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The AWS First Commit Hackathon was held from 17th to 20th September 2026, with a special Build Day at Polaris School of Technology, Bengaluru, on 19th September. The event was organised by WeMakeDevs in collaboration with AWS Builder Center as part of the Bharat Builds Tour. More than 1,300 students attended the Build Day, where they worked on real-world problems and learned new technical skills. Students also got a chance to attend AWS workshops, interact with experts and receive guidance on their projects. The hackathon also helped young developers to turn their ideas into working projects while gaining practical experience in cloud computing and teamwork.
AWS Hackathon 2026 at Polaris School of Technology
- Four-day event: 17 to 20 September 2026, as part of the Bharat Builds Tour
- In-person Build Day: 19 September at Polaris School of Technology, Bengaluru
- Organisers: WeMakeDevs, in association with AWS Builder Center
- What students did: attended workshops, received mentorship from AWS experts and worked on ideas that could solve everyday problems
AWS Hackathon 2026 Overview
The AWS Hackathon was a four-day event that allowed students to participate online and attend an optional in-person session. It also received 2,549 registrations, while 1,329 students checked in at Polaris School of Technology on Build Day. The table below provides the main details of the event.
| Particulars | Details |
| Event Name | AWS First Commit Hackathon 2026 |
| Event Dates | 17 to 20 September 2026 |
| Build Day Date | 19 September 2026 |
| Build Day Timings | 8 AM to 8 PM |
| Build Day Venue | Polaris School of Technology, Bengaluru |
| Organisers | WeMakeDevs and AWS Builder Center |
| Event Series | AWS Bharat Builds Tour 2026 |
| Event Format | Four-day hybrid hackathon |
| Total Registrations | 2,549 |
| Student Check-ins | 1,329 |
| Check-in Rate | 52% |
| Team Size | 1 to 4 students |
| Event Theme | Build solutions for real-world problems |
| Participation Tracks | Build It and Ship It |
| First Prize | ₹2,00,000 |
| AWS Credits | $10,000 across seven awards |
| Career Opportunities | Fast-track Amazon interview opportunities for selected students |
| Total Winning Projects | 7 |
The Bengaluru event was the first stop of the six city Bharat Builds Tour. Polaris hosted the only Bengaluru campus Build Day. WeMakeDevs later reported that around 1,400 students attended the Bengaluru gathering.
What is the AWS Hackathon?
The AWS First Commit Hackathon was a student hackathon that gathered participants to build technology-based solutions to real problems. Students worked alone or in groups of up to four. They could pick any problem and then build a project using AWS services or open source tools. The main goals of the hackathon were:
- Help students turn their ideas into working projects.
- Give beginners a chance to learn AWS tools.
- Encourage students to solve problems using technology.
- Improve teamwork, creativity, and problem-solving skills.
- Provide guidance from AWS mentors and experienced developers.
- Help students build projects that could support their future careers.
All projects were judged online through a three-minute recorded demonstration. This gave online and in-person participants an equal chance to compete.
AWS Hackathon 2026 Event Highlights
The AWS Hackathon 2026 offered students a chance to learn, build, and connect with experienced developers. The in-person Build Day took place at Polaris School of Technology on 19 September, where students spent 12 hours attending activities and enhancing their projects. The event had technical workshops, project discussions, mentoring sessions and interactions with the Amazon team.
- Large Student Participation: A total of 1,329 students checked in at Polaris for the Build Day.
- Hands-on Workshops: Students who attended sessions got the introduction to AWS tools and project development.
- Expert Guidance: AWS mentors helped participants understand all the technical problems and improve their projects.
- Industry Interaction: Students also got an opportunity to interact with the Amazon team.
- Developer Sessions: Kunal Kushwaha from WeMakeDevs and Hitesh Choudhary from Chai aur Code were announced as speakers.
- Real-World Projects: Participants also developed solutions which were related to healthcare, finance, workplace operations, and other areas.
- Student Networking: The event brought together students from different colleges and backgrounds.
- Career Opportunities: Selected students from top projects could receive fast-track interview opportunities with Amazon.
- Event Merchandise: Students attending the campus event also received tour swag.
AWS Hackathon 2026 Event Timeline
The hackathon spanned over four days, allowing participants to plan, develop, refine and submit their projects. Students were then able to work online throughout the event and the Polaris Build Day gave them some of the additional learning and networking opportunities.
| Date | Event Activity | Details |
| Before 17 September 2026 | AWS Introductory Workshops | Online sessions helped beginners understand AWS tools. |
| 17 September 2026 | Hackathon Kickoff | Students formed teams and created project repositories. |
| 18 September 2026 | Project Development | Teams worked on their ideas with online mentor support. |
| 19 September 2026 | Build Day at Polaris | Students attended workshops, interacted with experts, and improved projects. |
| 20 September 2026 | Final Project Submission | Teams submitted three-minute recorded project demonstrations. |
The in-person Build Day started at 8 AM and continued until 8 PM. Students received feedback on their projects before the final submission deadline.
