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Eligibility 🤔
High school (11th grade/Form 5 or up) and a university (bachelor's & master's) students from any region and nationality are welcome. However, at least 50% of the team members have to be non-Masters students.
Individually or in teams 🤝
You can join individually or as a team with at most 5 members. Each participant should apply individually, and group up in the Grouping Hub. You can also meet students around the world with our Discord channel!
Application Method 📝
Apply on our website before June 6. Finish the qualifiers before June 8 to be qualified, and check out our Discord channel and Member's Area for updates and announcements!
Participation Method 💻
PolyHack is a fully global and hybrid competition. All physical events are held in Hong Kong, but you can join them online. Your location will not influence your scores.
How can I apply?
Our goal is to recognize and reward outstanding students like you, someone who demonstrate creativity, innovation, and excellence in their projects. We then showcase your achievements to the broader community, including partners, sponsors, and academia.
Join us on this truly global and exciting journey before June 6!
Qualifiers
To qualify, each participant must complete at least one of the mind-bending puzzles and challenges designed before the Opening Ceremony on June 8. The top winner in the leaderboard will receive a cash prize of 1,000 HKD (~130 USD)!
1
Ideation
You will then get to roll up your sleeves and bring your ideas to life! Choose a theme that you want to tackle and formulate a solution that is viable and implementable. A business plan is expected from you or your team.
2
Implementation
Finally, it's time bring your ideas to life! With mentorship and workshops, you can turn your plans into a tangible solution to make a real-world impact! A functional implementation is expected, and a pitch if you get selected.
3
PolyHack is a carefully-curated 3-phase competition for you to learn and have fun!
We provide multiple high-quality workshops held by industry leaders, topics include crafting a good business plan, pitch trainings, and
explainers on each themes.
Mentorship from subject-matter experts will be provided on a first-come-first-served basis. This will help you find the right solutions to meet the world’s current needs.
We offer support and perks that makes us different than other competitions, including a huge prize pool, team match-making, 24/7 Discord support, and more!
Workshops, Mentorships, and Perks!
Artificial Intelligence
Social media has taken over many aspects of day to day life. Powered by BigData and Artificial Intelligence the platforms have achieved record growth and profits. Yet the problems of such platforms have yet to be addressed. Amongst the biggest issues caused by social media, mental health has recently been receiving increased attention. New dynamics created by social media need to be dealt with such as echo chambers, body dysmorphia, polarisation of opinions, toxic communities, cyber bullying, etc.
Create an innovative solution that decreases the mental health impact of social media.
Financial Technology
Unique set of challenges are faced when it comes to transferring money across borders. Money transfer can be done for situations such as payment for tuition, rent, investment, online payment and more. The complexity of international transfer leads to several problems:
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Long transfer times that can be prohibitive when the money is needed before a deadline.
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High transfer fees that are particularly burdensome to lower income.
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Lack of clear and comprehensive information about the process and the multiple ways to send money abroad.
Create an innovative solution that makes it easier and more affordable to transfer money across borders. You can choose to solve one or multiple of the previously mentioned problems.
Smart City & IoT
Green Deck is a unique and innovative social project in the heart of Hong Kong. The three-storey deck will be situated above the Hung Hom Cross Harbour Tunnel Toll Plaza and located adjacent to multiple distinct neighbourhoods (The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Main Campus, Hong Kong Coliseum, and Hung Hom Station).
This innovative solution aims to address the environmental issues and revitalize the district, connect the adjacent areas, and form a landscaped platform over the vehicular traffic at the Toll Plaza. Create a solution that can:
● Help improve air quality & promote healthy living in the community.
● Enhance community connectivity among neighbouring areas.
● Provide more space for community facilities; and
● Help revitalise the local districts and support the economy.
● Help resolve the extremely congested traffic around the tunnel area.
Create an innovative solution that leverages IoT and SmartCity technologies to solve one or all the issues mentioned.
Themes & Problem Statements
For details of deliverable guidelines, head to the Submission Hub in the Member's Area
Final Round? Come to Hong Kong!
We invite all final-round contestants to come to Hong Kong and join the competition physically. We will assist you with official documentation so that you can apply for visas or relevant sponsorship/funding from your institution.
Moreover, we might be able to offer you flights and accommodation discounts! We also offer 24/7 support in Discord to answer your questions before and after arriving in Hong Kong.
FAQs: your concerns, answered
Is there any registration fee for participating in the competition? 💰
No, there is not. PolyHack is a student-run competition held by a non-profit organization. The event and prizes are funded by our sponsors and partners. No cost is needed by students.
Can I participate as an individual, or do I need to form a team? 🫣
You can join PolyHack individually or as a team. All students must register individually before the deadline, and can choose to team up or not.
What criteria will be used to evaluate the projects? 🏆
Each round and theme has a specific judging criteria. The panel consists of industry leaders, academia, and experts related to the field. More info will be released in due course.
Are international teams allowed to participate? Will there be any support for travel and accommodation? 🌏
Yes, anyone can join PolyHack online. Our events are live-streamed and recorded. Alternatively, you are free to come to Hong Kong in any phase of the competition! Anywhere you are, we offer 24/7 support in Discord during the competition.
I do not have any technical background or study in a non-tech major, can I join? 📚
Yes, you can join PolyHack competition without a technical background or studying a non-tech major. You can contribute in areas like ideation, design, research, marketing, or presentation skills. Form or join a team with complementary skills to create a well-rounded project. PolyHack is all about learning, collaborating, and having fun, so don't hesitate to participate!
Aside from the prizes, what are the potential benefits or rewards for participating in PolyHack? 🔥
Participating in PolyHack brings numerous benefits beyond prizes. You'll have the opportunity to learn, network, and collaborate with a global student community! Connect with professionals, establish meaningful relationships, and showcase your work. Join Polyhack to challenge yourself and enjoy the exciting hackathon experience!