🌍 BuildStack 2026

📋 Official Rules

Last Updated: February 13, 2026

1. Hackathon Overview

2. Eligibility

To participate in BuildStack 2026, you must meet the following criteria:

• Age Requirement: You must be at least 18 years old as of March 3, 2026
• Global Participation: Open to participants from all countries worldwide
• Team Size: Individual participants or teams of up to 3 members maximum
• Registration: Must register through the official hackathon portal before March 10, 2026
• Legal Capacity: Must have the legal capacity to enter into a binding agreement
• Exclusions: Employees of Gesture Informatic Ltd and immediate family members are not eligible to win prizes but may participate

3. How to Participate

1. Registration: Complete the registration form on the hackathon website
2. Team Formation: Form your team (if applicable) by March 10, 2026
3. Discord Community: Join the official Discord server for updates and support
4. Development Period: Build your project between March 10-28, 2026
5. Submission: Submit your final project on Devpost by 11:59 PM IST on March 28, 2026

4. Challenge Categories

Participants can submit projects in one or more of the following categories:

5. Submission Requirements

All submissions must include:

• Working project that integrates with SocioStacks API
• Source code repository (GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket)
• README file with project description, setup instructions, and usage guide
• Demo video (2-5 minutes) showcasing the project
• Live demo link (if applicable)
• Documentation of API integration
• List of technologies and tools used

6. Judging Criteria

Projects will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Innovation (30%): Originality and creativity of the solution
• Technical Implementation (25%): Code quality, architecture, and use of technology
• Business Impact (25%): Practical value and potential real-world application
• User Experience (20%): Design, usability, and overall polish

7. Prizes

8. Prize Distribution

• Winners will be announced on March 31, 2026 at 6 PM IST
• Prize money will be distributed within 30 days of winner announcement
• Winners must provide tax documentation as required by law
• Prizes are non-transferable and cannot be exchanged for cash alternatives
• For team submissions, prize money will be sent to the team lead for distribution

9. Intellectual Property

• Participants retain full ownership of their submissions and intellectual property
• By submitting, participants grant SocioStacks a non-exclusive license to showcase winning projects on the website, blog, and social media
• SocioStacks may feature winner projects in marketing materials with proper attribution
• All third-party code, libraries, or assets must be properly licensed and attributed

10. Disqualification

Participants may be disqualified for:

• Submitting plagiarized or non-original work
• Violating the Code of Conduct
• Submitting after the deadline
• Providing false information during registration
• Using unauthorized or illegal tools/services
• Harassment or inappropriate behavior toward other participants or organizers

11. General Conditions

• SocioStacks reserves the right to modify these rules at any time with notice to participants
• Decisions made by the judges are final and binding
• SocioStacks reserves the right to cancel or modify the hackathon due to unforeseen circumstances
• Participation in the hackathon constitutes acceptance of these official rules

📄 Terms & Conditions

Effective Date: February 13, 2026

1. Agreement to Terms

By accessing and participating in BuildStack 2026, you agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions and all applicable laws and regulations. If you do not agree with any of these terms, you are prohibited from participating in this hackathon.

2. Organizer Information

3. Participation Agreement

By participating in BuildStack 2026, you agree that:

• You meet all eligibility requirements outlined in the Official Rules
• All information provided during registration is accurate and truthful
• You will comply with all rules, guidelines, and Code of Conduct
• You have the legal authority to accept these terms
• You will not engage in any fraudulent or harmful activities

4. Use of Platform and Services

4.1 License Grant

SocioStacks grants participants a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to access and use the SocioStacks API and platform services solely for the purpose of participating in BuildStack 2026.

4.2 API Usage

• API keys are personal and must not be shared publicly
• Participants must comply with API rate limits and usage guidelines
• Abuse or misuse of the API may result in immediate disqualification
• API access may be revoked at any time for policy violations

4.3 Prohibited Activities

Participants must not:

• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to SocioStacks systems or other participants' accounts
• Introduce malicious code, viruses, or harmful software
• Scrape or extract data beyond what is permitted by the API
• Use the platform for illegal activities or to violate any laws
• Impersonate other participants or SocioStacks representatives

5. Intellectual Property Rights

5.1 Your Content

• You retain all rights to your hackathon submission and project code
• You are solely responsible for ensuring your submission doesn't infringe on third-party rights
• You grant SocioStacks a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free license to display, promote, and showcase winning submissions

5.2 SocioStacks Property

• All SocioStacks branding, logos, API, documentation, and platform features remain the property of Gesture Informatic Ltd
• Participants may not use SocioStacks trademarks without prior written permission
• API documentation and resources are provided for hackathon use only

6. Liability and Disclaimers

6.1 No Warranties

The hackathon, platform, and all services are provided "AS IS" and "AS AVAILABLE" without warranties of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to:

• Fitness for a particular purpose
• Uninterrupted or error-free operation
• Accuracy or reliability of information
• Security of submissions or data

6.2 Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, Gesture Informatic Ltd and SocioStacks shall not be liable for:

• Any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages
• Loss of profits, data, use, or other intangible losses
• Technical failures, server downtime, or service interruptions
• Actions or omissions of other participants
• Any damages exceeding the prize amount won (if applicable)

6.3 Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Gesture Informatic Ltd, SocioStacks, and their affiliates from any claims, damages, losses, or expenses (including legal fees) arising from:

• Your violation of these Terms and Conditions
• Your infringement of any third-party rights
• Your hackathon submission or project code
• Your use or misuse of the platform and services

7. Data and Privacy

Your participation involves the collection and processing of personal data. Please refer to our Privacy Policy for detailed information on how we handle your data.

