Reality Hack at AWE 2026
Elevate learning with Spatial AI and Spectacles!
Kicks off May 28
Apply by May 11, 2026 at 11:59PM Eastern.
Scroll on to find out more.
We’re inviting you to enhance how we learn with Spatial AI!
Reality Hack, Spectacles, and AWE is inviting you to build the future of learning with Spatial AI and Extended Reality and create experiences that levels up how people learn by blending intelligent digital assistance with the physical world in an education context.
A transformative hybrid hack.
Experience a predominantly online hack beginning May 28 with our kickoff ceremony. Virtual team formation will allow you to build an all-star team and meet people near and far! You’ll get just about 2.5 weeks to hack virtually before you all meet at AWE USA 2026 in Long Beach, CA.
Dive into Spectacles.
Discover the potential and opportunity of Spectacles (2024). Each team is loaned up to two pairs of Spectacles to work with. Unleash the potential of Spatial AI to enhance our world, all powered by Spectacles (2024)!
Present live on stage.
At AWE USA 2026, you’ll be given the opportunity to work in-person before pencils down. You’ll also get a chance to demo and be judged in front of live conference attendees culminating in receiving your award live on the AWE Main Stage!
More questions? We’ve got the answers.
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No. You cannot apply as a team. You can designate a maximum of one person that you are planning to work with. This person must also submit an application.
You’ll have to fill out your team through Discord and designated team formation sessions.
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This Hack will be predominantly online (see schedule below) with one day in-person on Monday, June 15 at the Long Beach Convention Center. Judging and demos will be done live, in-person at AWE during the conference. At least one person from your team must be at AWE for your project to be judged. Winners will be announced on the AWE Main Stage during the Auggie Awards or Best in Show Ceremony!
For accepted hack participants, AWE will be providing access to $99 full conference tickets if you haven’t secured your own ticket already. -
Teams can range from 3 to 5 people. However, you cannot apply as a team. See answer to “Can I apply as a team?” above.
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No, we invite everyone who’s interested in building innovative learning experiences with Spatial AI and Spectacles to apply.
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Tuesday, May 12 - All applicants notified of decisions
Wednesday, May 13 to Thursday, May 21 - Team formation to fill out your teams to meet the 3-5 person requirement.
Thursday, May 21 at 3pm ET - All teams must be registered with us and teams must finalize who receives the loaner Spectacles.
Thursday, May 28 - Kickoff Ceremony (Hosted Online)
Thursday, May 28 (after Kickoff) until Monday, June 15 at 3pm - Hacking Time (Loaner Spectacles should be shipped to you by this date.)
Friday, June 5 - First Check-in (Virtual)
Friday, June 12 - Second Check-in (Virtual)
Monday, June 15 at 9:00am to 3:00pm - Teams meet in person for a final day of hacking at the conference. “Pencils Down” at 3pm.
Tuesday, June 16 at 11:30am - First round of judging at the expo floor
Tuesday, June 16 at 2:30pm - Finalist judging on the Builders Stage followed by finalist demos
Wednesday, June 17 at 6:00pm - Winners announced at the 17th Annual Auggie Awards
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Each complete team will need to designate one or two people to receive up to two pairs of loaned Spectacles (2024) from Snap. Whoever receives the Spectacles should also be the folks attending AWE USA 2026 at Long Beach, CA so they can use those Spectacles for demos, judging, and return the device to Snap.
Snap will work to ensure you receive the loaner Spectacles before the Kickoff Date but if you live outside of the US, Canada, Austria, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, or Spain, there may be delays in shipping or there may be shipping restrictions. -
Yes. There will be $33,000 worth of cash prizes up for grabs! Only the top three teams will be eligible to receive prizes.
