BYTE Hacks 2025

Overview

BYTE Hacks is The City College of New York's first hackathon, running for 24 hours from September 26th to 27th, 2025. It's a chance to build the computer science community, with projects falling into four tracks: Innovation & Creative Expression, Planetary Protection, Transformative Learning, and Strengthen Society. Google, Red Bull, and Vercel are sponsoring the event.

Requirements

Participants must be college students, above the legal age of majority in their country, and must apply and be accepted. Teams must consist of 2 to 5 members. All countries are welcome except for standard exceptions. Projects created before the hackathon must be disclosed, and only code written during the event will be judged. Submissions require a project name, group members, and a 2-minute demo video. Attending the closing ceremony on September 27th is mandatory to be eligible for prizes.

Prizes

There's over $1,000 in cash prizes plus other prizes. The 'Best Software for Tech Startups' prize offers $1,000 cash. For the 'Best Use of Google Products Overall', 1st place gets 4 Vercel hats and NuPhy Keyboards, 2nd place receives 2 Vercel hats and HyperX Microphones, and 3rd place gets 2 Vercel hats and AirPods 4s. Additional prizes include Vercel hats and specific items like JBL Speakers, LARQ Water Bottles, Arduino Kits, and Fitbits for winning the track categories.