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Camp PolyHacks

Camp PolyHacks is a student-run, multidisciplinary hackathon dedicated to social entrepreneurship and human-centered design.

Throughout this three-day event, Cal Poly students of all backgrounds work in teams to ideate, design, pitch, and market their solution to a problem facing the San Luis Obispo community. It’s a Learn by Doing marathon of collaboration, learning, and creativity.

Our Focus

PROBLEM SOLVING

Camp PolyHacks is a Learn By Doing experience. We encourage campers of all levels to step out of their comfort zone to learn new skills and tackle problems head-on.

MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAMS

This hackathon goes beyond coding. Designers, entrepreneurs, and developers work together in teams to unite skill sets, experiences, and perspectives to execute ideas — just as you would in the workforce.

SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP

We believe in using technology for good. Camp PolyHacks informs campers about important problems in the community and provides a platform to help solve them.

Questions? Check out our FAQ

This year’s event will be held March 5-6, 2022. Tickets can be reserved here.

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The center prepares students to become emerging leaders and career ready entrepreneurs who generate innovative solutions to real-world problems, research promising technologies and develop sustainable businesses.

Elevator Pitch winners Owen Works and Camille Boiteux holding their $1,000 and $500 awarded checks.

Elevator Pitch Competition

You know that idea you’ve always had? The one you think could make you millions? Well, this is your chance to share that idea with the world and possibly win $1,000. The Elevator Pitch Competition gives students 90 seconds to pitch their best idea to a panel of entrepreneurs and compete for cash prizes.

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Startup Launch Weekend

Starting a business usually requires months (or even years) of preparation. At Startup Launch Weekend, though, we give you only 54 hours to build a business with a team of strangers. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to find out what it takes to produce a viable startup in the modern world.

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The Hatchery

At the CIE, we understand that your best ideas can arrive before your diploma. In fact, the startups that change the world often begin in dorm rooms and classrooms. We designed the Hatchery to shape and grow student-led startups, enabling students to develop the proper tools for building a business from scratch.

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A group of students smiling and holding giant checks

Innovation Quest

A great startup requires more than just a great idea; it needs support from the market, clients and investors. Innovation Quest (iQ) serves as the support system that provides the fuel for great ideas. With a $15,000 grand prize and over $10,000 in additional prize money, iQ can transform your idea into a financially-backed endeavor.

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Camp PolyHacks

Cal Poly is home to some of the most creative programmers and designers in the world, so Camp PolyHacks we created a student-run, multidisciplinary hackathon dedicated to social entrepreneurship and human-centered design.

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