The Neeley AI Forward: AI Innovation Competition brings students, alumni, and industry professionals together to explore how AI can solve real business challenges. Whether you are new to AI or already building with it, this competition offers a chance to learn, collaborate, and turn your ideas into practical solutions. No coding experience is required!
Teams of 2–5 members, including at least one Neeley student, will tackle business cases in Emerging or Advanced tracks. Participants will have access to hands-on workshops and industry mentors as they develop solutions, present their projects, and compete for cash prizes.
The competition takes place October 16–18, 2026, beginning with a virtual kickoff on Friday, followed by in-person activities at TCU Neeley on Saturday and Sunday. Come with curiosity, connect with others, and discover what you can create with AI!
Requirements
Submission Video Requirement
Each team must submit a video through Devpost by 2:00 p.m. Central Time on Sunday, October 18, 2026.
Your video should:
- Introduce your team and identify your track and case.
- Explain the problem and your proposed solution.
- Demonstrate your project and how it uses AI.
- Highlight its potential impact and any limitations or next steps.
Prizes
First Place, Advanced Track - Pharmaceutical
Advanced Track First Place $1,500
Runner-Up, Advanced Track - Pharmaceutical
Advanced Track Runner-up $1,000
First Place, Advanced Track - TCU Advising
Advanced Track First Place $1,500
Runner-Up, Advanced Track - TCU Advising
Advanced Track Runner Up $1,000
First Place, Emerging Track - Finance
Emerging Track First Place $1,000
Runner-Up, Emerging Track - Finance
Emerging Track Runner-up $675
First Place, Emerging Track - Supply Chain
Emerging Track First Place $1,000
Runner-Up, Emerging Track - Supply Chain
Emerging Track Runner-up $675
First Place, Emerging Track - TCU Recruitment
Emerging Track First Place $1,000
Runner-up, Emerging Track - TCU Recruitment
Emerging Track Runner-up $675
Judges
AI Industry Leaders
Judging Criteria
-
Innovation and Creativity
How unique or original is the project idea? Does it present a new solution to a problem or use technology in an unexpected way? -
Technical Complexity
How technically challenging is the project? Did the team push the boundaries with complex algorithms, integrations, or hardware? -
Completeness
Does the project work as intended? Are there any major bugs or broken features? -
Design
How user-friendly and visually appealing is the project? Is the interface intuitive and easy to navigate? -
Impact
Does the project address a real problem, and could it be used in a real-world context? -
Presentation
How well did the team communicate their project and its purpose? Did they clearly explain the problem, solution, and technical choices?
Questions? Email the hackathon manager