What is HackKU?

Amongst all the events held at The University of Kansas (KU) School of Engineering, few are as anticipated as HackKU.

HackKU is KU's annual 36-hour hackathon where top university talent gathers to push the envelope by creating innovative solutions to real-world problems, learning cutting-edge technical skills through attending workshops, and networking with industry-leading companies who serve as mentors and judges.

HackKU's rapid expansion was formally acknowledged at Major League Hacking’s 2023 HackCon, where we were featured as one of the network's fastest-growing events. From our first HackKU in 2017 with 34 students to almost 1,000 students in 2025, our soaring growth offers sponsors an unparalleled and ever-increasing reach to top talent.

Our Mission

To bridge the gap between academic theory and real-world practice by accelerating technical proficiency and fostering a collaborative community. Our goal is to empower students from diverse backgrounds with the experience to architect tomorrow's solutions, building a robust talent pipeline for the future.

Sponsor Benefits

Presenting Sponsor

By becoming a presenting sponsor, you will have the chance to excite and influence hundreds of innovators by delivering a keynote speech at our opening and closing ceremonies

Sponsor a Track

Sponsoring a track gives you the opportunity to see how fresh eyes tackle challenges in your industry. If you choose this option, you will collaborate with our team to develop a competition category or challenge centered around your organization’s values, technology, or industry. In addition, you will also provide the winners of your track with prizes

Sponsor a Workshop

As a workshop sponsor, you can put your product directly in the hands of creators, or share your organization’s story with innovators who come from a wide variety of backgrounds and disciplines. With this option, you will work directly with our organizing team to plan and hold an hour-long workshop during HackKU.

Top Talent Networking Event

Get direct access to our top attendees filtered by the School of Engineer’s Recruiting Pipeline based on stats like resume, GPA, and more.

Sponsorship Fair

Engage with students at welcome to showcase your company and opportunities.

Talent Pipeline Access

Get access to attendees emails and resumes.