8. Modification and Termination

8.1 Modification Rights

SocioStacks reserves the right to:

• Modify these Terms and Conditions at any time
• Change hackathon rules, timelines, or prize structures with notice
• Cancel or postpone the hackathon due to unforeseen circumstances
• Disqualify participants who violate terms or engage in misconduct

8.2 Termination

We may terminate your participation immediately without notice if:

• You violate these Terms and Conditions or the Code of Conduct
• You engage in fraudulent or harmful activities
• You provide false information or misrepresent yourself
• We determine your participation poses a risk to the hackathon or other participants

9. Force Majeure

SocioStacks shall not be liable for any failure to perform obligations due to circumstances beyond reasonable control, including but not limited to natural disasters, war, terrorism, pandemics, government actions, or technical failures.

10. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

• These Terms shall be governed by the laws of India
• Any disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of courts in New Delhi, India
• Participants agree to attempt informal resolution before pursuing legal action

11. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable or invalid, that provision shall be limited or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary, and the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.

12. Contact Information

For questions about these Terms and Conditions, please contact:

🔒 Privacy Policy

Last Updated: February 13, 2026

1. Introduction

Gesture Informatic Ltd, operating as SocioStacks ("we," "our," or "us"), is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you participate in BuildStack 2026.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide

When you register for BuildStack 2026, we collect:

• Personal Information: Full name, email address, phone number
• Educational Information: College/University name, year of study
• Professional Information: Skills, technologies, resume/portfolio link
• Team Information: Team member details (if applicable)
• Submission Information: Project details, code repository, demo videos
• Communication Data: Messages sent through Discord, email, or support channels

2.2 Automatically Collected Information

We automatically collect certain information when you visit our website or use our platform:

• Usage Data: Pages viewed, time spent, features used
• Device Information: IP address, browser type, operating system, device identifiers
• Analytics Data: We use Google Analytics to understand user behavior and improve our services
• API Usage Data: API calls, endpoints accessed, request/response logs
• Cookies: We use cookies to enhance user experience and track website usage

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for the following purposes:

• Hackathon Administration: Managing registrations, team formations, submissions, and judging
• Communication: Sending updates, announcements, and hackathon-related notifications
• Prize Distribution: Verifying eligibility and distributing prizes to winners
• Platform Access: Providing access to SocioStacks API and services
• Analytics: Understanding participant behavior to improve future events
• Marketing: Showcasing winning projects (with permission) on our blog and social media
• Legal Compliance: Complying with legal obligations and enforcing our terms
• Security: Protecting against fraud, abuse, and security threats

4. How We Share Your Information

4.1 Public Information

The following information may be made public:

• Participant names and team names on leaderboards
• Winning projects, including team member names, on our website and blog
• Project repositories and demo videos (if submitted publicly)

4.2 Third-Party Service Providers

We may share your information with trusted third parties who assist us in operating the hackathon:

• Google Analytics: For website and platform analytics
• Email Service Providers: For sending hackathon communications
• Payment Processors: For prize distribution (winners only)
• Discord: For community management and support
• Devpost: For submission management (if applicable)

4.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law or in good faith belief that such action is necessary to:

• Comply with legal obligations or court orders
• Protect and defend our rights or property
• Prevent fraud or investigate potential violations
• Protect the safety of participants or the public

5. Data Retention

• Active Participants: Your data is retained throughout the hackathon period and for 90 days after the event concludes
• Winners: Winner information is retained for 3 years for tax and legal purposes
• Marketing Purposes: With your consent, we may retain project information indefinitely for showcase purposes
• Legal Requirements: We may retain data longer if required by law
• Deletion Requests: You may request deletion of your data after the hackathon concludes (see Your Rights section)

6. Your Rights and Choices

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data
• Deletion: Request deletion of your personal data (subject to legal requirements)
• Objection: Object to certain processing of your data
• Portability: Request a copy of your data in a machine-readable format
• Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent for marketing communications at any time

To exercise these rights, contact us at legal@sociostacks.com

7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to:

• Remember your preferences and settings
• Authenticate your login sessions
• Analyze website traffic and user behavior
• Personalize content and advertisements

You can control cookies through your browser settings, but disabling cookies may limit your access to certain features.

8. Data Security

We implement reasonable security measures to protect your information, including:

• Encryption of data in transit and at rest
• Access controls and authentication mechanisms
• Regular security audits and monitoring
• Employee training on data protection

However, no method of transmission over the Internet is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of your data.

9. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your country of residence. By participating, you consent to such transfers. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place for international data transfers.

