Vibe-code Hackathon & Business Pitch
Next Event: Nov. 20, 2026 | Application Deadline: Nov. 10, 2026
Lassonde DevDay is a one-day hackathon for University of Utah students from all majors and experience levels. Spend the day building software and pitching your idea while competing for cash prizes, recognition, and admission to the DevLab student software incubator. Free food and expert mentorship included. Lassonde DevDay is hosted by the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute and the Lassonde DevLab student software incubator.
About the Competition
What’s a Vibe-Code Hackathon?
You don’t need to be an experienced programmer to participate. Use AI-powered development tools to extend your business or idea with a fully-functional service in a single day!
Think of this like business software development:
- The goal is to produce the best software project; how you do that is up to you.
- All AI tools are allowed and encouraged, but so is traditional programming! You will be judged on the quality of the results, not the method.
- Do not knowingly or negligently plagiarize others’ code.
The competition itself will allow people to compete with either no business, or extensive work done so far. This is because we will be judging your ability to implement a constrained feature for your business during the competition, rather than the remainder of your project.
Who Should Apply to Participate?
All University of Utah students are welcome, whether they have a computer science major and an established business, a business major and an idea, a master’s degree, or anything else!
Competition Prizes
Participants in Lassonde DevDay will be competiting for cash prizes, recognition, and admission to Lassonde DevLab, at student software incubator at the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute. Register for a chance to win and gain experience.
Event Day Deliverables
You will be judged on two factors: a high-speed pitch of your business and software, and your technical development during the competition, with the exact format of this judging to be described the day of the event.
FAQ
How many people can be on a team?
You can compete solo, or in teams of up to four people.
Is there a registration fee?
No fee will be charged for this event.
Where is the event?
The event will be at Lassonde Studios (1710 Student Life Way, Salt Lake City, UT 84112).
What should I bring?
Bring anything you would want for programming/building and pitching. We recommend a laptop, charger, notebook for brainstorming, pencil/pen(s), and a positive attitude. If planning a project involving hardware/electrical, bring all of the necessary parts. We will provide the standard University of Utah Wi-Fi, and there are outlets around the Lassonde Studios lobby.
Will food be provided?
Yes, breakfast and lunch will be provided.
Can concurrent enrollment/graduate/etc. students participate?
We welcome all matriculated degree-seeking students. That means undergraduates, master’s students, and Ph.D. students. At this time, high school students will not be admitted to this event.
Can students from other universities participate?
No, currently this event is only for University of Utah students.
I already have a software startup. Can I compete?
Yes, students with an existing software startup will build a new feature to complete in Lassonde DevDay.
