Nov 7, 2026 – Nov 8, 2026Major League Hacking (MLH)
Free, 24-hour, in-person hackathon at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY, with free food and swag. Open to college/university students from any school, plus high schoolers (minors need an adult present and can't stay overnight).
Details: Confirmed free to attend directly on the official site (food and swag included). Not limited to RPI students; recent grads up to 3 years out are also welcome. In-person only, so really only practical for people near Troy, NY.
#hackathon#students#in-person#beginner-friendly#New York
Nov 12, 2026Connecticut Small Business Development CenterRegister by Oct 16, 2026
Pitch competition for established Connecticut businesses with a practical way to use AI, data or analytics to solve a current business challenge. Competition November 12, 2026, 6-8pm at SCSU School of Business, New Haven, CT. Applications close October 16, 2026.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's student hackathon, held in person in Troy, NY, on November 7–8, 2026. Registration via Devpost. Devpost page blocked automated checks; hackathons like this normally have no entry fee.
Nov 7, 2026 – Nov 8, 2026Major League Hacking (MLH)
Free, beginner-friendly, in-person 24-hour hackathon hosted by RIT's Golisano College of Computing & Information Sciences, part of the MLH collegiate hackathon league.
Details: In-person only, in Rochester, NY. A specific fee wasn't stated on the event page, but MLH-league hackathons are traditionally free for participants (often including meals).
A small, recurring in-person meetup for developers, tinkerers, and anyone building something technical — AI, cybersecurity, full-stack development, Linux/macOS, shell scripting, Git, and more.
From the site: There's almost nowhere left locally to just show up and work alongside other tech people in person. This is that: a small, recurring meetup for developers, tinkerers, and anyone building something technical, AI, cybersecurity, full-stack development, Linux/macOS, shell scripting, Git, or anything in
Details: Joining the Meetup group is free. Individual events may mention venue costs, but the group itself has no paywall.
A free recurring coffee meetup in New York for tech professionals who have been laid off, are job searching, or are hiring, with a rotating format so you meet several groups in one hour.
Details: One of the warmer rooms for a job search in New York. Follow the calendar so you catch the next date.
Canada's largest beginner-only hackathon, run by nwPlus on November 7-8, 2026, built for first-time hackers with hands-on workshops and no coding experience required.
Details: Beginner-only means nobody there expects you to know anything yet. This is the one to start with.
An in-person tech social hosted by Supermoon with Avahi and Concord Visa: casual networking for founders, operators, and technologists. September 22, 2026, 5:30-8:30pm.
Details: Show up with one sentence about what you are working on and two questions. That is the whole prep.
The Sustainable Media Center hosts a live debate at Mintz in New York on September 23, 2026: Gen Z is fluent in AI but anxious about the future it is creating, while Gen X and older bring experience, skepticism, and sometimes more optimism. Free registration on Eventbrite.
Details: Cross-generational conversations about AI are rare and usually more honest than either side's echo chamber. Worth the trip if you are in New York.
A skills-based volunteer hackathon in New York City where participants collaborate with 1% for the Planet Impact Partners to solve real fundraising, storytelling, and launch challenges in 75 minutes.
Details: A great way to donate your professional skills rather than just your money. If you are between roles and want proof of impact, this is a high-signal, low-commitment option.
An in-person networking event in New York City for engineers, product managers, and technical professionals navigating layoffs or searching for their next opportunity, co-hosted with 645 Ventures portfolio startups that are hiring.
Details: I love the bell-ringer format: every 10 minutes you meet someone new. If you are a recently impacted tech worker in NYC, this is one of the warmest rooms to walk into.
