MIDWAY HACKS 2026
APRIL 17-24
The first national college-to-founding pipeline.
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Chicago | LOS ANGELES | NEW YORK
Welcome to MidwayHacks.
MidwayHacks is the Midway Collective’s annual nationwide hackathon, bringing together student builders, designers, and founders from across the country to explore ambitious ideas at the edge of technology, design, and entrepreneurship. Over the course of the event, participants form teams, prototype rapidly, and turn bold concepts into working projects.
>>
THE
REGIONAL
SPRINT
24h of Execution
A high-intensity sprint occurring concurrently
across UChicago, UCLA,
and Rutgers.
Local Validation
Compete at your regional stage to receive early validation and immediate feedback from powerhouse founders and VCs.
VENTURE PIPELINE
Leverage the Midway Collective for executional support, technical resources, and strategic introductions.
>>
THEME:
BEAT THE CHEF
Build a competitor, product, or feature to the prompt startup in 24 hours. Find a better solution than the one they provide.
For each track, we are bringing in a powerhouse founder from respective regions to serve as both the judge and the target.
These chefs have already received market validation. Your goal isn't just to build — it's to disrupt the disruptors and try to execute their vision more effectively.
TRACKS:
01_FINTECH
TRACK STARTUPS ::
MIDWEST
EAST COAST
WEST COAST
>> LOADING...
>> LOADING...
>> LOADING...
TRACK STARTUPS ::
MIDWEST
EAST COAST
WEST COAST
>> LOADING...
>> LOADING...
>> LOADING...
03_AI&INFRA
TRACK STARTUPS ::
MIDWEST
EAST COAST
WEST COAST
>> LOADING...
>> LOADING...
>> LOADING...
04_DEFENSE
TRACK STARTUPS ::
MIDWEST
EAST COAST
WEST COAST
>> LOADING...
>> LOADING...
>> LOADING...
THE PRIZE POOL:
$36K Cash:
Distributed as $3,000 to each track winner per chapter. More prizes to be announced in the form of credits, swag, and more!
THe winners’ circle
Top-performing teams will be invited to a private follow-up event in San Francisco this fall to interface with tier-one capital with a chance at receiving direct funding.
partner with us.
MidwayHacks 2026 brings together the top college builders across three coasts for a 24-hour national hackathon series. Whether you're looking to recruit top engineering and product talent, stress-test your product against a motivated student base, or get your brand in front of the next generation of founders — we'd love to explore a partnership.
Sponsorship opportunities range from title and track-level to in-kind.