Join us for our 48-hour social good hackathon.

Hosted by Brandeis University
Hybrid: in-person and virtual
January 26-28th, 2024

Applications are open! We have a limited number of spots - enter your info above to apply!

Design Hacks That Help
Local Nonprofits

DeisHack isn’t your typical hackathon. We pair hackers with local nonprofits to build real-world solutions.

Join 200 hackers for 48-hours while we hack for social good.

6 Years of Community Impact

Deis Hacks is a cherished Brandesian action-tank that synthesizes our student body’s value of social good, drawing talent from all over campus.

“I was inspired by the ideas the students came up with for our local nonprofits. It’s refreshing to see that type of brain-power. They combined heart with brains and that’s a wonderful combination. This event goes to show that the types of things being done at Brandeis opens doors for students and their community.”

Jeannette McCarthy
Mayor of Waltham, MA

Frequently Asked Questions

Hybrid hackathons come in many different forms. For DeisHacks, we will be hosting the backbone of the event via Discord online. We will also have a space available on campus. Teams can meet in-person or attend entirely virtually online.
Any 18+ undergraduate or graduate student currently enrolled in any academic institution.
Don't worry! We actively encourage people from all backgrounds, disciplines, and majors to attend! We have workshops that'll teach you everything you need to know. Deis Hacks creates diverse groups consisting of students with various superpowers so that anyone can take part! Just bring yourself, a willingness to learn, and a positive attitude!
In order to build your project you’ll need a computer, reliable internet, and a webcam or microphone (these are most likely built into your laptop or phone). Depending on your project, you might want to download any necessary software and updates. No worries if you don’t know what software you’ll be using; mentors and volunteers will be present to help you throughout the hackathon if you need any guidance.
This year's theme will be Design for Community, Design for Impact. DeisHacks provides a chance to bring socially-conscious students together to help solve relevant non-profit challenges. Your hacks will help uplift the Waltham community by expanding the reach and impact of its local non-profits.
All teams will be 3-6 people. Don't worry if you don't have a team—you'll have plenty of opportunities to find one virtually! DeisHacks will be hosting a variety of team formation activities throughout the first day, and we will also have a Discord channel dedicated to team formation leading up to and during the event.
The DeisHacks management team is looking for undergraduate and graduate hackers that are interested in giving back to the non-profit community. Here at DeisHacks we believe that diversity is the solution to complexity: Diversity of thought, background, and skills! We are searching for passionate, socially-conscious students that can use their superpowers for good!
The DeisHacks management team will send out approval and rejection emails to anyone that hasn't already been notified! You can apply right up to Saturday February 5th and we will be accepting people during the event.
All projects should be built from scratch to ensure that the hack is personalized to the non-profit you select. One of the major judging criteria will be product fit to the non-profit. We want original hacks not previously submitted to other hackathons. We do encourage you to start building a team and installing any software dependencies or updates you think you will use to build your hack. If you know you want to use a certain technology, get familiar and setup your environment!
Your team will have the option to present their projects to judges through a previously submitted, 2-3 minute video. You must submit a 3 minute (max) video demo! Judges will only consider the video - they will not consider any text or links submitted - if you want to show those, you have to put them in the video itself.
Yes! More to come with exact details. Follow us on social media for the latest!
Yes! We will have expert workshops and mentors available throughout the event. See the schedule link for more info!
Of course! We always recommend that hackers participate in the whole event in order to get the most out of their experience, but you can come late or leave early.
We will be using Discord as the primary communication channel.
Always feel free to reach out to deishacks@brandeis.edu and tell us if you have any questions, comments or concerns!
YES! Make sure to follow all Visitor Guildelines as they change often. For a full list of all COVID-19 policies, please visit this link.

Build Long-Term Solutions
For These Nonprofits