Hack
Create your own project in a team of 1-4 people and submit it to win prizes!
About Technica
Technica is the world's largest hackathon celebrating underrepresented genders in tech*, hosted annually at the University of Maryland.
This fall, leave behind the shoreline and submerge yourself in innovation as we explore the boundless potential of tech. Gear up for an unforgettable weekend packed with hacking for prizes, networking with recruiters, technical workshops, exciting mini-events, and free swag!
12years of Technica
500+hackers in 2025
127projects in 2025
* Technica is an event that is fully open to all, and Technica will have no segregation between certain groups or preferential treatment of any groups. For example, there will be no gender-specific grouping that excludes others; no preferences, quotas, or reserved spots based on gender; no special judging criteria favoring underrepresented groups; and no preferential treatment of certain groups, such as allocating more resources, swag or other benefits to certain groups.
Venue & Activities
Hybrid Environment
Technica is a hybrid hackathon, meaning that participants can choose to attend either in-person or virtually. The in-person event will be held at The College Park Marriott, while the virtual event will take place on Gather.
All participants will be eligible for the same prizes, workshops, and activities, regardless of their chosen mode of attendance. We are committed to providing an engaging experience for all!
The College Park
Marriott
Gather
VirtualThings to Do at Technica
Network
Connect with other participants, mentors, and companies throughout the event.
Workshop
Learn new skills, tools, and technologies in our interactive workshops.
Mini-Events
Take a break from hacking and join us for fun mini-events, games, and activities throughout the weekend!
Tracks
Click a track to learn more!
Keynote Speakers
Opening Speaker
Dr. Tiera Tanksley
Dr. Tiera Tanksley is a Senior Researcher whose work examines the socioemotional, mental health and academic impacts of digital and artificially intelligent technologies on Black youth. Her work examines anti-Blackness as the “default setting” of schools and school-based technologies, including GenAI chatbots, facial recognition systems, weapons detection systems, and more. In 2020, Dr. Tanksley founded the Race, Abolition and Artificial Intelligence summer program - a program that prepares youth to have more critical, agentic and algorithmically-conscious relationships with AI and digital tech. Dr. Tanksley earned her PhD from the Graduate School of Education and Information Studies. She has served as an expert AI research consultant for the Spencer Foundation, the NIMH, NSF, and more. In 2023, she was awarded the Public Voices in Technology fellowship by the MacArthur Foundation and the Op Ed Project, and named one of the 100 Brilliant Women in AI. In 2025, she was awarded an AI in Education research grant from the Spencer Foundation, and was featured in Ghost in the Machine, which premiered at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival.
Closing Speaker
Dr. Alexis Lothian
Alexis Lothian is Associate Professor in the Harriet Tubman Department of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at University of Maryland, where she teaches classes on the race and gender politics of technology, science fiction, queer media, and more. Her research centers on speculative fiction, digital media, and online fandom and their relationships to gender, race, and disability justice. Her book Old Futures: Speculative Fiction and Queer Possibility was published by NYU Press in 2018 and she is currently working on two book projects: one on the politics of fantasy in slash fan fiction and one on the history of social justice discourse in online fan culture.
Get Involved
Hacker
Come build using hardware, software, or anything you want with other hackers!
Mentor & Volunteer
Bring hacker ideas to life by sharing your expertise or supporting event operations. Anyone 18+ of any gender can volunteer and help make our event a success!
Mentor and Volunteer Registration is closed for the 2026 season!
Sponsor
Interested in sponsoring Technica? Learn more below!
Donate
Support our mission of reaching gender equity in tech. Technica is a 501(c)(3) public charity, so your donation is tax-deductible!
Past Hackers
Claire Chen
Technica is one of THE top ten experiences for students. Each year, I've learned and had the opportunity to grow in many areas beyond tech. Through Technica, I've met an amazing, intellectual, and motivated community of individuals that continue to inspire me everyday!
Study Terp
Winner: Most Creative Use of Github
Claire Chen, Ingrette Wang, Rachel Kim, Irene Lee
Study Terp is a study buddy matchmaker for UMD students and it aims to foster a collaborative learning environment by connecting them with like-minded peers.
Aneesa Ayornu
I would rate my technica experience as a 10/10. I would rate it like this because the environment was very welcoming and I was able to network with many companies and organizations around the area. I also feel like I was able to meet other underrepresented people in tech in the DMV and make new friends and get hands on experience with a project.
Nia Plair
Everyone was kind and supportive. I created a website that could report inaccessible areas to show what accommodations are present, which was one of the project themes available at Technica.
AccessBSU
Nia Plair
Accessibility is essential for the campus to be a welcoming and inclusive environment for all people. In this app, students and faculty will be able to see and mark areas in campus that are hazards and lack accommodations, as well as areas that offer accommodations.
Frequently Asked QuestionsFAQ
A hackathon is a technology-focused event where individuals and teams work on new projects in a short period of time. You can build anything you want. An app, a robot, a website. The only limit is your imagination!
People of a variety of genders are underrepresented in the tech world, and it’s up to everyone to change that! Technica’s goal is to create a welcoming environment where hackers can build cool projects and share their stories! You can learn more about gender diversity here.
While this hackathon does celebrate underrepresented genders, people of all genders are welcome!
No, you don’t need ANY coding experience to participate! If you do, that’s great! If you don’t, that’s also great! Students of all skill levels are encouraged to attend, even if you’ve never written a line of code. We’re very beginner friendly and are prepared to teach you everything you need to learn right here. We also have a beginners track to further help beginner coders start their tech journey!
Sponsors
