Dogfood 2026: Build the Platform That Will Judge You

Hackathon Raptors has announced 'Dogfood 2026,' a unique 72-hour global hackathon scheduled for September 25-28, 2026. Unlike traditional events where participants build whatever they choose, this challenge tasks developers with building a robust, self-hosted hackathon submission and judging platform. The goal is to create functional infrastructure that organizers can actually use for future events. Key requirements include secure backend role isolation, weighted judging rubrics, and a 'docker compose up' deployment experience that works entirely offline. The project emphasizes engineering integrity, data modeling, and defensible judging logic over flashy features. With a $2,500 prize pool, the competition rewards participants who prioritize reliability, maintainability, and clear documentation. By focusing on the complex, often overlooked backend workflows of hackathon management, Dogfood 2026 aims to produce a high-quality, open-source tool that addresses real-world operational challenges in the developer community.