AWS Hackathon 2026 Winners and Prizes
The AWS First Commit Hackathon 2026 recognised seven projects for their ideas, technical work, and real-world applications. Suraksha won first prize, a project designed to help families care for ageing parents. The winning team received ₹2,00,000 and $3,000 in AWS credits.
| Award | Winning Project | What It Does | Team Name | Prize |
| First Prize – Ship It | Suraksha | An AI-based companion designed to support the care of ageing parents | StarBugs | ₹2,00,000 + $3,000 AWS Credits |
| Second Prize – Build It | Beacon Night Shift | A voice-controlled assistant designed to support on-call engineers | CoffeAndCode | ₹1,50,000 + $2,000 AWS Credits |
| Third Prize – Best UI | CampusEvac | Recognised for its user interface design | 3 BUILDS | ₹1,00,000 + $1,000 AWS Credits |
| Runner-up | Magpie | An AI-based workspace for financial activities | VOXTON | $1,000 AWS Credits |
| Runner-up | FreshTrace | — | Powerpuff Girls | $1,000 AWS Credits |
| Runner-up | Expressive Captions | — | Need sleep | $1,000 AWS Credits |
| Runner-up | Factcade | An operations assistant designed for factories | Mohammed Ali Khan | $1,000 AWS Credits |
The prizes included cash rewards and AWS credits to help students continue working on their projects.
Innovative Projects Built at AWS Hackathon
Students at the AWS First Commit Hackathon worked on different ideas to solve everyday problems. Some projects examined healthcare and workplace support while others examined finance, safety and artificial intelligence. Several recognized projects were using AI-based tools to ease tasks and reduce manual work.
The event also showed that students could create strong projects without forming large teams. Beacon Night Shift, which won second prize, was developed by a solo participant. Factcade was another recognised project credited to an individual builder.
AWS Hackathon Workshops and Mentorship Sessions
The AWS First Commit Hackathon provided students with the chance to attend workshops and get advice from experienced developers. These sessions assisted participants in understanding technical concepts and problems during the development of the project. Before the hackathon, introductory AWS workshops were conducted online for students who had little or no cloud computing experience.
| Activity | What Students Could Learn |
| AWS Introductory Workshops | Basic concepts of AWS and cloud computing |
| Hands-on Technical Sessions | How to use tools while developing projects |
| Project Mentorship | How to identify and solve technical problems |
| Project Feedback | Ways to improve project features and execution |
| Amazon Team Interaction | Information about industry skills and career preparation |
| Team Collaboration | How to divide work and complete tasks together |
| Final Demo Preparation | How to explain a project clearly within three minutes |
Speakers and Mentors at AWS First Commit Hackathon
The event featured opportunities to learn from people working in the developer community and technology industry. Kunal Kushwaha, associated with WeMakeDevs, and Hitesh Choudhary, known for Chai aur Code, were announced as speakers for the Build Day. AWS mentors also supported students online and during the in-person event. The mentorship sessions were particularly useful because students could receive feedback on 19 September and make changes before the final submission on 20 September.
Skills Students Gained From AWS First Commit Hackathon
The AWS First Commit Hackathon helped students practice skills useful for careers in software development and technology. Instead of learning from lessons in a classroom, participants were provided with projects to work on with deadlines and real technical challenges.
- Students explored AWS tools and learned how cloud services support applications.
- Participants identified real problems and developed solutions.
- Students worked together, shared responsibilities, and supported one another.
- Some teams created AI agents and voice-based assistants.
- Students prepared short videos to explain their projects.
- Teams learned how to choose features and complete important tasks before the deadline.
- Participants in the Ship It track had to consider the cost and design of their cloud applications.
The event also motivated students to think beyond the college assignment. They could try out their ideas to see if they could be turned into useful products or startups.
AWS First Commit Hackathon Student Experiences and Testimonials
Polaris School of Technology students reflect on their experience attending the AWS First Commit Hackathon. Their feedback highlighted the value of practical learning, teamwork, technical challenges and meeting people from the developer community. For some students, the event was their first opportunity to experience a large hackathon.
Aman Nautiyal – Polaris School of Technology
“I never thought about whether there can be some really good idea that can end up getting into a startup,” Aman said. The hackathon inspired him to look at the business potential of technical solutions.
Rahul Kumar – Polaris School of Technology
Rahul said that it’s important to go to hackathons in different cities. He felt that exploring new places and events like the AWS hackathon helps students learn new things.
Aastha Priya – Polaris School of Technology
Aastha described her first hackathon as an important learning experience. She learned how projects are developed during hackathons and gained insights from an Amazon professional about technical skills and interview preparation.
Deshana Banthiya – Polaris School of Technology
Deshana appreciated the opportunity to attend a large-scale AWS hackathon at Polaris. She highlighted the experience of connecting with other members of the developer community.
Ayush Raj – Polaris School of Technology
Ayush shared his experience of working on a project called Travelo. His team developed the frontend and part of the backend but faced difficulties connecting both parts. The experience helped the team understand which technical areas needed improvement before taking the project further.
Yuvaraj, PM at Polaris School of Technology, highlighted the scale of the AWS Bharat Builds Tour event. He pointed to the participation of more than 1,300 students, the four-day hybrid format, cash prizes, AWS credits, and potential Amazon interview opportunities as important features of the hackathon.
Impact of AWS First Commit Hackathon at Polaris School of Technology
The AWS First Commit Hackathon brought together a large student developer community at Polaris School of Technology. With 1,329 check-ins, the Build Day brought together one of the biggest student developer crowds in Bengaluru. Many students shared their projects and experiences online after the event.
Career Opportunities After AWS First Commit Hackathon
Students gained more than prizes and certificates from the event. It also offered the chance to develop a technical portfolio and engage with the tech industry. Some of the key benefits included:
- AWS Builder Center Profile: Participants created a verified profile that they could continue using after the event.
- Project Portfolio: Students could add their completed projects and public code repositories to their portfolios.
- Participation Certificate: WeMakeDevs offered certificates to teams that submitted their projects.
- Amazon Interview Opportunities: Up to ten students from top projects could skip the initial screening round for internship or full-time hiring opportunities.
- Technical Experience: Students gained experience that could help them prepare for future hackathons and projects.
The Amazon interview opportunity was a fast-track hiring benefit, not a guaranteed job or internship.