48 hours to build for Puerto Rico.

Registration is on Devpost. First, get your Caribbean AI Summit ticket — you need one to participate. Then click Register for the hackathon on this page and complete your registration on Devpost.

Don't have a team yet? You can take part solo or in a team of 2–4 people. Team formation happens at the kickoff on the evening of Thursday, October 8.

Yes. The hackathon is for Caribbean AI Summit attendees, so every participant needs a valid Summit ticket (General Admission or Inner Circle). Your ticket covers full Summit access plus the hackathon — keynotes, sessions, networking, and the closing reception. Get yours via the Get Tickets button above.

You must also be above the legal age of majority in your country of residence, and only certain countries and territories are eligible — see the official rules.

Yes, beginners are welcome. The hackathon is for anyone who wants to solve real healthcare problems — people who work in healthcare, students, designers, business and product folks, founders, engineers, and first-timers alike. What matters is that you bring an idea and a willingness to build.

AI is optional, not required. If you don't code, we recommend teaming up with at least one technical builder. We'll also have mentors on-site to help unblock teams.

Teams are 2 to 4 people, and pre-formed teams are welcome. You can also participate solo (“hard mode”).

Looking for a team? Team formation happens at the kickoff on the evening of Thursday, October 8. Bring an idea, bring a skill, or bring nothing but energy — we'll connect you.

The theme is "Healthcare Solutions". Your project must address a healthcare challenge relevant to Puerto Rico or the Caribbean, in one of these areas:

• Access to health services: helping people find services, navigate the healthcare system, and connect with providers.
• Support for patients and caregivers: making health information easier to understand and everyday care easier to manage.
• Improvements to administrative processes and coordination of health services: simplifying administrative tasks, improving coordination, and reducing barriers for patients and providers.

Fully pre-built projects are not eligible. Development must take place during the official build period, October 8–10, 2026, and your prototype's core functionality must be built during the hackathon. Exact start and submission times will be announced.

Existing libraries, frameworks, and publicly available resources are allowed — just clearly identify and credit any pre-existing components in your submission. Coming in with a clear idea, sketches, or a tech plan is encouraged.

Any tools, frameworks, or APIs. Use the tools and technologies that best fit your solution. AI is optional, not required.

Sponsors will provide free credits, API access, and integration support during the event. Details published closer to the date.

Submit through Devpost before the announced deadline — late submissions may not be reviewed. Each team or solo participant must include:

• Project name and team members
• A 2–3 sentence description of the healthcare problem, the intended users, and your proposed solution
• A working demo or a demo video of up to 2 minutes showing the prototype's core functionality
• A link to your code repository (GitHub or similar) with basic instructions for running or reviewing the project

Make sure judges can access every link you submit. Optional: a slide deck of up to 5 slides and a live hosted demo.

Data: use synthetic, public, or organizer-approved datasets with no identifiable patient information. Do not include real patient records, confidential information, or credentials in your submission, repository, or demo.

A panel of judges (founders, engineers, investors, and PR ecosystem leaders) scores projects on five criteria:

• Healthcare impact & local relevance: Does the project address a clear healthcare need in Puerto Rico or the Caribbean? Consider its potential benefit to patients, caregivers, providers, or healthcare organizations.
• Quality of the idea: Is the solution thoughtful and well suited to the problem? Consider originality and how effectively the approach meets the intended users' needs.
• Prototype execution: Does the prototype demonstrate its core functionality? Consider the quality of implementation and whether the chosen technology supports the solution effectively.
• Feasibility & responsible design: Could the solution realistically be developed further and adopted? Consider practical constraints, privacy, safety, and how clearly the team acknowledges limitations.
• Usability & clarity: Is the solution understandable and usable for its intended audience? Consider accessibility, ease of use, and how clearly the team demonstrates its value.

Finalists give a 5-minute live presentation followed by 3 minutes of Q&A, and must also provide a 2-minute backup demo video. Clearly distinguish working functionality from simulated features or planned capabilities.

You retain full ownership of the intellectual property you create during the hackathon. Your submission must include a link to your code repository (GitHub or similar) that judges can access, with basic instructions for running or reviewing the project.

By participating, you grant the Caribbean AI Summit and PRAIC permission to feature your project, repository, team name, photos, and project description for promotional purposes. We claim no ownership of your work beyond this promotional use.

Yes to mentors and a place to work. Industry mentors will rotate through team tables throughout Day 1 and Day 2 for technical and product guidance. Snacks will be provided. Meals are not included.

The hackathon takes place inside the Caribbean AI Summit venue at the Puerto Rico Convention Center — open-floor team tables, fast WiFi, charging everywhere, and direct access to the Summit programming.

Bring your laptop, charger, valid ID, and your Summit badge. We provide WiFi, power, snacks, swag, and workspace. Meals are not included.

The venue is open for working hours, but there's no overnight sleeping inside.

The $10,000 prize pool is split as 1st: $5,000 · 2nd: $3,000 · 3rd: $2,000. Prizes are awarded to the team and split evenly among team members unless the team specifies otherwise.

Prizes are paid via bank transfer or check within 30 days of the event. Prizes are considered taxable income in both the US and Puerto Rico — we'll issue the appropriate tax forms (1099-MISC or equivalent) where required. Consult a tax professional for your situation.

Yes. Treat participants, judges, mentors, volunteers, and organizers with respect. Harassment, discrimination, plagiarism, and disruptive behavior are not permitted. Report any conduct or privacy concerns to the organizing team.

Organizers may disqualify submissions that violate the rules and remove participants who violate the code of conduct.

The official rules are on Devpost. This page summarizes them; if anything here differs, the Devpost rules apply.