Nepal-US Hackathon 2026

Largest virtual hackathon for Nepali students & professionals in the world.

March 27-29, 2026

Applications Closed
Applications Closed

Applications have closed.

About | Team | Judges | Mentors | Partners

Hackathon Trailer

Join us for our biggest hackathon yet! Connect with other Nepali innovators, learn from industry experts, and build amazing projects.

Stats from past Nepal-US Hackathons:

150+
Stakeholders

25+
Projects

10+
Partners

47+
States

View our alumni list from previous hackathons

Why you should apply

  • Win $1,500 for 1st place, $1,000 for 2nd place, and $500 for 3rd place

  • Build with 300+ Nepali innovators across the United States

  • Mentorship from Nepali professionals at leading tech companies (FAANG & more)

  • Boost your resume with real-world building experience

Theme: Mental Health

Why this theme

Mental health is one of the biggest challenges facing students and professionals today, from stress and burnout to isolation and limited access to support.

What you’ll build

Practical, scalable solutions that improve mental well-being through technology, innovation, and community-driven ideas.

Challenge format

Two problem statements will be announced on the day of the hackathon, sponsored by partner organizations or designed by domain experts using real-world context and datasets.

How the hackathon works

1. Apply
Submit your application individually or as a team

2. Selection & Confirmation
Selected applicants confirm participation to secure their spot.

3. Join our community & finish onboarding
Join the hackathon community and complete onboarding to get event-ready.

4. Team Formation
Participants who apply individually are placed into teams based on skills and interests.

5. Mentor Matching
Teams are matched with mentors who guide them throughout the hackathon.

6. Build & Iterate
Teams build their solutions, receive mentor feedback, and attend workshops.

7. Demo & Judging
Teams present their projects to judges for evaluation.

8. Awards & Alumni Community
Winners are announced and participants join the NLN hackathon alumni network.

Schedule (Eastern Time)

  • Time: 9 - 10 PM ET

    From Idea to Demo: How to Win a Hackathon


    In this workshop, Christina Kayastha and Binam Kayastha will share the playbook behind building hackathon projects that actually stand out.

    Christina is a Principal Software Engineer at VistaPrint, an MIT System Design & Management Fellow, and an accomplished technologist named on 11 patents. She has delivered 60+ conference talks across the U.S. and internationally, has won more than a dozen hackathons, and will also serve as one of the judges for the Nepal-US Hackathon 2026.

    Binam Kayastha is a Senior Software Engineer at Klaviyo with seven years of industry experience. A full-stack developer across DevOps, data engineering, backend, and frontend systems, he has won 8 hackathons and has also organized and mentored multiple hackathons.

    Drawing from their real-world engineering experience and years of competing in hackathons, they’ll break down how strong teams approach a hackathon from idea to final demo.

    By the end of this workshop, you’ll learn how to:

    • Identify and shape a strong idea quickly
    • Turn that idea into a focused prototype within limited time
    • Work effectively as a team under hackathon pressure
    • Deliver a clear and compelling demo that judges remember

    Whether it’s your first hackathon or your tenth, this session will help you start the weekend with a clear strategy and a better shot at building something that stands out.

  • 8:00 – 8:15 PM ET
    Opening Remarks

    8:15 – 8:22 PM ET
    Keynote — Dadhiram Bhandari, Consul General of Nepal in New York

    8:23 – 8:30 PM ET
    Keynote — Sanjay Manandhar, CEO, Zifino

    8:30 – 8:45 PM ET
    Keynote — Nabin Banskota, Co-founder, Niural AI

    8:45 – 9:00 PM ET
    Keynote — Pukar C. Hamal, CEO, SecurityPal AI

    9:00 – 9:10 PM ET
    Keynote — Prabhat S. Kunwar, Senior Group Leader, Neural Circuits and Therapeutics for Brain/Mental Disorders

    9:10 – 9:30 PM ET
    Hackathon Process Walkthrough & Official Problem Statement Reveal + Q&A

  • Building + Mentor Sessions

  • 10:00 AM ET
    Final Submission Deadline (Hard Stop)

    10:00 AM – 2:00 PM ET
    Judging (Private Session)

    2:00 – 3:00 PM ET
    Winner Announcements + Live Project Showcase

    3:00 – 3:15 PM ET
    Closing Remarks

Keynote Speakers

  • Dadhiram Bhandari

    Consul General of Nepal, New York

    Learn more

  • Sanjay Manandhar

    CEO, Zifino

    LinkedIn

  • Nabin Banskota

    Co-Founder, Niural AI

    LinkedIn

  • Pukar C. Hamal

    Founder/ CEO, SecurityPal AI

    LinkedIn

  • Prabhat S. Kunwar

    Senior Group Leader, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard

    Click Here

FAQs

  • It’s a virtual, collaborative event bringing together Nepali students, developers, and professionals around the world to build impactful solutions for real-world challenges.

  • Anyone of Nepali origin living in the US from all different skill level is encouraged to participate.

  • Yes, it is free.

  • Not necessarily! We welcome participants from diverse backgrounds and all skill levels.

  • It’s fully virtual to support cross-border collaboration and accessibility.

  • Yes. You may participate in teams of 4-5. However, each applicant must fill out the form individually.

  • No worries! We will match you with others to form a team based on skills & interests.

  • It is flexibly structured across three days. Attend opening & closing ceremony, and complete your project before the submission deadline.