Hack The North

Hack The North
Name	Hack The North
Status	Active
Genre	Hackathon
Frequency	Annual
Venue	University of Waterloo
Location	Waterloo, Ontario
Country	Canada
First	2013
Attendance	1,000+

Hack The North Hack The North is an annual student-run hackathon held at the University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Ontario. The event gathers participants from institutions such as the University of Toronto, McMaster University, Queen's University, Western University, and international universities like Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, University of Cambridge and University of Oxford to collaborate on software and hardware projects. Organizers collaborate with technology companies including Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Facebook, and startups from incubators like Y Combinator and Techstars to run workshops, mentorship, and judging panels.

Overview

Hack The North is positioned among major North American hackathons alongside events like HackMIT, PennApps, TreeHacks, CalHacks and MHacks. The hackathon emphasizes interdisciplinary teams combining students from Engineering, Computer Science, Design, and business programs such as Rotman School of Management and Schulich School of Business. Typical deliverables include prototypes using platforms from Arduino, Raspberry Pi, TensorFlow, React, and cloud services from Google Cloud Platform, Microsoft Azure, and Amazon Web Services. Judges and mentors have included representatives from companies like Shopify, Dropbox, Slack Technologies, Stripe, and research groups from institutions such as Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics and Vector Institute.

History

Founded in 2013 by students at the University of Waterloo with roots in student organizations like ACM and IEEE, the event grew rapidly in size and scope, mirroring trends seen at TechCrunch Disrupt and SXSW. Early editions featured collaborations with regional organizations such as Communitech, Waterloo Region economic initiatives, and accelerator programs like Communitech Labs. Over time the hackathon attracted international participants from University of California, Berkeley, Columbia University, University of British Columbia, and McGill University, and developed relationships with foundation-backed research entities including Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and provincial initiatives. The event adapted through crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, adopting virtual formats similar to adaptations at SXSW and CES, before returning to in-person gatherings.

Organization and Structure

The organizing committee is composed of students and alumni affiliated with campus groups such as Engineering Society, Federation of Students, and campus incubators like Velocity. Operational roles mirror those in corporate event management at companies such as Eventbrite and Live Nation Entertainment: logistics, partnerships, marketing, sponsorship, volunteer coordination, and technical infrastructure. Governance often interacts with university administration offices including University of Waterloo Faculty of Engineering and campus legal counsel, while insurance and finance workflows reference practices from entities like Canada Revenue Agency for nonprofit or student group compliance. Volunteer mentorship teams include graduate students from programs like University of Waterloo Faculty of Mathematics and visiting engineers from firms such as BlackBerry Limited and OpenText Corporation.

Events and Competitions

The core 36- to 48-hour hackathon features workshops on tools from GitHub, Docker, Kubernetes, Node.js, and Python, and sessions on machine learning with PyTorch and TensorFlow. Competitive tracks have paralleled categories seen at Imagine Cup, Google Science Fair, and MIT $100K Competition, spanning themes like healthtech, fintech, civic tech, and sustainability. Prize sponsors have included firms like Intel, NVIDIA, RBC, TD Bank Group, and venture arms such as GV and Andreessen Horowitz. Side events often feature hackathon staples such as lightning talks, design critiques, startup pitch sessions modeled after Y Combinator demos, and recruitment fairs akin to those at Career Fair events hosted by major universities.

Participants and Community

Participants come from undergraduate and graduate programs at institutions including Ryerson University, Brock University, Wilfrid Laurier University, York University, Concordia University, and international schools like Technical University of Munich and National University of Singapore. Community-building draws on alumni networks similar to those of Facebook Alumni Network and Google Developers Groups, and on student clubs such as Women Who Code, IEEE Student Branches, Hack Club, and diversity-focused organizations like Black Students' Associations and Women in Engineering. Mentorship networks include professionals from LinkedIn, Accenture, Deloitte, and earlier-stage startup founders from Plug and Play Tech Center cohorts.

Sponsorship and Partnerships

Sponsorship tiers are structured with lead sponsors, technology partners, and community partners—models comparable to sponsorship frameworks used by SXSW and Web Summit. Corporate partners have included Microsoft Research, IBM Research, SAP, Oracle Corporation, SAP Labs, and regional players like BlackBerry Limited and OpenText Corporation. Educational partnerships involve campus departments such as University of Waterloo School of Accounting and Finance and external training providers like LinkedIn Learning and Coursera. Community partners have included nonprofit and municipal organizations such as Communitech and regional economic development offices, and media partnerships similar to collaborations with outlets like The Globe and Mail and CBC.

Impact and Notable Projects

Hack The North has incubated projects that progressed toward accelerators like Communitech and MaRS Discovery District, and alumni have founded companies participating in programs like Y Combinator and Techstars. Notable project tracks have addressed issues highlighted by organizations such as World Health Organization and United Nations Development Programme through prototypes in telemedicine, environmental sensing, and civic data visualization using APIs from OpenStreetMap, Google Maps Platform, and Stripe payments. Several projects have led to startup formation, patents filed with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office, and collaborations with hospitals like Grand River Hospital and research institutes including Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research. The hackathon contributes to the broader innovation ecosystem that includes hubs like MaRS Discovery District, Kitchener-Waterloo Startup Ecosystem, and accelerators such as Communitech Accelerator.

Category:Hackathons