Social Impact BuildFest 2026 - CU Boulder

What is BuildFest?
BuildFest is a weekend-long social impact build sprint where students use emerging technology to prototype solutions to real community challenges. It is designed to be welcoming, interdisciplinary, and hands-on.

The Theme: Belonging
This year’s theme is Belonging. We are inviting teams to explore what it means to feel seen, accepted, and connected, and to design experiences that support more inclusive, empathetic communities.

Who Should Participate
BuildFest is open to students from all backgrounds and majors. No coding experience is required. We care more about curiosity, collaboration, and thoughtful ideas than technical polish.

How the Weekend Works
Friday is for onboarding, ideation, and team formation. Saturday is for building your prototype with mentor support. Sunday is for presenting your work, receiving feedback, and celebrating what you made.

Weekend Schedule

• Friday
  • 3:30 PM: Check-in opens
  • 4:00 PM: Welcome
  • 4:30 PM: Scenery tech intro
  • 6:30 PM: Design workshop
  • 7:15 PM: Team formation/Introductions
  • 8:00 PM: Dinner
  • 8:30 PM: Creative brief development
  • 11:30 PM: Creative briefs due
• Saturday
  • 9:00 AM: Morning arrival + coffee
  • 10:00 AM: Scenery team check-ins
  • Daytime: Build time with mentor support
  • 4:30 PM: Pitch workshop
• Sunday
  • 9:30 AM: Final materials due
  • 10:00 AM: Presentations begin
  • 11:30 PM: Awards
  • 12 PM: Event close