AthenaHacks 2024

about

Join us for a spectacular weekend dedicated to closing the gender gap, exploring new technologies, and building the next big thing! Our mission is to support and nurture students of marginalized gender identities in technology by hosting Southern California’s premier women-centric hackathon (trans and non-binary inclusive). Join us on campus at the University of Southern California (USC) for over 24 hours full of free food, technical workshops, mentorship, social activities, and more! No experience necessary – we only require curiosity and creativity!

Check us out in the press!

From hardware to mobile, there are so many fields to explore! We want women to explore their ideas and interests, and are looking forward to some amazing projects! Check out last year's projects here!

We're all about helping each other grow! We hope to foster a supportive environment so that each participant at AthenaHacks feels welcome, comfortable and empowered.

Right now, only 20% of hackathon participants are women. We hope to fill that gap by providing a comfortable environment that is focused on learning and exploring!

We're all about helping each other grow! We hope to foster a supportive environment so that each participant at AthenaHacks feels welcome, comfortable and empowered.

Right now, only 20% of hackathon participants are women. We hope to fill that gap by providing a comfortable environment that is focused on learning and exploring!

faqs

What's a hackathon?

A hackathon is a 24 hour event where students with similar interests come together to work on a project. You can attend workshops, hear from people in the computer science field and network with students and reps from companies!
Who can attend?

All female and gender non-conforming university students are welcome to attend AthenaHacks! Other students are welcome to apply as a mentor or volunteer (application coming soon!).
Will AthenaHacks be virtual this year?

AthenaHacks will be fully in-person this year! We will be hosting our event on-campus at the University of Southern California.
When will applications open and close?

Hacker Applications open on November 1st, 2023! They are reviewed on a rolling basis, so please apply as soon as possible!
Do I need to be a CS major or minor?

No! This is the perfect place for any student to create their first coding project. We'll have plenty of resources for beginners to get started!
Does this cost money?

Nope! Admission is free! Our sponsors and AthenaHacks will provide you with the free swag!!
How do teams work?

At most teams can have 4 people. You can have your teammates in mind before the event, or you can find a team during our team formation activity before and after opening ceremony!
Will there be hardware available?

We do provide hardware!! We will have Grove Beginner Kits for Arduino and Grove IoT Edition Starter Kits.
Is there a code of conduct?

Yes, we want to make AthenaHacks enjoyable for everyone! We follow MLH's Code of Conduct: here.
Can I mentor?

Applications for mentors will open soon!
I want to join the organizing team. Where can I apply?

Are you interested in making a huge impact on women in tech? Join AthenaHacks as an organizer! We recruit once a year in the fall for our Programs, Logistics, Finances and Marketing teams.
Where can I find more info about opportunities and events?

If you'd like to stay updated on all things AthenaHacks, subscribe to our newsletter here. We send out links to opportunities, interesting reads, and our favorite songs in every issue!