Hacks with Friends 2026 Recap – Michigan Technology Community News

Nine teams of creative and technology-minded staff members from across all four University of Michigan campuses collaborated in person at the 12^th Hacks With Friends (HWF). The event took place on March 5 and 6, 2026, at the Ross School of Business. It was the first time HWF had come back to Ross since the 2020 event, just days prior to the pandemic.

Co-chairs Joseph Lubomirski (UM-Dearborn) and Kenny Moore (ITS) marked their fifth year leading HWF, welcoming 70 members of the Michigan Technology Community to Robertson Auditorium. Over two days, participants tackled nine proposed hacks accepted for the event over a two-day period.

Kenny Moore (left) and Joe Lubomirski (right) at the 2026 Hacks with Friends event — Kenny Moore, ITS, (left) and Joe Lubomirski, Dearborn ITS, (right) returned for their fifth year as co-chairs for Hacks with Friends.

Lubomirski said, “I keep co-chairing this event because I love seeing what diverse technology professionals from across our university can accomplish in just a day and a half, experimenting, problem-solving, creating, and achieving real results that improve our work and business.”

After lunch on the second day, each team delivered a three-minute presentation of their hack, hoping to secure votes from their peers and the public. The top five teams (with a tie for fourth place) earned the chance to present a 10-minute, in-depth presentation to a panel of judges. Awards were given for first, second, and third place, and the People’s Choice award honored the team with the greatest public support.

The collaborative spirit at Hacks with Friends made it easy for newcomers; even those of us without highly technical or development backgrounds, to learn, contribute, and feel valued. The event not only sparked innovation, but also empowered participants to carry forward new ideas and build on what we created together.

— First-time HWF attendee Louis Daher, data security analyst in Michigan Engineering

2026 Hacks with Friends Judges Awards

1^st place – Pitch 7: The Legacy Loop: AI Powered Knowledge Transfer System
2^nd place – Pitch 10: Accessible Mail: GenAI‑Powered Email Accessibility
3^rd place – Pitch 11: TDX Context Learner (Weekly Ticket Insights → KBA Drafts → AI-Ready Context)
4^th place – Pitch 6: Dynamic Org Charts
5^th place – Pitch 5: GrantLens – Researcher’s Command Center

Two members of pitch 10 working on their hack in the Ross Winter Garden at 2026 Hacks with Friends
Pitch 1, Field Trip to Gas Town, presents their 3-minute pitch for a chance to move on to the final round.
A member of Pitch 7 delves into the details of how The Legacy Loop: AI Powered Knowledge Transfer System would work.

2026 Hacks with Friends People’s Choice Award

Pitch 7: The Legacy Loop: AI Powered Knowledge Transfer System

The Pitch 7 team, The Legacy Loop: AI Powered Knowledge Transfer System, with their first place trophy. — The Pitch 7 team, The Legacy Loop: AI Powered Knowledge Transfer System, took home first place and were voted the People’s Choice for the 2026 Hacks with Friends.

2026 Hacks With Friends Judges

Harrison Bacon, network operations manager, UM-Flint
Erik Taipalus, assistant director of IT programs, School of Dentistry, UM-Ann Arbor
Brian LaGoe, director of applications, UM-Dearborn

Hacks with Friends is a hackathon event for the Michigan Technology Community sponsored by the U-M office of the vice president for IT and CIO.

Want to see the creativity in action? Visit the Hacks with Friends website to watch videos of all the team presentations and learn more about this innovative event.