10. Children's Privacy

BuildStack 2026 is intended for individuals 18 years and older. We do not knowingly collect information from individuals under 18. If we discover that we have collected data from someone under 18, we will delete it promptly.

11. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies.

12. Updates to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically. We will notify you of significant changes via email or prominent notice on our website. Your continued participation after such changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

13. Contact Us

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

🤝 Code of Conduct

Effective Date: February 13, 2026

1. Our Commitment

BuildStack 2026 is dedicated to providing a safe, inclusive, and welcoming environment for all participants regardless of age, ethnicity, nationality, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, religion, or technical skill level. We expect all participants to uphold these values and treat everyone with respect and dignity.

2. Expected Behavior

All participants are expected to:

• Be Respectful: Treat fellow participants, organizers, judges, and sponsors with courtesy and respect
• Be Collaborative: Foster a spirit of teamwork and knowledge sharing
• Be Inclusive: Welcome and support people of all backgrounds and identities
• Be Professional: Maintain professional conduct in all hackathon-related interactions
• Be Constructive: Provide helpful feedback and engage in positive discussions
• Be Original: Submit only your own work and properly attribute third-party resources
• Be Honest: Provide accurate information and compete fairly
• Respect Privacy: Do not share others' personal information without consent

3. Unacceptable Behavior

The following behaviors will not be tolerated:

3.1 Harassment and Discrimination

• Offensive comments related to gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, mental illness, neurotype, physical appearance, race, religion, or nationality
• Unwelcome sexual attention or advances
• Deliberate intimidation, stalking, or following
• Threats of violence or violent language
• Posting or displaying sexually explicit or violent material

3.2 Disruptive Behavior

• Spamming Discord channels or email communications
• Trolling, insulting, or derogatory comments
• Sustained disruption of discussions or presentations
• Deliberately introducing bugs or malicious code
• Attempting to sabotage other participants' projects

3.3 Cheating and Academic Dishonesty

• Plagiarizing code or ideas without proper attribution
• Submitting pre-existing projects as new work
• Violating API terms of use or usage limits
• Creating multiple accounts to gain unfair advantages
• Sharing API keys or accessing others' accounts
• Collusion between teams to manipulate results

3.4 Illegal Activities

• Hacking or unauthorized access to systems
• Distributing malware or harmful software
• Violating intellectual property rights
• Any activity that violates local, national, or international law

4. Community Guidelines

4.1 Discord Server Rules

• Use appropriate channels: Keep discussions relevant to the channel topic
• No spam or self-promotion: Limit promotional content unless in designated channels
• Family-friendly content: Keep language and content appropriate for all ages
• English preferred: Use English in public channels for broader accessibility
• Respect moderators: Follow instructions from community moderators
• No unsolicited DMs: Ask for permission before sending direct messages

4.2 Intellectual Honesty

• Clearly document all third-party libraries, APIs, and code snippets used
• Provide attribution for open-source code and resources
• Disclose any pre-existing code or components
• Be transparent about team contributions and individual roles

4.3 Fair Competition

• Do not attempt to manipulate voting or judging processes
• Respect submission deadlines and format requirements
• Compete in the spirit of learning and innovation
• Celebrate others' achievements and provide constructive feedback

5. Reporting Violations

If you experience or witness unacceptable behavior:

1. Immediate Safety: If you feel unsafe, contact local authorities immediately
2. Report to Organizers: Email hackathon@sociostacks.com with details of the incident
3. Discord Reports: Use the Discord reporting feature or contact moderators directly
4. Anonymous Reports: You may report anonymously if preferred

All reports will be handled with discretion and confidentiality. We will investigate promptly and take appropriate action.

6. Consequences of Violations

Depending on the severity and frequency of violations, consequences may include:

• Warning: Verbal or written warning for minor first-time offenses
• Temporary Suspension: Temporary removal from Discord or platform access
• Disqualification: Removal from the hackathon and forfeiture of prizes
• Permanent Ban: Permanent exclusion from future SocioStacks events
• Legal Action: In cases of illegal activity, we may involve law enforcement

7. Scope

This Code of Conduct applies to all BuildStack 2026 spaces, including but not limited to:

• Official hackathon website and registration forms
• Discord server and community channels
• Email communications and support tickets
• Virtual presentations and demo sessions
• Social media interactions related to the hackathon
• Any other hackathon-related activities or communications

8. Organizer Responsibilities

Hackathon organizers are responsible for:

• Clarifying and enforcing standards of acceptable behavior
• Taking fair and appropriate action in response to violations
• Removing, editing, or rejecting contributions that violate this Code of Conduct
• Communicating reasons for moderation decisions when appropriate
• Maintaining confidentiality of those reporting violations

9. Diversity and Inclusion

We actively encourage participation from:

• Underrepresented groups in technology
• Students from all educational backgrounds
• Developers at all skill levels, from beginners to experts
• Participants from diverse geographic regions

We are committed to creating an environment where everyone can contribute and learn.

10. Attribution

This Code of Conduct is adapted from the Contributor Covenant and various community standards. We thank the open-source community for their contributions to creating inclusive spaces.

11. Questions and Feedback

If you have questions about this Code of Conduct or suggestions for improvement, please contact: