Nittany AI Challenge 2026

Overview

This hackathon challenges Penn State students to create AI-based solutions for real-world problems. You'll use artificial intelligence to develop projects that address important issues. The goal is to empower students to build practical AI applications.

Requirements

This hackathon is for current Penn State undergraduate and graduate students only. Teams are required to participate and companies or professional organizations are not eligible. You will need to submit documentation including your team name, team members, a problem statement, an MVP use case description, details on data availability, and a technical description of your AI approach. You also must submit a video demonstration of your prototype, no longer than 5 minutes, explaining your project and its functionality.

Prizes

There is a total of $4,500 in cash prizes available. Up to 15 winning teams will each receive a $300 Prototype Award. Prizes will be distributed through LionPath to the team lead, who will then be responsible for distributing the funds to team members.