The 10th annual HackISU hackathon will take place this weekend over the span of 36 hours at the Vermeer Applied Technology Hub/ISU Startup factory.

At the hackathon, students code from 8 p.m. on Friday until 8 a.m. on Sunday, to create software, apps, hacks of their own and other technology related inventions.

In teams and individually, students will compete with one another to try and win prizes that are awarded to those with the best inventions at the end of the competition.

Ally Cunningham, president of HackISU, said the event has increased in participants over the last couple of years and has gained endorsements from companies like Optum, Cortiva, Zirous and others.

“HackISU is definitely an invention convention, we’ve seen things as far as apps, different things with augmented reality, and that’s just on the beginner’s side,” Cunningham said.

Employees from some of the sponsored companies help judge the competition for each category.

The 36 hour event is not just for computer or mechanical engineers, but for anyone who wants to test their skills with technology and put their creativity to the test.

“People who come from different backgrounds just wanting to learn something that they normally wouldn’t learn are more than welcome,” Cunningham said.

This year, there will be different events added to the hackathon for “hackers” to participate in as well.

“We are really excited to implement different mini events throughout the event and different decor options, make things more fun and interactive,” Cunningham said. “We are really excited to bring that to our hackers.”

Nathan Whitcome, junior in computer engineering, will be attending the event this weekend. This is Whitcome’s third year participating, and he is excited to put his knowledge to the test, but also have a good time.

“It’s fun, it lets me explore different things I can do with code in an environment that’s competitive and pushes me forward, but mostly to have fun,” Whitcome said.

Christopher Olsen, a junior and computer engineer, will be attending his first hackathon this year in hopes that he can compete with the dozens of others in attendance.

“This year I am motivated because I feel like I have more confidence in my ability to code and create stuff,” Olsen said. “I also wanna test my abilities and test the stuff that I have learned.”

Since the event extends the entire weekend, they will provide free food and the option for students to spend the night at the building to work on their projects for as long as they want.

To register for the event, go to hackisu.org. Registration is free for the event.