Project and Submission Requirements

Projects must be submitted by Sunday, April 26th, @ 11:00 AM. Late or incomplete submissions will NOT be considered.

 

When you're ready to submit, please be sure you've prepared the following:

  • Names of teammates and the university they attend
  • Name of project and track formatted as "[Track #]: {project name}"
  • A description of the project and how it works 
  • An explanation of what problem it solves and how it improves accessibility in creative technology
  • Link to GitHub Repository 
  • A 1-2 minute video demo of your project

Ethical AI Statement (If Applicable):

We encourage thoughtful human-to-AI collaboration, not automation that removes the artist from the process. If your project uses AI, please explain:

  • How AI assists rather than replacing the creative process
  • How it preserves human creativity 
  • Ethical considerations in your implementation
  • How your project avoids being just a "GPT wrapper" or chatbot

Judging Criteria and Winner Selection

Round 1 — Project Expo Judging (Booth Evaluation)

After submissions close, teams will set up a booth to showcase their project for a live judging expo. Judges from industry, entrepreneurship, design, and engineering will circulate, interact with teams, ask questions, and evaluate each project based on the following criteria:

Execution & Technical Implementation:

  • Functionality and completeness of the prototype
  • Technical rigor and quality of execution
  • Thoughtfulness of design and user experience
  • Feasibility and polish

Problem Fit & Pitch:

  • Understanding of the problem
  • Strength of the solution
  • Clarity and persuasiveness of the team's pitch
  • Alignment with the "Accessibility in Creative Tech" theme

Safety & Security:

  • Responsible handling of data
  • Security-aware design
  • User safety and accessibility considerations
  • Protection against misuse or harmful outcomes

Originality & Innovation:

  • Uniqueness of concept/approach
  • Creative applications of technology
  • Bold experimentation
  • Potential impact on creative workflows

 

Ethical Use of AI (If Applicable)

  • Whether AI augments rather than replaces human creativity
  • Ethical and responsible use of AI systems
  • Quality of output and use-case
  • Transparency in how AI is used
  • Thoughtful human-to-AI collaboration

 

Round 2 — Final Pitch Round

Three teams from each track will be selected to deliver a final pitch and demo live on stage

Teams should be prepared to present:

  • The problem they tackled
  • Their solution and live demo
  • Why it matters and how it advances accessibility in creative tech
  • (If applicable) How AI was used ethically and responsibly

Teams will have a maximum of 10 minutes to present their project.