strAIght up! Hackathon - Event Rules


Effective date: 9 Mar 2026
*Last updated: 9 Mar 2026


Eligibility

This hackathon is open to:

  • Students who are 15-25 years old and studying in any Singapore educational institution, OR

  • Anyone who is 15-25 years old and awaiting entry into an educational institution (including NSFs and those awaiting graduate studies), OR

  • Students who are 15-25 years old and studying in overseas institutions, but we cannot provide assistance (e.g. visa, accommodation) in getting to Singapore for this group.

All participants must be between 15-25 years old at the time of the event.


Teams

  • Teams can have between 2 and 4 members.

  • Participants must register in teams and nominate one leader to register on their behalf.

  • The hackathon will not provide any team-matching service for participants.

  • All team members must be between 15-25 years old.

  • Teams cannot be changed after registration closes without organiser approval.


What You Can Build

  • You can build any software product you want, whether it is a web app, iOS app, Android app, desktop application, game, or other software project.


Timeline

  • The hackathon challenge statements will be announced on 18th April 2026 at LorongAI@one-north.

  • The hackathon judging will be conducted on 25th March 2026 at LorongAI@one-north.

  • The organisers will provide instructions in-advance to registered teams on the deadlines and methods of submitting projects. Teams must have submitted your project to the strAIght up! Hackathon by the deadline.

  • Late submissions will not be accepted.


Project Guidelines

  • You are allowed to use an idea you generated before the hackathon, but we strongly encourage all teams to build during the hackathon itself to maximise the engagement of the experience.

  • You are allowed to use frameworks, libraries, and open-source code, but please refrain from copying an existing project entirely as your submission.

  • You are encouraged to use AI tools and vibe coding tools to build your project.

  • If you adapt any existing projects or use significant pre-existing code, you must clearly document this in your submission and inform the judges of the ideas and work generated during the hackathon for transparency and clarity.


Submission Requirements

  • Each team will be given 3 minutes to do a presentation about their project to judges. The top 10 teams will make it to a final round.

  • The use of AI or vibe coding tools is allowed and encouraged.


What Constitutes Cheating

  • Copying or making only minor edits to an existing project.

  • Submitting work that is primarily not created during the hackathon without proper disclosure.

  • Misrepresenting the work of others as your own.

  • Plagiarising code, designs, or ideas without attribution.

  • Violating the terms of use of any APIs, libraries, or tools used.

  • Cheating is a serious offence as it goes against the spirit of strAIght up! Hackathon.


Zero-Tolerance Policy

There is a zero-tolerance policy for plagiarism and it will result in instant disqualification.


Transparency and Good Faith

  • We strongly encourage all teams to ideate brand new solutions and projects to make the most of the hackathon experience.

  • If teams adapt any existing projects, please inform the judges of the ideas and work generated during the hackathon for transparency and clarity.

  • When in doubt, disclose! It's better to be transparent about your sources than risk disqualification.


Intellectual Property

  • Any intellectual property developed during the hackathon will belong to the team that developed it.

  • The division of intellectual property between team members is the responsibility of the team.

  • The organisers will not be held responsible for any intellectual property disputes between team members.

  • Teams are responsible for ensuring they have the rights to use any third-party code, APIs, or resources in their projects.


Code of Conduct

By participating in strAIght up! Hackathon, you agree to abide by the Code of Conduct.
All participants are expected to:

  • Treat all participants, mentors, judges, sponsors, and organisers with respect

  • Create a welcoming and inclusive environment for everyone

  • Behave professionally and responsibly throughout the event

  • Follow all venue rules and safety guidelines

  • Report any violations or concerns to the organisers immediately

Harassment, discrimination, or inappropriate behaviour of any kind will not be tolerated and may result in removal from the event.


Questions and Concerns

If you have any questions regarding code reuse for your project, eligibility requirements, or any other aspect of the rules, please contact us before proceeding. We want to help you avoid any issues!


How to Contact Us

  • We will add registered teams into a Telegram channel where they may ask questions and receive information.

We are more than happy to answer any questions from teams so that your efforts during the hackathon do not go to waste.


Final Authority

The organisers have the final say on:

  • What constitutes cheating in the event of a dispute

  • Eligibility decisions

  • Project integrity evaluations

  • Interpretation and enforcement of these rules

  • Judging criteria and winner selection


Organiser decisions are final and binding.


By registering for and participating in strAIght up! Hackathon, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to abide by these Event Rules.


We're excited to see what you build! Good luck and have fun! 🚀