MakeCU 2026

MakeCU is Columbia University’s premier hardware hackathon happening from November 7th to 8th this year. It’s a fast-paced, weekend-long invention marathon where students from top-tier institutions (including Columbia, NYU, Harvard, and Caltech) come together to build fully functional physical prototypes from scratch. Since starting two years ago, the event has grown rapidly, bringing together over 80 passionate student builders last year to create incredible physical projects, from smart doorbells to autonomous, room-scanning, self-emptying trash cans. Packed into this high energy weekend are dedicated technical workshops hosted by industry leaders, hands on events, and career opportunities for hackers to network directly with corporate sponsors. The hackathon culminates in a project expo and judging period, where teams compete to win massive track prizes.