She Innovates

She Innovates is open to all students both undergraduate and graduate from any major. It is a 36-hour hackathon that brings together students of all backgrounds to solve real-world problems, collaborate and create new ideas, and network with their peers and industry professionals. It is a weekend of ideation, programming, bonding, and creation, with mentors from both industry and academia. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn, build, and connect!

No coding experience? No problem! She Innovates is designed for everyone. Students of all skill levels are welcome at She Innovates (even if you have absolutely zero experience)! Tons of hackathon participants are beginners, and we will have workshops and mentorship available to support you. 

She Innovates logo

She Innovates 2026

Join us for our 12th annual She Innovates Hackathon. 

Feb. 6 through 8, 2026

Connolly Ballroom, Alumni Hall

Register Now
two students in sweaters standing next to one another, one has a laptop open in their hands

Schedule

 

DayTimeEvent
Day 1: Friday, Feb. 65 to 6 p.m.Networking and Check-in
6 to 7 p.m.Kick-off (in person)
7 p.m.Team Formation
7:30 p.m.Design Thinking and Innovation Workshop by PNC
8 p.m.Hacking Begins
Day 2: Saturday, Feb. 7All dayHacking Continues
9 to 11 a.m.Breakfast
10:30 to 11 a.m.Workshop by PNC
12:30 to 1:30 p.m.Lunch
3 to 4 p.m.Mocktail Hour with NCWIT
5 to 7 p.m.Dinner
Day 3: Sunday, Feb. 8 9 a.m.Hacking ends
9 to 11 a.m.Breakfast
9:30 a.m.All teams must arrive at Alumni Hall
10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.Project Expo, Judging, and Awards

Prizes

Celebrating Innovation and Creativity

1st Place

Beats Solo3 Wireless On-Ear Headphones | Matte Black

2nd Place

JBL Go 4 Portable Bluetooth Speaker

3rd Place

Fujifilm Instax Mini 12 Camera | Pastel Blue

Best Beginner Project

Stanley Quencher H2.0 FlowState Tumbler

PNC Challenge Prizes

1st Place (TBD)
2nd Place (TBD)
3rd Place (TBD) 

OCC Credit

Students can get OCC credit for attending this event by scanning the QR code below.

QR code 

Frequently Asked Questions

A hackathon is an event where people come together, break into teams, and develop cool technical projects in a limited amount of time.

Yes! There will be tons of prizes and swag.

Any graduate or undergraduate college student

Students at the University of Pittsburgh own and retain all rights to their intellectual property.

No, submissions may not include any code that was written before the kickoff party.

She Innovates is a great first hackathon! Just come eager and willing to learn. Mentors will be available online to help guide you through the hacking process.

Currently, we are not able to offer travel reimbursements or housing for participants.

Yes. Unfortunately we cannot have participants under the age of 18 at this time.

Sponsors

Empowering Innovation
We extend a huge thank you to this year's sponsors for supporting women in technology.
 

PNC logo                        CGI logoNCWIT logo

Additional Questions?

If you have any questions about She Innovates, please contact Mackenzie Ball, Director of Outreach and Alumni Engagement.