With a “Space Cowboy” theme inspired by San Antonio’s western roots and a futuristic twist, students from across Texas are gearing up to take innovation to new frontiers at RowdyHacks 2025.
The 24-hour hackathon will be Oct. 25 and 26 at San Pedro I, home of the College of AI, Cyber and Computing in downtown San Antonio. Register for the event at RowdyHacks.org.
More than 500 students are expected to gather to collaborate on software, hardware and cybersecurity projects that test creativity and teamwork.
Over one weekend, participants will have the opportunity to learn new skills, network with peers and professionals, and compete for prizes during the 11th annual event.
RowdyHacks is an official Major League Hacking (MLH) hackathon. It is organized by the UT San Antonio student chapter of the Association for Computing Machinery, the university’s premier tech organization with a decade-long legacy, said RowdyHacks Director Alejandro Mugica, a senior computer science major at UT San Antonio.
“Teams of students collaborate to develop various projects,” he said. “At the end of the event, they are judged and winners are selected. RowdyHacks is inclusive, welcoming students from all majors and backgrounds to build something meaningful.”
Space-age twist on tradition
This year’s theme merges local culture with a spirit of exploration. “Inspired by San Antonio’s western heritage, our team wanted to embrace a cowboy theme while adding a unique twist,” Mugica said. “By combining elements of space with the classic western theme, we created a fresh and exciting vision for RowdyHacks 2025.”
RowdyHacks Co-Director Trae Ramirez, a junior computer science major, said the team hopes the event fosters technological innovation and a sense of community. “By uniting students from diverse disciplines, we hope to enrich their technical knowledge and promote collaboration,” he said.
Competition categories will include best use of theme, best design, best hardware hack, best cyber hack, best beginner and best overall, along with a special track sponsored by the financial technology and services company, Swivel, the event’s title partner.
Doors open for the event at 9 a.m. on Saturday so participants are able to attend a career fair featuring the sponsors.
“Our workshops are tailored to both beginner and intermediate skill levels so that there’s truly something for everyone,” Ramirez said. “These are valuable parts to RowdyHacks because a person with truly no experience can both experience networking and learn a certain niche skill.”
The leadership team has spent months coordinating logistics and hopes to exceed the success of past hackathons.
“The event is about more than just creating outstanding projects — it’s about forging connections and encouraging risk-taking,” Mugica said. “Our goal is to inspire participants to continue building and growing long after the hackathon has ended.”
“We hope students leave RowdyHacks with the confidence to take chances and challenge themselves beyond their comfort zones,” he added. “The event is about more than just creating outstanding projects; it’s about forging connections and encouraging risk-taking.”
