SCI Hackathon 2026
A collaborative effort to bridge the gap between academia, industry, and grassroots innovation.
Brought to you by Groundswell Startups and co-powered by Databricks and BoxMica, this event brings together university students, industry professionals, founders, hackers, tinkerers, and tech enthusiasts to solve real-world challenges across a broad range of themes, from aerospace and agriculture to semiconductors and gaming. With two tracks tailored for both hardware and software innovation, participants will be supported by expert mentors and subject matter experts from across multiple verticals to build solutions that can shape the future of the Space Coast and drive innovation across the State of Florida.
Hackathon Tracks
Schedule
April 10th, 2026
April 11th, 2026
Learn how to go from idea to physical prototype using Groundswell’s tools and lab resources. Ideal for teams working on hardware or integrated solutions.
Core topics:
- Best practices for building an MVP
- How to bring that MVP to production
- Scaling cloud services effectively, avoiding tech debt too early, show some best practice and not-so-best practice architectures in different scenarios
- How can Databricks help?
- SAs - what we do to help
- Databricks
Get a crash course in IP protection and innovation rights. Understand patents, trademarks, and how to protect what you build, especially if you plan to take your project forward.
April 12th, 2026
Turn your project into a powerful story. Learn how to craft a compelling narrative around your solution, highlight its impact, and deliver a confident pitch that resonates with judges, investors, and partners.