SFSU student hackathon makes the major leagues

Annual event draws 200 hackers for 48 hours of creating solutions, networking

Mar 3, 2026
By Matt Itelson

At the SF Hacks event, six people stand in a huddle while holding laptop computers — Photo Credit: Photos by Jim Chen

San Francisco State University’s annual hackathon returned to campus Feb. 13 – 15, bringing 48 hours of new opportunities to our students to create solutions, network with industry professionals and more. The theme for this year’s SF Hacks event, “Tech for a Greener Tomorrow,” encouraged projects focused on sustainability and taking care of our future.

The student-run event attracted 300 people to the Student Life Events Center. Participants included hackers from across the country, as well as judges, panelists and mentors. Corporate sponsors included Major League Hacking, the venture-capital fund JFFVentures, Meta, IBM, Backboard, Medsender, Broxi AI, Actian, CRS, Upstreman and Shipyard, with beverages provided by Celsius, Red Bull, Poppi, Monster, Bloom and GST Living Foods. SFSU sponsors included the Computer Science Department, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Programs and the campus chapter of the Association for Computing Machinery.

The event featured 77 student projects. About 30 SFSU students volunteered their time to put on the hackathon.

“All of the attendees were able to build relationships and network with sponsors who are hiring,” said Ria Thakker, president of SF Hacks and a fourth-year Computer Science student.

A person wearing sunglasses holds up an SF Hacks T-shirt while at the event

The four winners of the JFF Ventures Prize hold an oversized check while standing on a stage

At the SF Hacks event, four people engage in a discussion while standing in front of a table with an open laptop computer

Thakker adds that numerous student volunteers have landed internships at leading companies after volunteering for SF Hacks. She interned at Uber in software development.

“The tech companies and startups were excited to be part of the event. Companies like Meta and IBM want to come to schools like San Francisco State,” she said. “I want to give students hope and opportunities in their job search.”

Jim Chen volunteered at SF Hacks for the third consecutive year. He recently completed his bachelor’s degree in Computer Science. He attended SFSU as an international student from Taiwan.

“This event has the magic to pull alumni like me back,” Chen said. “You’re gaining connections from all around the world.”

SF Hacks served as the official launch for a new partnership between Major League Hacking and JFFVentures to champion the next generation of builders in the southwestern U.S. To compete for the JFFVentures Prize, participants were challenged to create a tool or platform that bridges the gap between innovation and opportunity. The winners, students Maria Palacios, Guadalupe Carrillo Vega, Raina Zab and Matilda Verdejo Aitken, were honored for bottlr, a platform that connects donors of recyclable products directly with local bottle collectors. They received Lego sets and an exclusive meeting with the JFFVentures investment team.

Overall, 30 student projects won prizes. The awards vary, including career coaching sessions with industry professionals, electronics, appliances and cash.

The SF Hacks team seeks volunteers for next year’s hackathon. For details, e-mail Thakker at rthakker@sfsu.edu.

Learn more about the SFSU Computer Science Department.