SafeSpace Hacks

What would feel safer if you built it differently?

The message you hesitate to click. The account settings nobody understands. The confusing emergency checklist. The community report that never reaches the right person. Small moments of uncertainty are everywhere—and they are full of opportunities to build something useful.

SafeSpace Hacks is an online challenge to turn one of those moments into a better experience. Build something that helps people prevent harm, understand risk, protect what matters, or respond with more confidence.

Security is a starting point. Safety is the bigger picture.

Your project can live online, on a device, or in everyday life. Cybersecurity, privacy, scam awareness, safer communities, emergency readiness, trustworthy information, secure habits, and accessible safety tools all belong here. You do not need to be a security specialist to enter.

A few directions—not a fixed menu

• A browser companion that explains a suspicious message without overwhelming the user.
• A game that teaches safer digital habits through choices and consequences.
• A privacy tool that makes permissions easier to understand.
• A preparedness checklist that still works when the connection does not.
• A respectful community reporting workflow, a safer device prototype, or a clearer way to share essential information.

Have a different idea? It fits if you can explain who it helps and how it improves security or safety. These examples are not separate tracks. Apps, websites, games, hardware, AI tools, and low-code projects are welcome.

Make the benefit visible

Pick one situation. Build a working prototype. Show what the person can do more safely with it, and be honest about what it cannot do yet. Thoughtful simplicity can matter more than an impressive feature count.

The event at a glance

• Build: October 17–November 22, 2026.
• Submit by November 22 at 5:00 PM Eastern Time.
• Judging: November 23–24.
• Results scheduled: November 25.

Hosted by SafeSpace. Eligible students above the legal age of majority can join solo or as a team.

You do not have to solve every risk. Make one everyday situation a little better.