BU Spark! Hackathons
Two flagship hackathons where students build real solutions to real problems across every discipline.
Each year, BU Spark! hosts two flagship hackathons that bring students, researchers, industry partners, and community organizations together to build technology for real-world challenges. Both emphasize interdisciplinary collaboration, responsible innovation, and hands-on learning — but they serve different audiences and goals.
Which hackathon is your hackathon?
| DS+X · Fall | CivicHacks · Spring | |
|---|---|---|
| Who can join | BU students only | Open nationwide |
| Best for | All majors & experience levels — beginners welcome | Students comfortable building end-to-end |
| The vibe | Explore & experiment | Solve real problems for real partners |
| You build | Your own idea — any “X” | Sponsor-defined civic challenges |
| Support | Workshops, mentors, guided ideation | Real datasets, sponsors, domain experts |
| Format | Interdisciplinary & learning-first | Challenge-driven & production-style |
DS+X — Data Science + your “X”
Whether your “X” is art, health, public policy, education, climate, finance, or music, DS+X invites students from every major and experience level to explore how data science and AI intersect with what they love. Teams get support through workshops, mentors, and guided ideation. The goal isn’t a perfect product — it’s to experiment, learn, and collaborate across fields.
Teams have built:
- AI-powered creative tools
- Data visualizations & dashboards
- Campus-focused applications
- Wellness & accessibility tools
- Experimental AI & design prototypes
CivicHacks — Civic Technology
Unlike DS+X, CivicHacks is challenge-driven and partner-led — projects are proposed directly by external organizations, researchers, and civic partners. Students work alongside sponsors and domain experts to build tools that address real problems. Partners define the challenges, provide datasets, mentor teams, and often keep collaborating after the event. Best for students comfortable building end-to-end prototypes.
Challenge areas:
- Public-sector transparency
- Education & learning technology
- Urban infrastructure & planning
- Environmental sustainability
- Responsible AI for public systems
- Civic data analysis & visualization
What to expect
Across both hackathons, students from technical and non-technical backgrounds get the same support system:
- Team formation support
- Workshops and technical tutorials
- Mentorship from industry and researchers
- Real-world challenge prompts
- Judging and prizes
- Networking opportunities
- Hands-on learning experience
- Food, swag, and community
Get involved — pick your role
- Student participant — join a team and build a project.
- Mentor — help guide teams during the hackathon.
- Judge — evaluate final presentations.
- Workshop leader — teach a technical or domain-specific skill.
- Partner or sponsor — propose a real-world challenge for students.
Don’t miss the next one
Details for upcoming DS+X and CivicHacks events are posted here as planning progresses — registration links, schedules, and partner information will be added once available.