Desert Dev Lab Hackathon 2026
in partnership with
Countdown to Hackathon
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 Food and Agriculture 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.
Food and Agriculture challenge + real-world problem statements
Work on actual challenges in food and agriculture with guidance from industry experts.
Mentorship from experts in AI, food systems, and agriculture
Get guidance from professionals working at the forefront of food and agriculture technology.
Pitch your project to investors, founders & food and agriculture 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.
Micro Workshops
“Build with AI”
Join us for a hands-on workshop to learn how to build with AI.
This workshop is suitable for new coders or those looking to sharpen their skills with AI.
“The Perfect Pitch”
Join us for a lunch and learn workshop on how to put together the perfect pitch, both for this hackathon and beyond!
You can ask questions about the hackathon pitch at this workshop.
Judging Panel
Your projects will be evaluated by industry experts and thought leaders
Erin Scott Adams
Frontend Engineering Manager
Trek Bicycle
Nick Bennet
Lead Instructor, Java Enterprise & Android Mobile Bootcamp
Deep Dive / CNM Ingenuity, Inc.
Kysa Meyerer
Software Program Manager
ETQ
John Hernandez
CEO
Dash2 Labs
Joshua Rivera
Principal Consultant
RESPEC
Carly Heidenfeld
Manager
Talin Market
Sandeep Patel
CEO
Syntriq Solutions
Ron Patel
President
New Mexico United
Mentors
Industry mentors will be available throughout the hackathon to support your builds
Beatriz Valencia
Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs Liaison
The City of Albuquerque
Cash Allred
Senior Investment Principal
Antler
Jacky So
FUSE Executive Fellow
The City of Albuquerque
Curt Doty
Founder
REALMIQ
Mark Fidel
Principal
Fidel Consulting Group
Rebecka McSloy
Mission Systems Engineer
Sandia National Laboratories
Tim Farkas
Founder & Principal Engineer
Parnassian Data Studio
Jody Bickel
Founder, Chief Coach & CEO
Creekbank Associates
Show more mentors
Robert Citek
Lead Data Science Instructor
CNM ingenuity/Deep dive
Erin Ortigoza
Food, Hunger, & Agriculture Program Manager
New Mexico Economic Development Department
Marty Bonacci
Full Stack Web Development Instructor
CNM Ingenuity/Deep Dive
Vicki Apodaca
CMO & founding member
Sendturtle by Phalanx AI
Kris Saunders
Managing Partner
Power48
Ian Alden
Managing City Attorney
City of Albuquerque
Sandra West
Sustainable Waste Specialist
City of Albuquerque
Neal Holtschulte
Instructor
Central New Mexico Community College
Luke Moreno
Sonoran Yaqui Indigenous Traditional Farmer
Sakovai Seeds
Raven Otero-Symphony
Data Scientist & Frontend UI/UX Lead
insightOrca
Jason Gonzalez
Owner
Bamboo Micro Farms
Albert Lee
Sustainable Transportation Specialist
The City of Albuquerque
George Kephart
Bootcamp Trainer
CNM Deep Dive
The Deets
Who should come
Developers, designers, food and agriculture 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
WESST Enterprise Center
609 Broadway Blvd. NE
Albuquerque, NM 87102
Saturday, April 18
8:30 AM – Check-in Opens
9:00 AM – Kickoff + Food and Agriculture Briefing
10:00 AM – Team Formation & Hacking Begins
All Day – Coding and mentoring
Sunday, April 19
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
Organizers and Sponsors
Community Sponsors
Interested in partnering or sponsoring this year's program?
Intersecting AI and Food & Agriculture
Food security and sustainable agriculture 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.
Our Events
Highlights from our ongoing events and activities
We host year-round programming. Join us next time!
Desert Dev Lab 2026
April 18–19, 2026 • WESST Enterprise Center, Albuquerque
Be first in line for the next Desert Dev Lab. Secure your spot today.
Featured In
FAQ
The hackathon will be at the WESST Enterprise Center at 609 Broadway Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87102.
Starting this year, hackers can 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).
The hackathon will result in a working prototype or MVP of a software product. If you don't know how to code, we recommend adding someone to your team who can, or sign up and mention you will need a software developer added to your team.
Product demos will begin on April 19th 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.