SBHacks at UC Santa Barbara Winning Best Entrepreneurial Hack

SBHacks: My First Hackathon Win at UC Santa Barbara

My hackathon tour through California began with an unforgettable experience at SBHacks at the University of California, Santa Barbara. This was the first stop in a whirlwind 10-day journey that took me across the state, but little did I know that it would also become the site of my very first hackathon win!

From Idea to Prototype: The Water Vapor Fireplace

At the start of the hackathon, I came with a few ideas in mind, but it wasn’t until I joined forces with a team that we decided to pursue something unique: a water vapor fireplace. Our goal was to create the visual effect of a fireplace using water vapor instead of traditional fire. It was an ambitious concept, and we were excited to see how far we could take it over the course of this three-day event.

Coming from Florida, I assumed that California’s tech-rich environment would mean we’d have access to any part or component we needed. Turns out, I was wrong! We had to get creative, heading out to places like Home Depot and Target to piece together materials for our prototype. It was challenging, but in the end, we managed to showcase a working proof of concept. On my side, I focused on designing various UI components to make the water vapor fireplace modular, giving it a sleek and user-friendly interface.

Team Collaboration and Unexpected Victory

The best part of the hackathon wasn’t just building the prototype—it was the collaboration with my team. We faced hurdles, worked long hours, and pushed through exhaustion to make our idea a reality. By the end of the event, we were exhausted but proud of what we had accomplished.

I left the hackathon without expecting much. To be honest, I thought we hadn’t won anything. But to my surprise, 30 minutes after I left, I received a call with the incredible news: we had won the Best Entrepreneurial Hack! Our hard work and innovative idea had paid off, and I rushed back to the event to take the victory photo with my team. This moment was especially sweet, as it marked my very first hackathon win.

A Journey to Remember

The SBHacks experience taught me so much—not only about working under pressure and problem-solving with limited resources but also about the power of teamwork. Winning the Best Entrepreneurial Hack was an unexpected but deeply rewarding outcome that set the tone for the rest of my hackathon tour through California.

Looking back, SBHacks will always hold a special place in my heart as the event where it all started. I’m incredibly grateful to my team for their dedication and collaboration, and I can’t wait to see where our next hackathon journey takes us. Here's to more innovation and more wins in the future!