Social Impact BuildFest 2026
Schedule
Fri, 27 Feb, 2026 at 10:00 am to Sun, 01 Mar, 2026 at 12:00 pm
UTC-06:00Location
The Lab DMC 4.206 | Austin, TX
About this Event
Come learn how to use immersive technology to make the world a better place!
What is BuildFest?
An inclusive event that encourages students to embrace emerging technologies and use them to address the social issues they face on campus everyday.
Event Overview:
Immersive technology is a very powerful tool being used in the fight for social change. The Social Impact BuildFest is a weekend-long event that challenges the idea that building with immersive technology is difficult and complex.
Designed for people who don't see themselves as “tech-savvy”, attendees are not expected to arrive with existing development experience. They will be guided through the design and prototyping process by both technical experts who understand the technology tools as well as social mentors who will ensure that projects are nuanced, impactful, and sensitive to the communities being addressed.
This year we have partnered with Scenery to bring their cutting edge WebAR platform to BuildFest 2026. Diverse teams of 3-5 participants will use Scenery to build an augmented reality experience that addresses a social issue faced by our commnity. These projects will then be presented to a panel of industry judges who will provide feedback and award prizes.
The BuildFest is open to all -- Austin media professionals, UT students and faculty.
Event theme: Belonging
"Belonging" is the feeling of being seen, accepted, and valued within a group or space. In today’s world, it’s more important than ever to foster environments (both physical and digital) where individuals feel a genuine sense of connection and inclusion.
Durring the ideation phase of BuildFest, there will be "Social Impact Experts" availible to support teams and ensure that projects are senstive and genuily impactful. These experts will represnet the following topics but we encurage teams to take this theme in whatever direction they would like.
- Mental Health and Wellness
- Access Needs of Disabled students
- Race Visibility
- Gender Inclusivity
- Voter suppresion
F AQ:
Q : I have never written code before, is that okay?
A : YES! While having some existing development experience is great, this event is designed for people like you who have never done any AR development at all. You will be guided through the entire building process.
Q : Do I have to form a team before I sign-up?
A : No! While we encourage you to bring your friends, there is no expectation that you arrive with a team already formed. We will do a guided team formation activity to match you with awesome people who want to work on the same kind of projects as you.
Where is it happening?
The Lab DMC 4.206, 300 West Dean Keeton Street, Austin, United StatesEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 0.00
