Dates

  • Registration opens: September 8, 2026
  • Registration deadline: October 10, 2026 
  • Hack Day: October 17–18, 2026 (in person at Milgard Hall; check-in by 9:00 AM)

Dates:

Saturday, October 17 - Sunday, October 18, 2026

Eligibility:

College students in the state of Washington

Prizes:

  • Phase 1: (3) Finalist $1,000 per team
  • Phase 2: (1) Grand Prize $15,000 and a 6-month membership to CoMotion Labs

Judging Criteria and Winner Selection:

  • Please review the judging criteria below.

    Impact on Member Safety (30%)

    • Prevents or reduces fraud losses
    • Intervenes early enough to make a difference
    • Includes recovery or member support considerations

    User Experience & Trust (25%)

    • Easy for legitimate members to complete transactions
    • Clear, accessible, and non-judgmental
    • Works for diverse member needs and abilities

    Feasibility (20%)

    • Realistic to implement
    • Uses available data and technology
    • Could be piloted by a credit union with reasonable effort

    Innovation (15%)

    • Creative approach beyond standard warnings or fraud scores
    • Introduces a new way to protect members

    Prototype & Presentation (10%)

    • Clickable or visual demonstration
    • Shows how both members and employees interact with the solution
    • Clearly communicates the concept

Rules:

1.                Agreement to Rules. Each person who registers (“Registrant”) for the FinTech Hackathon competition (“Competition”) presented by Sound Credit Union (“Credit Union”) and the Milgard Center for Business Analytics of the University of Washington (“UW”) agrees to the following rules, terms, and conditions.

2.               Administration of Competition. The Credit Union is responsible for the administration of the Competition. All decisions as to the Competition rules and interpretations are exclusively within the sole discretion of the Credit Union and may be changed from time to time without notice or recourse.  The Credit Union is not responsible for any error in administering the Competition including but not limited to the printing of any materials, information or the announcement of any prize winner. 

3.               Eligibility. Persons eligible to register for and participate in the Competition include any college students attending a college in Washington state.

4.               Application Information.  Each Registrant for the Competition is solely responsible for the completion of any registration form that may be required by the Credit Union or UW, including responsibility for any inaccuracies, errors or completeness. The Credit Union will not be responsible for any registration or content provided in a registration. Registrant understands and agrees Registrant will be sharing personal information and proprietary information to the Credit Union. The Credit Union may share Registrant information with judges of the competition, officials of UW, and persons directly affiliated with or performing functions related to the Competition. The Credit Union will not share Registrant’s information with any party not directly affiliated with the Competition.

5.               Prize/Benefits Restrictions. The Competition is not a game of chance but is based upon Competition performance criteria.  The Credit Union and its directors, officers, employees, agents and owners accept no responsibility for a Registrant failing to receive a prize. All prizes and benefits are awarded "AS IS" and "WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND," express or implied (including, without limitation, any implied warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose). The Competition benefits are non-refundable, non-transferable, and not subject to exchange. No substitute prize or benefits will be awarded or provided. Prize winners are responsible for payment of any applicable federal, state, and local taxes on the prize and benefits provided.  

6.               Publication of Winner. By registering, Registrant understands that the Credit Union shall have the right to use any prize winner’s voice, name, likeness and photograph(s) for advertising and promotional purposes without further authorization, compensation, remuneration or notification except where prohibited by law.

7.               Release of Liability. By registering the Competition or accepting a prize, each Registrant releases the Credit Union and its directors, officers, employers, and agents from any liability whatsoever and waiving any and all causes of action related to any claims, costs, injuries, losses, or damages of any kind arising out of or in connection with the Competition promotion or delivery, misdelivery, acceptance, possession, use of or inability to use any prize or benefit (including any type or manner of costs or damages), whether under a theory of contract, tort (including negligence), warranty, or any other theory.

8.               Indemnification. By registering, Registrant agrees to hold harmless and indemnify the Credit Union directors, officers, employees, and agents (the "Released Parties") against any and all claims, liability, damages or causes of action, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs with respect to or arising out of either (i) Registrant's participation in the Competition; or (ii) the receipt or use of any prize or benefits awarded in the Competition.

9.               Violation of Rules. Any entrant who violates these rules are subject to disqualification from participation in the Competition or claiming or using any prize or benefit. Any such decision is in the sole discretion of the Credit Union. Each Registrant agrees that if the Registrant is a potential prize winner, he or she may be required to execute an Affidavit of Eligibility/Release of Liability/Prize Acceptance Form or similar form within two (2) days of attempted notification.

10.            No Liability. In the event the Credit Union is prevented from continuing with this promotion, or the integrity and/or feasibility of the promotion is severely undermined by any event beyond the Credit Union’s control, including but not limited to fire, flood, epidemic, earthquake, explosion, labor dispute or strike, act of God or public enemy, satellite or equipment failure, riot or civil disturbance, war (declared or undeclared), terrorist threat or activity, or any federal, state or local government law, order or regulation, order of any court or jurisdiction, or other cause not reasonably within the Credit Union’s control (each a "Force Majeure" event or occurrence), the Credit Union shall have the right, in its sole discretion, to modify, suspend, cancel, or terminate the Competition at any time, without further obligation.