Tech For Community 2026 is a two-day in-person youth hackathon hosted by TecNurtur, designed for students in Grades 8 to 12. The event invites participants to listen to community members, explore their experiences and needs, and turn those insights into a working prototype over the course of November 21-22, 2026. Registration is free for up to 120 student places on a first-come, first-served basis. Beginners are welcome; no prior experience as a programmer or tech expert is required.
The hackathon follows a "Listen. Build. Test. Share." format. On Day 1, teams engage in community conversations to identify needs and interests, then scope a direction and begin building. Day 2 focuses on testing prototypes with community members, peers, and mentors, followed by improvements and final demonstrations. Teams consist of 1 to 4 students and work across four broad project categories:
Projects can be digital (websites, apps, AI), hardware (robotics, Arduino), or creative physical models. Participants do not need to solve major social issues or propose businesses; useful tools, games, and creative projects all count. Rough prototypes and live demos are expected rather than polished commercial products.
Judging uses a single rubric applied to every category, evaluating: Community Understanding (20%), Creativity and Approach (20%), Prototype Execution (30%), Testing and Improvement (20%), and Demonstration and Explanation (10%). Awards include First, Second, and Third Place overall, specific Category Awards, a Beginner Achievement Award, and a Community Choice Award determined by audience vote. Teams retain full ownership of their work.
Venue
St. John's, Canada