Sixth annual · HooHacks at UVA
Ideathon
The Ideathon is a one-day event at UVA where technical and business students form teams, develop a single idea with a mentor, and pitch it to a panel of professionals for seed funding. Bring an idea, or bring the skills an idea needs.
Applications are open now for Sunday, October 25.
Past supporters
Sponsors send mentors and speakers, and meet UVA students who are serious about building something. Write to team@hoohacks.io to support the 2026 edition.
About
Why the Ideathon exists
The Ideathon is a one-day program on the intersection of technology and business, built for UVA students who want to start something. Plenty of students can build a product and plenty can take one to market, but not many can do both. The day puts those people on the same teams and gives them nine hours to get from a rough idea to a pitch.
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Find a team
Technical students team up with business students. Bring an idea and find people who will pressure-test it, or bring your skills and join a team that needs them. A morning workshop is there to help the pairing happen.
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Meet a mentor
Every team meets a mentor for twenty to thirty minutes, either UVA business and engineering faculty or professionals working in industry. It is a short conversation that often changes the direction of the project, and many teams stay in touch long after the day ends.
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Learn from experts
Workshops run by UVA faculty and industry professionals cover digital innovation and marketing. Technical students come away with a clearer view of the market side, and business students with a better sense of what is realistic to build.
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Pitch for funding
Teams pitch at the student expo and then to a panel of professionals, Shark Tank style. Every team gets feedback, and the strongest ideas leave with seed money to keep going.
Schedule
How the day runs
This is the schedule from the most recent Ideathon. The 2026 edition runs on Sunday, October 25 and follows the same shape, with exact times confirmed closer to the day.
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Check-in and breakfast
Check in at the front of Rice Hall, then pick up breakfast from Bodo’s Bagels in Davis Commons.
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Opening ceremony and keynote
A short introduction to the day and remarks from our sponsors. Rice 130.
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Workshop: building a team
Join an idea that needs your skills, or find teammates for one you brought with you. Rice 130.
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Lunch
Served in the Rice Hall basement.
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Founders’ Fair
Meet founders and hear what they are building. Rice 032.
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Pitch decks due
Teams submit their slides, rehearse the pitch, and take a break for snacks in the Rice Hall basement.
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Pitches and judging
Every team presents its idea to the panel and answers questions from the judges.
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Closing ceremony and awards
We close the day by recognizing the work of every team and announcing the winners.
Mentors are seated in Davis Commons through the afternoon. Teams come to them, office hours style, rather than being assigned.
FAQ
Common questions
Who can take part?
Every UVA student is welcome, in any school and any year. You do not need to have a team to register. Teams tend to mix a technical background with a business one, and the team building workshop is there to make that pairing happen.
Do I need to code or build a prototype?
No. The Ideathon is about the idea, not the build. Teams spend the day turning one idea into something they can defend: who it is for, why someone would pay for it, and roughly how it would be made. Teams that win seed funding go on to build afterwards.
What do students get out of the day?
You leave with a mentor and a point of contact, a team for your idea, a market plan, and an outline of how the idea would be built. Breakfast and lunch are provided, some courses give extra credit for taking part, and the strongest teams win seed money to take the idea further.
What should I bring?
An idea, if you have one. If you do not, the team building workshop will place you on a team. A laptop is useful for putting slides together. Nothing else is required.
What is expected of mentors?
We ask mentors for a minimum of two hours, and they are welcome to stay longer. Mentors meet each team they advise for twenty to thirty minutes and stay in touch afterwards as much as the team would like. Mentors are also welcome to give a talk or run a workshop.
How are mentors assigned?
Mentors are not assigned to teams. They sit in Davis Commons and teams come to them, office hours style. Mentors who would rather walk the room and visit teams directly are welcome to do that instead.
How do I sign up to mentor?
Write to team@hoohacks.io with your background and the hours that suit you. We will send the schedule and the details ahead of the event.
What do sponsors get out of the Ideathon?
Sponsors meet UVA students who are serious about a good idea and capable of executing on it. They also build relationships with the UVA organizations behind the event, including the Virginia Venture Fund and HooHacks, and help grow entrepreneurship at UVA.
What do you ask of sponsors?
We ask sponsors to send mentors and speakers for talks or workshops. We also hope attendees come away with connections that lead to internships and other opportunities.
How do we get involved for 2026?
Write to team@hoohacks.io. We will send the sponsorship options for the 2026 edition and answer any questions about the format.