Perfect Dozen
'Your hacker’s favorite hackathon' was back at it again this weekend, taking over the engineering quad. The event is as global as always, flying in over 1,000 elite student engineers from 30 universities and 12 countries to tackle some unique challenges. From the moment Sam Altman kicked off the opening keynote, the energy was focused on one goal: building what’s next (and boba).
Serious & Silly
The atmosphere was a unique blend of student networking and having adventures on the Stanford campus. While hackers competed for a share of more than $150,000 in prizes, they also rubbed shoulders with recruiters and engineers from Silicon Valley’s most innovative companies. Between intense coding sessions and industry-led workshops, students took much-needed breaks to race brain-controlled cars or de-stress with live llamas on campus. By covering all travel, meals, and lodging, TreeHacks ensured that the only thing on their minds was pure innovation. As the 12th year concludes, it’s clear that this isn't just a competition—it’s where the brightest minds in tech come to turn wild ideas into reality.
Drumroll Please
While there were 14 diverse categories for participants to choose from, team Shephard took home the grand prize for their "smart cane" designed to assist visually impaired individuals. Winners walked away with everything from cash and high-end computer equipment to software credits, but the true takeaway was even more significant. Between meeting industry veterans and forming lifelong friendships with new student friends, TreeHacks proved once again that sleep is optional.
TreeHacks 12 Gallery
