About the challenge
Hack the Habitat is a global, online hackathon inviting participants to build technology that protects and understands the natural world. The challenge is centered on the theme: "Build tech that protects the planet." Rather than using code as a generic tool, participants are encouraged to build projects that directly address a real environmental problem, whether that's climate, wildlife, ecosystems, agriculture, or conservation.
Submissions may include conservation and wildlife tracking tools, climate data and modeling projects, sustainable agriculture tech, clean energy tools, environmental education platforms, or entirely new approaches to environmental monitoring. Strong projects will go beyond surface-level ideas, emphasizing systems that use real data, respond to real conditions, or create a measurable path to impact. Participants are encouraged to research the problem they are solving, think critically about feasibility, and build something that could genuinely be used.
Hack the Habitat is open to beginners and experienced builders alike. Whether you are a developer, designer, or someone who simply cares about the environment, the goal is to learn, build, and create technology that makes a difference for the planet.
Get started
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Register for the hackathon on Devpost and join the Discord server.
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Form a team of up to four participants or work individually.
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Brainstorm ideas that align with the theme and explore what environmental problem you want to solve.
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Start building during the official Build Period using any tools, frameworks, or technologies.
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Attend optional workshops, mentorship sessions, and community events for guidance and support.
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Submit your project before the deadline, including a demo, source code, and project description.
If you are unsure where to begin, start by thinking about what part of the natural world you care most about, whether that's a local ecosystem, a global climate problem, or a specific species, and build from there.
Requirements
What to Build
Build a project that aligns with the theme: "Build tech that protects the planet." Your project should combine code and real environmental data or context to produce a tool, system, or experience that supports conservation, climate action, or environmental awareness. This may include, but is not limited to, wildlife or habitat tracking tools, climate data visualizations, sustainable agriculture tools, environmental education apps, or experimental approaches to conservation. Projects should emphasize real-world relevance and functionality rather than surface-level concepts. All work must be created substantially during the Build Period.
What to Submit
Each submission must include the following:
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A working project demo, provided as a live link or a recorded video
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A publicly accessible source code repository
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A written project description explaining the problem, implementation, and technologies used
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Clear attribution for any third-party datasets, libraries, or APIs used
Submissions must be complete and submitted before the deadline. Incomplete, inaccessible, or non-compliant submissions may be disqualified at the organizer's discretion.
Prizes
Best Overall Project
Crowd Favorite
Crowd Favorite
Most Creative
Most Creative
Devpost Achievements
Submitting to this hackathon could earn you:
Judges
Mihir D
Judging Criteria
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Environmental Impact (30%)
Does this project meaningfully address a real environmental problem? -
Use of Technology (25%)
Does the project meaningfully leverage code, data, or AI? -
Execution (15%)
How polished and functional is it? -
Theme Alignment (10%)
Does it embody "tech that protects the planet"? -
Design and Usability (20%)
Is the project well designed, easy to use, and accessible to its intended audience?
Questions? Email the hackathon manager
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