A hackathon (a word created from "hack" and "marathon") is a collaborative solution development event. The goal of a hackathon is to find useful, creative or entertaining solutions to given problems together within the duration of this event. Participants in hackathons usually come from different areas and often work on their projects in cross-functional teams.

Held each year since 2012, the Webfest brings together bright minds to work on creative projects. Participants work in small teams, often designing web and mobile applications that help people engage with CERN’s research, physics, or even science in general. In previous versions of the Webfest, participants have worked on a wide range of exciting projects: from physics-themed video games to cheap mobile-phone cosmic-ray detectors, and from skills-sharing platforms to tools for translating sign language to text.

Anyone, from anywhere in the world, provided they are aged 16 years or above. The Webfest isn’t just for those that can code: anyone with an idea, a challenge, or other skills is welcome to take part.

Webfest is completely free to attend, there are no registration or other fees.

We aim for the Webfest to be as global and diverse as possible. Within the teams participants can work in any national language they prefer. However, the moderation, pitching and presentation sessions will be held in English. So you need to understand the language, or have someone at your side who can help you with the English.

Preformation of teams is generally allowed. If this applies, please inform the webfest-team@cern.ch accordingly. Please also note that an individual registration for every team member is required. 

Keep in mind that your project idea should be submitted on the ideas-page anyway and some other participants might as well join your team.

Throughout the hackathon you and your team will have our mentors at your side. They are experts in a specific topic and will support you with their feedback and knowledge during the 48 hours in several check-ins

Yes! There are prizes to be won!

Please email your questions to webfest-team@cern.ch if you have any further questions.

The event will be held over the weekend of 21-22 August (with a pitch session on Friday 20 August, and winners announced on Monday 23 August). The event is open to all, meaning that people from anywhere in the world can take part.

Yes, the theme for this year’s event is ‘science, society, sustainability. We encourage projects that support the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those that relate to the five SDGs to which CERN de facto contributes. 

Projects for facilitating online science collaboration — thus reducing the need for frequent international travel — are also strongly encouraged. The goal is for the CERN Webfest to serve as an exemplar for how people can come together virtually — from all corners of the globe — to collaborate successfully, without the need for long-distance travel with a large CO2 footprint. Join us via the web — born at CERN — to help improve our world.

Similar to last year, the CERN Webfest 2021 takes place exclusively online. We provide the appropriate tools so that you can develop solutions together online. We use Mattermost as the communication platform for the teams and video conferencing for live webinars. Detailed technical instructions and access to the individual tools will be sent to you in time.

In Webfest 2020, which took place online for the first time last year, over 400 people signed up for the event from 75 countries across the globe and around 300 people took part over the weekend. Having technology accelerating collaboration once again, we are aiming to welcome a great number of participants also in this year's hackathon. 

If you would like to contribute to the event as a mentor, please sign up here: http://cern.ch/go/fnP6.

To register check the Webfest's Indico page. You can register until Wednesday, the 18 August (23:59 CET).
To register an idea go to the "Idea" section in the menu. 

1. Sign up here: https://indi.to/e-webfest2021.
2. If you have an idea for a project to work on, post it here: https://webfest.cern/ideas. If you don’t have an idea, you can also browse the project proposals posted by others on this page.
3. Sign in to our custom app and select the projects you’d most like to work on during the Webfest. Those who have registered for the event will receive a link to access the app on Thursday 19th August and are asked to make a selection by the end of Friday 20th August.
4. Use the Mattermost chat channels to discuss ideas related to the projects in which you’re interested. Access to the Mattermost chat channels will be provided through the app.
5. Join us at 17:00 CEST on Friday 20th August for the opening session of the Webfest! We will start with a pitch session, during which each of the proposed projects will be presented