CA Impact Corp
Free AI Hackathons in Los Angeles
Build real AI projects in 48 hours. Free to join. Open to everyone. No coding experience required.
What Is a Hackathon?
A hackathon is a weekend event where small teams build something useful with technology. You don’t need to be a programmer. You need an idea, some energy, and the willingness to learn. Teams of 3–5 people spend 48 hours turning a concept into a working prototype — then present it to judges for prizes.
Our hackathons focus on AI for social good. That means you’ll use AI tools to solve real problems facing Los Angeles communities — job access, small business growth, public safety, education. We provide the mentors, the tools, and the food. You bring the ideas.
FREE
No entry fee. Food, mentors, and tools included.
48h
Friday evening to Sunday afternoon. One intense weekend.
3–5
Person teams. Come with friends or we’ll match you.
$5K+
Prize pool goal. To be funded by sponsors, never by participants.
What You’ll Build
AI for Community Impact
Build tools that help real people. An AI chatbot that connects immigrants to social services. A resume builder that translates skills across languages. A neighborhood safety dashboard. Real problems, real solutions.
Smart City Solutions
LA has 4 million people and a thousand problems to solve. Traffic, housing, public transit, air quality. Use AI to analyze city data and build prototypes that could actually make a difference in how LA works.
Small Business AI Tools
Build AI tools for the taco truck owner, the hair salon, the cleaning company. Automated scheduling, inventory tracking, customer chatbots, social media content. Help local businesses compete without hiring a tech team.
How a Hackathon Works
48 hours from kickoff to demo. Here’s what the weekend looks like.
Register & Team Up
Sign up online. Come with a team or solo — we’ll match you with others on Friday evening. Every team gets a mentor.
Kickoff & Build
Pick a challenge track, brainstorm, and start building. Mentors help with AI tools, design, and strategy. Workshops run throughout.
Present to Judges
Sunday afternoon: each team gets 5 minutes to demo their project. Judges will include volunteers from the LA tech community. They score on impact, creativity, and feasibility.
Win & Connect
Top teams compete for prizes. Everyone walks away with a portfolio project, new skills, and connections to mentors and potential employers.
Challenge Tracks
Pick a track that matches your interests. Each one solves a different kind of problem.
Who Should Join
Career Changers
Switching industries? A hackathon project on your resume shows employers you can learn fast and build things.
Students & Grads
Build portfolio projects that matter. Meet potential employers. Get mentored by people who hire.
Small Business Owners
Come with your business challenge. Leave with an AI prototype built by a talented team — for free.
Tech Curious
Never coded? No problem. Designers, writers, researchers, project managers — every team needs people who aren’t developers.
Immigrants & Newcomers
New to LA? A hackathon is one of the fastest ways to meet people, build your network, and show what you can do.
Why Is It Free?
Because we’re a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Our hackathons will be funded by sponsors who want to find talent, support their communities, and put their technology in front of real users. Sponsors pay — you don’t.
This isn’t a bootcamp. We’re not selling courses. We run free events because we believe AI skills shouldn’t cost money to learn — especially if you’re already spending your own time and energy showing up on a weekend.
Before the Hackathon
AI Builder Nights
Not ready for a full hackathon? We are planning monthly AI Builder Nights: three hours of hands-on AI workshops, guest speakers from LA’s tech scene, and casual networking. Free, no pressure, all skill levels welcome.
Monthly Events
One evening per month. 6–9 PM. Locations across LA.
Guest Speakers
Tech professionals from LA sharing real-world AI experience.
Hands-On Workshops
Learn AI tools by using them. Build something small before the big event.
Want to Mentor or Sponsor?
We’re looking for tech professionals to mentor teams, companies to sponsor prizes, and venues to host events. If you want to give back to LA’s tech community, we’d love to talk.
Get Notified About Future Hackathons
Drop your info below and we’ll let you know when registration opens for our next hackathon in Los Angeles.
Questions?
Email: caimpactcorp@gmail.com
Phone: (213) 550-7555
Address: 732 S Spring St #1517, Los Angeles, CA 90014