Humans in AI Week named real problems in our community. Now we build the solutions.
Hack for Humanity is a one-day build at the University of Mary Washington. Teams of two to four take on a real problem from the Fredericksburg area and leave with a working demo by the end of the day.
Fredericksburg is one of the chapters taking part in The AI Collective’s global Hack for Humanity this fall. Winning teams may be featured in The AI Collective’s newsletter, which reaches more than 300,000 subscribers worldwide.
Details
- When
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Saturday, October 24, 2026
8:30 AM to 5:30 PM
- Where
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Hurley Convergence Center Digital Auditorium
University of Mary Washington
- Who
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Open to the public
Come solo or bring a team of two to four. Teams are encouraged. Capped at 50 participants.
- Cost
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Free
Register on Luma. The hosts approve each registration.
The day
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Networking
Check in and meet the other builders. Coming solo? This is the time to find a team.
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Problem framing
Hear the local problems on the table and pick the one your team will take on.
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Hacking
Six hours to build. Mentors will be in the room.
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Judging and closing ceremony
Every team shows what it built to the judges. Winners are announced at the close.
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End
Who should come
All kinds of builders. If you write code, design interfaces, work with data or maps, or know one of this region’s problems inside out, you’ll be useful on a team.
Students, working professionals, and neighbors are all welcome. You don’t need to be at UMW.
Good to know
- How do I get a seat?
- Register on Luma. Space is limited to 50 people and the hosts review each registration, so register early.
- Can I come without a team?
- Yes. You can register on your own. We encourage teams of two to four, and the morning opens with networking so solo builders can find teammates.
- What do winners get?
- Prizes are coming soon. Winning teams may also be featured in The AI Collective’s global newsletter.
- Is this an MLH event?
- We’ve applied to make this an official Major League Hacking (MLH) event and will post an update here once it’s confirmed. Until then, register on Luma.
- Is there a code of conduct?
- Yes. Everyone at the event follows the MLH Code of Conduct.
- Who is running it?
- AI Collective Fredericksburg and the University of Mary Washington, as part of The AI Collective’s global Hack for Humanity.