🛠️ Vision Hack 0 – Official Rules

All attendees are required to adhere to the Vision Hack 0 Code of Conduct. Review the Code of Conduct here.

📅 Key Dates

  • Event Date: June 21, 2025

  • Submission Deadline: June 21, 2025, by 7:00 PM PT

  • Judging Period: June 21, 2025, from 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM PT

  • Winner Announcements: June 21, 2025, by 10:00 PM PT

All deadlines are subject to change. Updates will be posted in the Discord

🧑‍💻 Eligibility

To participate in Vision Hack 0, you must meet the following criteria:

  • Age: Between 14 and 30 years old on the day of the hackathon

  • Residency: Must reside in or attend school in Los Angeles City Council Districts 8, 9, or 10

  • Team Size: You may work solo or in teams of up to four (4) people

  • In-Person Attendance: Required at the SoLa Tech Center @ The Beehive

👥 Age Brackets

All participants will be grouped into three distinct age brackets:

  1. Ages 14–17

  2. Ages 18–23

  3. Ages 24–30

Participants must form teams exclusively within their age bracket. This ensures appropriate content delivery, mentorship, and judging. Each age group will receive tailored resources and support:

  • Minors (14–17) will have additional check-in protocols, supervised zones, and curated workshop offerings.

  • Legal guardians are required to accompany minors at check-in and check-out and sign consent forms.

  • Mentorship and judging criteria may vary slightly between brackets to reflect developmental needs and experience levels.

Organizers, judges, and mentors are not eligible to compete.

💡 Submission Requirements

Because Vision Hack 0 is designed to introduce students to the hackathon process, submissions do not need to include a working prototype. Instead, the focus is on creativity, vision, and effort. A complete Devpost submission includes:

  1. Project Overview – A clear explanation of the problem, your solution, and whom it serves

  2. Demo Video (Required) – A 3–5 minute video (YouTube or Vimeo) presenting your idea; this can be a presentation, walkthrough, or concept pitch

  3. Supplemental Materials (Optional) – Diagrams, mockups, decks, code repositories, or prototypes if available

  4. Submission Time – Projects must be submitted by 7:00 PM PT

This structure is designed to celebrate participation while giving each team meaningful exposure to tools, teamwork, and public speaking.

🛠 Project Requirements

  • New Projects Only: Projects must be created exclusively during the event. Open-source assets and templates are allowed, but teams must disclose them in their submission.

  • Concepts Welcome: Projects do not need to be fully coded. Paper prototypes, Figma designs, pitch decks, and visual presentations are all valid.

  • Collaboration Required: Teams must actively engage with mentors, attend at least one workshop, and be present for the demo showcase.

  • Track Relevance: Each project should align with one of the Vision Hack 0 tracks (e.g., Climate Justice, Civic Tech, Education Equity, Small Business Support, etc.)

🏆 Judging Criteria

Projects at Vision Hack 0 will be evaluated with a holistic lens that emphasizes community relevance, thoughtful design, and creative energy. Each submission will be assessed within its age bracket using the following weighted criteria:

Impact Potential – 25%

Does the project address a real challenge or opportunity in the community? Could it create meaningful change if developed further?

Design Thesis – 25%

Is there a clear and compelling "why" behind the project? Does the team articulate a well-reasoned vision of how their solution fits into the lives of those it aims to serve?

Process Plan – 15%

Did the team approach their project with a structured plan? Are there signs of thoughtful research, prototyping, iteration, or collaboration?

Technical Implementation – 15%

To the extent applicable: does the submission show a functional prototype, working demo, technical diagram, or implementation roadmap? (Note: full functionality is not required.)

Passion Pitch – 20%

Does the team convey excitement, belief, and personal investment in their idea? Is the final presentation engaging and persuasive?

 

Judges may offer tailored feedback to teams, especially in the 14–17 bracket, to encourage future growth.

🎁 Prizes [WIP]

Prizes will be awarded within each age bracket, including:

  • Top Concept

  • Best Use of Technology (if applicable)

  • Community Innovation Award

  • Mentor’s Choice Award

Prizes include [TBD]

❌ Disqualification

The organizers reserve the right to disqualify individuals or teams for:

  • Violating the Code of Conduct

  • Submitting incomplete or plagiarized work

  • Breaking team composition rules (e.g., cross-bracket collaboration)

  • Failing to adhere to event timelines

📣 Questions & Clarifications

All rule-related questions should be directed to the #ask-an-organizer channel on Discord. Any rule updates or clarifications will be communicated promptly to all participants.