Main Description
Blackstart: Data Centers, Reforged: A 90-minute hackathon at Omni Pulse Tech 2026, hosted by Lightgrid Energy.
The challenge: How do we make data centers good neighbours? Create applications, policies, designs, plans or anything else that lets data centers benefit the people and places around them.
Data centers are not going away. Their electricity use is set to more than double by 2030 (IEA), and communities are pushing back: 63% of Americans oppose a new data center being built in their neighborhood (Economist/YouGov, Aug 2026). Let's build them right.
Example Projects:
- Power: the grid, when to run heavy computing, who pays for peak demand
- Heat and cooling: waste heat reuse, water use
- Noise and land: noise, light, siting, buffers
- Money and jobs: property values, tax, local benefits
- Trust and voice: transparency, community input, plain-language rules
Submission: A working app, a dashboard, a model, a one-page policy proposal, a mock-up, or a clear plan. Examples: a fee proposal for who pays for peak power, a noise map for a neighbourhood, a one-page fact sheet for neighbours. If it is clear and useful, it counts.
Who can join: Open to the public, with priority for Humber students and graduates. Teams of 2 to 4. Up to 30 participants, first come first served. No preparation needed. Coding (Python) helps but is not required. Design, business and policy skills are welcome.
How to join:
- Register for Omni Pulse Tech 2026 on Eventbrite.
- Register for this hackathon here on Devpost.
- Bring a laptop. A Windows laptop works best on Humber's systems. No software to install.
What you win: Prizes for the top three teams. Teams that want to keep going will be pointed to larger international competitions in this space.
Schedule: (Friday, October 30, times approximate)
- 2:00 PM: Kickoff and challenge introduction
- 2:15 PM: Build
- 3:30 PM: Submissions close
- 3:30 PM to 4:15 PM: Judging
- Around 4:15 PM: Winners announced
- 4:30 PM to 5:00 PM: Omni Pulse closing ceremony
Where: Omni Pulse Tech 2026, Humber Polytechnic (BCTI), 205 Humber College Blvd., Toronto. Hackathon room on the 5th floor.
About the host: Lightgrid Energy builds AI software that makes data centers grid-friendly. Check us out at lightgrid.energy
Requirements
Submission Requirements
Submit one project post on Devpost before 3:30 PM on October 30. It should include:
- Project name: and a one-line description.
- What you built and who it helps: Say how it benefits people, the planet, or both.
- How it works: A few sentences is enough.
- A way to see it: A screenshot, a link, or a short demo video. A slide or a one-page write-up is fine for a policy or practice idea.
- Your team members: Add each person on Devpost.
You can build anything: an app, dashboard, model, simulation, policy tool or practice. You do not have to use code. You may use the optional data pack in the Resources tab, but you don't have to.
How we judge (equal weight)
- Impact: does it help people, the planet, or both?
- Demo: can you show it, or explain it clearly, by the deadline?
- Sound thinking: is the idea realistic and well reasoned?
- Clarity: can someone new understand it in two minutes?
Prizes
Gift Bags & More!!!
Prizes for the top 3 teams. What’s inside? Wait and see... revealed at the closing ceremony
Devpost Achievements
Submitting to this hackathon could earn you:
Judges
Mujtaba Khan
Lightgrid Energy
Huda Khan
Lightgrid Energy
Nathan Odotei
Lightgrid Energy
Judging Criteria
-
Impact
Does it help people, the planet, or both? Is the benefit clear and real? -
Works
Can you show it working, or explain it clearly, by the deadline? A demo, screenshot or slide counts. -
Sound Thinking
Is the idea realistic and well reasoned? Does it use data or evidence where it helps? -
Clarity
Can someone new understand what it is and why it matters in two minutes?
Questions? Email the hackathon manager
Invite others to compete
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