Useful Links

• Judging Instructions & FAQ (you are here)
• Judging Criteria
• Project Submission Rules

Submission Instructions

1. Before starting on your project, ensure that you read the Hack the North 2025 Submission Rules.
   • Familiarize yourself with the Devpost page — it contains a list of all the prizes at Hack the North 2025. Take a look to see what prizes you could compete for!
2. For instructions on how to submit your project through Devpost, please read this. Please pay attention to the following instructions:
   • You must submit the badge ID for each hacker participating on your team. If this is not included you will not be able to present to judges.
   • Please include a valid phone number and email, reachable on Sunday, September 14, 2025.
   • You must submit your project before 8:00 AM ET on Sunday, September 14, 2025. We encourage you to submit as early as possible due to potential delays as the deadline approaches. You can always edit your submission before the final deadline after you submit.

Finalist Judging — First Round

1. Judging times will be released around 8:30 AM ET through the hacker dashboard on a Google spreadsheet (this will also be sent to Slack), along with the room where you will check in for your judging.

• Please aim to arrive at your designated room 10 minutes before the time indicated on the spreadsheet.
• You should plan for your judging to take somewhere around half an hour (including check in + potential waiting times)

1. When you get to the room, you will be asked to check in with an organizer.
   • State your team name and your assigned time.
   • Provide all the names and badge IDs of each team member presenting.
   • The organizer should confirm that you should be in this room.
   • Once the organizer has confirmed this is your room, take a seat in the room.
2. When it is your time to present, a volunteer will call you to follow them to a judging room. They will instruct you to wait outside the judging room until the organizer inside calls you in.
   • Please be quiet outside of the judging room as many teams are inside presenting.
3. In the judging room, you will have 5 minutes to present a live demo.
   • We recommend you spend the time as follows:
     1. 3 minutes presenting/demo-ing
     2. 1 minute for questions
     3. 1 minute for setup/takedown
   • You will be stopped and removed from the room if you are still demo-ing at the 5 minute mark.
   • Video demos are allowed but are not recommended.

Finalist Judging — Second Round: Project Expo

1. Projects that advance to the second round will be announced at 12:00 ET through Slack.
2. If your project is selected, your team must arrive at the Project Expo (previously the Sponsor Bay) as soon as possible by 12:20 PM.
   1. If not, you're still free to check out the Project Expo and see other hackers' projects once it opens to all hackers at 12:30 PM!
   2. You should expect judging to take 30 minutes after it begins
3. When you get to the Project Expo, you will be asked to check in with an organizer.
   1. State your team name.
   2. Provide all the names and badge IDs of each team member presenting.
   3. The organizer should confirm your table number.
   4. Find your table number and verify that you have a QR code on your desk, and that the QR code leads to your project's Devpost page.
      1. If it does not, immediately alert an organizer.
   5. Set up your project to demo.
4. The Project Expo will open to judges and other hackers at 12:30 PM. When a judge(s) accompanied by an organizer approaches you, you will have 5 minutes to present a live demo, similar to the first round.
   1. Other hackers or attendees may come up to you and ask you about your project during the Project Expo. Feel free to show off your project, but when a judge arrives!
5. You will be cut off if you are still demo-ing at the 5-minute mark.