Frontier Cascadia
Where the next generation of Pacific Northwest builders ship something real.
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Build what's
next.
Frontier Cascadia is not a classroom exercise. It is not a science fair. It is one day to build something real. Software that solves a problem, tells a story, or changes how someone sees the world. The best thing you could get out of a weekend.
We bring together the most technically ambitious high school students in the Pacific Northwest, put them in a room with the resources they need, and ask them to ship solutions in 12 hours.
Then we put them in front of judges who take them seriously. No participation trophies. No grade inflation. The standard is whether it works.
Built by students,
for students.
The story behind Frontier Cascadia is pretty simple. Many high school students in the Pacific Northwest are genuinely good at building things. They have ideas. They're technical. What they don't have is the space, the time, the tools, or the chance to sit in a room with people who've actually shipped products and learn from them. Most of the time, the gap between a good idea and a real project is just a runway.
Frontier Cascadia is how we're closing that gap. It's a one-day hackathon on September 12 at the Foster School of Business at the University of Washington in Seattle. 200+ high school students from across the PNW get 12 hours to build real software from scratch. Entry is free, and prizes run $10k+: everything from a grand prize to free credits to company- and track-specific awards and themes. Projects get judged by engineers and professionals from Seattle's tech community on a real rubric.
Frontier Cascadia is a 501(c)(3) public charity based in Washington.
$10,000+ in prizes
Real money to take your project beyond the hackathon. Build it here, launch it everywhere.
The three overall placements and Crowd Favorite are in-person only. Remote projects compete for the Frontier Award and every track award, judged on the same rubric. How remote participation works
+ cloud credits, API access, developer tools, and much more
for every participant, in-person or online.
Show up.
Build.
Ship.
Bring an idea, form a team, or hack solo. We handle the rest.
Tangible projects
No slideshows without something to show. If it doesn't work, it's not done. Code, hardware, whatever. Just make it real.
Industry sponsors on site
Top Seattle tech companies will have booths, run workshops, and be around all day to answer questions.
Real feedback
Present to judges from big tech, universities, and VCs who build products for a living. Expect honest questions.
Everything is free
Meals, caffeine, swag, and cloud credits are on us. Just bring your machine.
Build with us,
from wherever you are.
We've heard from students across the Pacific Northwest who can't easily travel to Seattle but still want to showcase their talent and ideas.
You can now participate in Frontier Cascadia live online. Remote participants follow the same schedule, submit through Devpost, and present to real judges on the same rubric.
Two things only happen in the room: meals all day, and mentors at your table instead of in a queue.
The three overall placements and Crowd Favorite are in-person only. Remote projects compete for the Frontier Award and every track award, plus cloud credits and tools for everyone. See the full prize list
In-person participation is strongly encouraged for students who live in the Greater Seattle area.
Common questions
Who can participate?
Any high school student in grades 9 through 12 in the Seattle metro area and broader Pacific Northwest. You don't need to know how to code yet, but you should be ready to learn fast.
Where is it?
The Foster School of Business at the University of Washington in Seattle. PACCAR Hall, 4273 E Stevens Way NE. It's a short walk from the U District light rail station, and there's parking on campus.
I have the SAT that morning.
September 12 is an SAT date, so late check-in stays open until 3 PM. Flag it when you register, come straight from the test, and you'll still have hours to build and full eligibility for every prize.
Can I start before the event?
You can plan, sketch, read docs, and set up an empty repo with boilerplate and dependencies installed. What you can't do is show up with the project already working. The logic gets written on the day, and that's the same rule for everyone.
Do I need a team?
No. You can come solo and find teammates at the event, bring your friends, or hack alone. Teams can be up to 4 people.
What should I bring?
Your laptop, a charger, and any hardware you want to use. We provide food, drinks, wifi, and power strips.
Is it really free?
Yes. Completely free. Meals, snacks, swag, cloud credits, all of it. We want cost to be zero barrier to showing up.
What can I build?
Anything that runs. Web apps, mobile apps, hardware projects, games, AI tools, browser extensions. If it works, it counts.
Do I need experience?
Some coding experience helps, but we have seen beginners build incredible things with industry experts available to answer questions and sheer determination. Don't count yourself out.
Backed by builders
These organizations keep Frontier Cascadia free for every hacker who walks in. More landing soon.
Want to get involved? FOR STUDENTS Become a Founding School Ambassador Bring Frontier Cascadia to your school and represent it in a Pacific Northwest student technology community. Verified service hours, leadership experience, and official recognition. Learn more
Ready to
build?
September 12, 2026 / UW Foster School / 12 hours
Free to enter. Spots are limited, and we read every single one.
Get in touch
Have a question about the event, sponsoring, or anything else? Drop us a message.