Desert Dev Lab Hackathon 2027
2027 theme: Health + Wellness
Hacker Registration is Open
Secure your spot at Desert Dev Lab 2027. Register now to join us April 24–25 in Albuquerque, NM.
Desert Dev Lab is an annual hackathon hosted by NM Tech Talks. Over two days, teams will come together to tackle one of the biggest challenges in Food and Agriculture using the power of software, data, and AI to build a working MVP or prototype. We'll provide the problem statements - you solve them using any software tools you see fit!
Whether you're a seasoned engineer, a first-time hacker, or just passionate about food and agriculture innovation, this is your chance to build something that matters. All solutions will be demo'd and judged at the end of the hackathon by experienced industry professionals, VCs, and thought leaders.
This is a software hackathon where software MVPs will be built over the course of the weekend. All coding skill levels welcome!
What to Expect
We will provide a core problem in Health and Wellness that needs to be solved. Let's get together and build!
2 days of hands-on hacking
Intensive development sessions where you'll build real solutions from concept to prototype.
Health + Wellness challenge + real-world problem statements
Work on actual challenges in health and wellness with guidance from industry experts.
Mentorship from experts in AI, health, and wellness
Get guidance from professionals working at the forefront of health and wellness technology.
Pitch your project to investors, founders & health and wellness leaders
Present your solutions to decision-makers who can help bring your ideas to life.
Free meals, drinks, and coffee to keep your team going
Focus on building while we take care of keeping you fueled throughout the event.
Access mentorship from new teammates
Looking to meet new devs? Get paired with a team and unlock mentorship through a collaborative project.
NM Tech Talks is a collaborative of tech organizations working together to bring an inclusive tech community in New Mexico. Our mission is to unify tech organizations in NM and break down silos between groups via co-branded events and initiatives.
If you're part of an organization that would like to be part of our mission, contact us below.
The Deets
Who should come
Developers, designers, health and wellness thinkers, founders, engineers, students—anyone who wants to use tech to make a difference. Come solo or with a team. We'll help you connect if you're looking for collaborators.
Location
TBD
Albuquerque, NM
Saturday, April 24
8:30 AM – Check-in Opens
9:00 AM – Kickoff + Health + Wellness Briefing
10:00 AM – Team Formation & Hacking Begins
All Day – Coding and mentoring
Sunday, April 25
9:00 AM – 2:00 PM – Coding
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM – Final Push
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM – Project Demos + Judging and Networking
Featured Hackathon Projects
Check out projects from the 2026 event! Previous teams have gone on to build startups, get government contracts, and inspire new ideas.
pantry.ai
Team CrimsonDev
An AI meal planner, buyer, and local-food guide that lets you plan meals from what you already own.
View projectWaterOptix
Team BeepBoop
Optimize water use with smart crop technology. Recommendation service for New Mexican farmers.
View projectSowit
Team Sowit
"My Garden" isometric 2.5D dashboard with live sensor data, AI-powered care recommendations, and a plant journal. "Community Market" map-based marketplace for sharing, trading, and selling surplus produce with neighbors.
View projectKoKo
Team KoKo
Detect and alert when distributors and food hubs should coordinate in real time. Solves food distribution coordination across the state of NM.
View projectFounding Organizers
Intersecting AI and Health + Wellness
Health and wellness are critical challenges of our time. Desert Dev Lab is your opportunity to take action with code.
Spots are limited. Reserve your place now and be part of the movement.
Previous Desert Dev Lab hackathons
Highlights from our ongoing events and activities
We host year-round programming. Join us next time!
Desert Dev Lab 2027
April 24–25, 2027 • Albuquerque, NM
Be first in line for the next Desert Dev Lab. Secure your spot today.
FAQ
The hackathon location for 2027 is TBA, but it will be in Albuquerque, NM.
Hackers can also participate remotely, as long as one member of their team is physically present during the weekend and demo portion of the event.
Anyone! We think software developers, UX/UI designers, data engineers and scientists, coders, and software enthusiasts will have the best shot. This isn't just a pitch competition - you will need to build and present a working MVP. If you're not in the tech field, find someone who is to join your team!
As with this event, ALL of our events are FREE and open to the public. We do this to create an environment of inclusivity and increase awareness of the tech industry in New Mexico without creating barriers of entry. Just bring your lovely selves and tools to hack (e.g. laptop).
Product demos will begin on April 25th at 3 pm MT. Once all presentations are done, our judging panel will deliberate and we will announce winners live in front of an audience. You will need to demo a product in order to qualify to win a prize.