Dates

The Merge 2026 Hackathon begins on January 30, 2026 at 00:00, Athens Time and ends on February 22, 2026 at 00:00,Athens Time. All project development and submissions must take place within this time period. Submissions received after the closing date and time will not be eligible for judging or prizes.

Eligibility

Participation in The Merge 2026 Hackathon is open to individuals who are at least thirteen (13) years of age at the time of registration. The hackathon is intended primarily for students and beginner participants, including members of FTC, FLL, FRC teams, as well as participants with no prior robotics or hackathon experience. Participants may compete individually or as part of a team consisting of two (2) to four (4) members. A participant may only be a member of one team. All participants must comply with these rules and with the Code of Conduct established by the organizers.

Project and Submission Requirements

All projects submitted to The Merge 2026 Hackathon must be created during the official hackathon period. Projects that existed prior to the start of the hackathon are not eligible unless they have been significantly modified or expanded during the event in a manner that demonstrates substantial new work. Each team may submit only one project.

Submissions must be completed through the Devpost platform and must include sufficient information to allow judges to understand and evaluate the project. This includes a clear description of the problem being addressed, an explanation of the proposed solution, a description of the project’s impact, and a demonstration or proof of concept such as screenshots, images, diagrams, mockups, or a short video. Projects are not required to be fully functional; however, they must demonstrate meaningful effort, learning, and development during the hackathon period.

Participants are permitted to use open-source software, publicly available APIs, libraries, and artificial intelligence tools, provided that such tools are used responsibly and that participants can clearly explain their project and their contribution to it.

Prizes

Prizes and awards will be granted to selected participants based on the outcome of the judging process. Prizes may include certificates, honorary recognitions, and non-monetary opportunities such as mentorship or public recognition. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, no monetary prizes are guaranteed. All prizes are awarded at the sole discretion of the organizers and judging panel, and no substitutions or exchanges will be permitted.

Judging Criteria and Winner Selection

Projects will be evaluated by a panel of judges appointed by the organizers. Judging will be based on criteria that include, but are not limited to, the project’s potential impact, creativity and innovation, clarity of process and learning, design and usability, and the quality of the project presentation. Judges will take into account the experience level of participants, and beginner teams will not be disadvantaged due to lower technical complexity. All judging decisions are final and binding.

Additional Conditions

The organizers reserve the right to disqualify any submission that does not comply with these rules or that violates the spirit of fair participation. Any clarifications or interpretations of these rules will be communicated publicly to ensure equal access to information for all participants. By participating in the hackathon, participants grant the organizers permission to reference their project name, description, and non-confidential materials for promotional, educational, or reporting purposes related to the event.