackHarvard brings together young minds to build technology-driven solutions that address global issues.

Over the years, HackHarvard has welcomed students from across the world to Harvard's campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The event is known for its energetic atmosphere, rigorous mentorship, and exceptional student-led projects.

HackHarvard marks first expansion of this experience into Asia, offering younger students an early opportunity to experience the challenge and excitement of a real-world, student-driven hackathon.

Harvard Legacy

Flagship student-led hackathon

Global Impact

First expansion into Asia

Student-Driven

By students, for students

Ready to Build Something Legendary?

Every great tech leader started somewhere. Steve Jobs. Mark Zuckerberg. Your favorite YouTuber. They all had a first project, a first team, a first "aha!" moment.

This could be yours.

Apply Now Arrow Book a Meeting Download Download Brochure
$500
Investment in Your Future
3 Days
That Change Everything
∞ Impact
On Your Life & Others
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"The best time to start was yesterday. The second best time is right now."