Call for HBCU Students: Apply to Black Enterprise BE Smart HBCU Hackathon
The 11th annual Black Enterprise BE Smart HBCU Hackathon, hosted by Toyota, will be held on Nov. 18-20, 2026 in Charlotte, NC.
The hackathon brings together 200 students from historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) for a competition that combines collaboration, quick thinking, failing and learning fast and articulating ideas in public. HBCU juniors and seniors majoring in computer science, engineering and cybersecurity are encouraged to apply.
One team per school will be accepted until the capacity of 200 HBCU students is reached. Airfare, hotels and meals are provided for all hackers.
We are proud that students at several UNCF-member institutions have won the hackathon in previous years, including:
- 2025: Morehouse College won 3rd place
- 2024: Spelman College won 1st place, Philander Smith University won 2nd place and Talladega College won 3rd place
- 2023: Florida Memorial University and Spelman tied for 2nd place
- 2022: Morehouse won 1st place
- 2020: Morehouse won 1st place
- 2019: Johnson C. Smith University won 2nd place
- 2018: Xavier University of Louisiana won 1st place
- 2017: Morehouse received 2nd place and Fisk University received 3rd place
View more at BlackEnterprise.com/hackathon. Contact Shayda Mulder for more details.
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