February 2026 #65

Frontend & Data with Heart - Dual-Stack Hackathon

Theme: Build projects that are thoughtful, human-centered, and emotionally engaging.
Focus: Frontend experiences + data insights + optional backend support.
Goal: Create meaningful, user-focused applications that combine design, data, and functionality.

Team Composition

Teams of 4-5 members
Each team should ideally include a mix of:

• Frontend developers / designers
• Data analytics students / alumni
• Backend developers (Python/Django/Flask optional)
• Teams are encouraged to collaborate across skills, but roles are flexible

Allowed Technology

Frontend: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React etc.
Data / Analytics: Python (Pandas, NumPy, Feature-Engine, Matplotlib, Seaborn, Plotly), ML, Data Ethics.
Backend (optional): Python, Django/Flask/FastAPI, SQLite/PostgreSQL
Note: All projects must be frontend-centric or provide a visible demo

Project Focus

Teams are asked to interpret "with Heart" inclusively. Examples of ideas:

• Gratitude wall or self-care companion app
• Mood tracking or wellbeing dashboards
• Valentine card generator or interactive stories
• Data-driven visualizations (insights on habits, appreciation, friendship, kindness)
• Hybrid apps combining analytics + UI + backend

Schedule (All times BST - Irish/UK time)

Wednesday, 25th Feb
- Watch Introductory Info video --HERE--
- Teams assigned at 16:00
- Create your team channel on Discord.

Thursday/Friday, 26th & 27th Feb
- Set up team page, designate scrum master, brainstorm ideas, choose your track (UI/UX or Data), create repository, plan tasks. Recommended first deployment on Friday.

Saturday/Sunday, 28th Feb & 1st Mar
- Each member works 3-5 hours/day in sprints. Continuous deployment and collaboration.

Monday, 2nd Mar - Submission Day

• 14:00 - Project Submission Deadline
• 15:00 - Submit 2-3 min Presentation Video
• - Project Presentations Video compilation will be shared with Judges and Participants

Wednesday, 4th Mar - Winners announced on Discord!

Judging Criteria

Projects will be scored holistically across all dimensions:

• Impact / Theme Alignment: How well the project demonstrates empathy, kindness, or meaningful interaction
• UX / Frontend Quality: Design, usability, accessibility, interactivity
• Data & Insight Quality: Clarity of data storytelling, visualizations, insights
• Backend / Functionality: Effective use of backend only if it improves the demo or data
• Presentation / Demo: Ability to clearly communicate project purpose and impact

Note: Teams are not penalized for choosing a frontend-only or data-only approach. Backend is optional.

Rules

Teams of 4-5 members only

• All projects must be original work
• No sensitive or private data allowed - only public or synthetic datasets
• Teams must submit: Git repository, README with project purpose/tools/demo instructions, 3-5 minute live demo or video recording
• Teams are encouraged to mix frontend, data, and backend skills
• Judging favors clarity, impact, and creativity over technical complexity alone

FAQs

Q: Do we need a backend?
A: No. Backend is optional. Teams may add it if it supports their project (e.g., storing gratitude messages, serving data dashboards).

Q: What if our team doesn't have all the skill types?
A: Teams will be assigned to ensure a mix of frontend, data, and optionally backend skills. Roles are flexible and team members are encouraged to learn across disciplines during the hackathon.

Q: Are datasets provided?
A: No, but feel free to find a dataset that fits the theme on Kaggle. Sensitive personal data is not allowed.

Q: Can beginners participate?
A: Absolutely. All experience levels are welcome. Teams should balance skills for collaborative learning.

Q: Can AI tools be used?
A: Yes, as long as teams understand and explain the work. Auto-generated work without learning is not allowed.

Key Message

This hackathon celebrates collaboration, creativity, and empathy. Teams are judged on their ability to combine frontend, data, and optional backend skills to build meaningful projects that feel human.