Deploying Ideas at Scale: Inside GDG Hacks 2026 at U of G

Students are turning ideas into real-world technology solutions through GDG (Google Developer Groups) Hacks 2026, a 24-hour hackathon held May 9-10 at the University of Guelph. 

Organized by a team of student volunteers led by Joshua Choong, a third-year Computer Science student minoring in statistics, the event welcomed nearly 130 post-secondary students from across Ontario.

In addition to U of G students, there were also participants from Wilfrid Laurier University, University of Waterloo and University of Toronto.

A Space to Build and Experiment

According to Choong, who is president of the Guelph GDG Club, GDG Hacks 2026 brought students together for a weekend of rapid development and creative problem-solving. The goal was simple but ambitious: give students the tools, time and environment to turn ideas into working solutions.

“Our goal is to create a space where students can build innovative solutions to real-world problems,” Choong says.

At the end of the event, teams presented their projects to a panel of industry professionals in a science fair-style showcase, demonstrating both their ideas and technical execution.

Building Skills Beyond the Classroom

Hackathons like GDG Hacks have become an important part of the student experience in tech. They offer an opportunity to go beyond coursework and demonstrate the ability to design and deliver solutions under pressure.

Choong notes that in a rapidly evolving field, especially with the rise of AI-assisted development, the ability to quickly build and ship working products is increasingly valuable.

“Hackathons show that you can take an idea and turn it into something real in a short amount of time,” he says.

The experience blends technical skills with creativity, teamwork and adaptability, all of which are essential in today’s tech landscape.

From Concept to Deployment

This year’s challenge focused on deployment, pushing participants  to go beyond prototypes that only work locally and instead create solutions that could be accessed and used online by broad user groups.

Participants were required to build working applications and submit demos of their projects, reinforcing the importance of usability and real-world application. The result was a diverse set of projects that tackled a wide range of challenges, all built under tight timelines and shared publicly through an online showcase.

Collaboration Under Pressure

Despite the limited time, teams approached the challenge with clear structure and collaboration. Many groups divided responsibilities based on strengths, with team members focusing on areas like backend development, user interfaces, design or hardware integration. This parallel approach allowed teams to move quickly while still producing cohesive final products.

“Hacking brings together people who excel in different areas,” Choong says. “That’s what makes it possible to build so much in such a short time.”

Learning Through Community and Mentorship

Mentorship played a key role throughout the event. Industry professionals, professors and experienced students were available to provide feedback throughout the 24 hour period, helping teams refine their ideas and strengthen their projects.

For many attendees, especially those new to hackathons, the experience was both challenging and rewarding.

“First-time participants are always surprised by how much they can accomplish,” Choong says. “It builds a level of confidence that carries into other areas of their lives.”

Moments That Capture the Spirit of Innovation

Beyond the projects themselves, Choong highlights the interactions between participants as a defining part of the experience.

One moment that stood out involved a student building a course planning tool. What began as a simple explanation of their project quickly evolved into an in-depth technical discussion about optimizing AI systems.

“Seeing their excitement grow as the conversation developed was incredibly rewarding,” he says.

These kinds of exchanges reflect the collaborative energy of hackathons, where ideas are shared, refined and pushed further in real time.

For Choong, the experience highlights the value of building alongside others who are just as motivated to solve problems and explore new ideas.