Over the next 24 hours you’re going to push yourself to combine big ideas with really quick thinking. Student are challenging limits in terms of creativity, technical ability, and lack of sleep.
Macathon
November 6 & 7, 2026 | Macalester’s 24-hour ultimate innovation challenge!
The Entrepreneurship & Innovation Department is proud to announce the 2025 Macathon winning teams! First Place: Edible Rice – Evelyn Bond ’26, Shelly Bai (Dec) ’25, Tobias Hibbard ’27; Second Place: Jeets Jesters – Bruno Guiduli ’26, Eric Wentz ’26, Martin Bernsten ’26, Theo Darci-Maher ’27, Sanjeet Devidayal ’26, Ethen Kantu ’26; and Third Place: Salchipapa – William Acosta Lora ’27, Berni Perez de Nucci ’28, Karla Martinez ’27, Patricia Escobar ’28, Nayla Trigueros ’28. Thank you to our supportive and amazing mentor judges for another fabulous year!
The big stage is calling your team & your idea!
Macathon brings students together from across campus to develop innovative solutions to real-world problems. This unique opportunity puts your liberal arts education into practice: identify a problem, leverage creativity, collaborate on a solution, and pitch your vision. It’s super fun! The catch? Teams only have 24-hours, and there is no prep work allowed.
Important Dates
| Monday, September 14 | Application Openings |
| Wednesday, September 30: 5:00 pm | Early Application Deadline *Get access to an exclusive strategy session on October 22. |
| Tuesday, October 6: 11:30 am | Idea Lab | Macathon Mixer: Connect & Build a Macathon Team |
| Wednesday, October 14: 5:00 pm | Application Closing |
| Thursday, October 22: 11:30 am – 1:00 pm | Early Applicant Exclusive Strategy Session |
| Thursday, October 29: 12:00 – 12:30 pm | Team Captain Orientation |
| Tuesday, November 3: 12:00 – 12:30 pm | Virtual | All Participant Orientation |
| Friday, November 6: 4:30 pm | Macathon Begins |
| Saturday, November 7: 4:30 – 6:30 pm | Macathon Final Presentations in Mairs |
Teams with the highest semi-final scores take the big stage for the opportunity to win awards and share their innovative ideas!
Join us for Macathon Finals!
You’re invited on Saturday, November 7th at 4:30pm in Mairs Concert Hall or attend virtually via livestream.
Frequently asked questions
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Team are 3-6 currently enrolled students from any major. All are welcome to apply!
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Be prepared to provide general information for each team member, commit to the program requirements, and submit a fun team photo. Apply Today!
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Here’s the challenge.
From Friday evening to Saturday morning 18 teams of 3-6 students receive a space to work and resources to come up with creative solutions to meaningful problems in a short period of time. All teams present their solutions at 1:00 pm on Saturday.
The six teams with the highest scores will progress to the Final at 4:30 pm in Mairs Concert Hall. Plus, one spirited team will receive the Dave Mao ‘Keeping It Real Prize.’ Check out the 2025 Macathon video for a quick summary.
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Student teams receive a wide variety of support during Macathon – from expert alumni coaches and research librarians to prototype and presentation assistance. The Digital Resource Center (DRC) and Idea Lab have extended access, and mentors are available throughout the challenge to answer your questions.
You will not go hungry. Participants eat very well over the 24- hour experience! All meals and snacks are provided.
We also encourage students to rest when they need to. Sleeping is encouraged during Macathon.
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Please review the Macathon 2026 Information Packet. It includes everything you need to know, from important dates and how to apply, and the agenda and evaluation rubic.
For More Information
A special thank you to Dave’s family for setting up a fund to continue his dedication to Macathon students.
Remembering Judge Dave Mao ’97
Dave brought joy and laughter to this event with his wit and hilarious stories. He was the judge who would stay all night to help the students. In 2023, a special Macathon prize was started in his honor, the Keeping It Real—Dave Mao Special Award.
Photo: At Macathon 2025 the Dave Mao ‘Keeping It Real Prize’ went to Team Musasabi – Jill Chung ’28, Yaoki Kitahara ’28, Hazel Huang ’29, Tenzin Bhutia ’28, and Eddie Piao ’28 for demonstrating a spirit of playfulness, joy, and possibility.
Macathon Judges
Each year, Macalester hosts a diverse group of alumni/guest judges from across the US to mentor and evaluate the teams. Macathon thrives because of this group’s passion for entrepreneurship and innovation. They bring enthusiasm, expertise, and encouragement to our students.
Annually Macathon Shows Macalester’s Power for Positive Change
There’s no atmosphere like Macathon—a longstanding Macalester competition that gives teams of students 24 hours to come up with a solution to a problem, prototype a product, and build a convincing presentation for a panel of alumni judges.
Follow a Macathon team through their 24 hour experience. Thank you to The Goonies for capturing the fun and exciting vibe of this incredible Macalester event!