Experience the cloudathon@UH:
Industry Demand
The cloudathon@UH is where you can showcase your architecture, A&D, configuration, implementation, operations cloud-based skills in a multitude of real, use case scenarios that directly apply to the industry needs. Current and relevant emerging technology-based problems include Cloud Computing Architecture, Cybersecurity, Infrastructure/Network Design, GenAI, as well as Data Analytics at all levels. The competition is designed for you to apply your practical skills and to learn and to interact with the cloud/AWS services.
Industry experts, AWS Enterprise and Solution Architects will provide advice during the competition. They will be available for you to ask questions and to interact with them helping you to solve the problem.
Build a team
Teams composed of 4-5 students. Register by team or individually. If you register individually, we will place you on a team.
Students will have the opportunity to attend workshops to prepare for the competition. Students of any level without the Cloud-based skills can contribute to the solution of the problem. They can work with design, architecture, reports or any other areas of the problem besides the implementation of the problem.
AWS experienced customers from the industry act as Advisors providing guidance and help to the teams during the competition.
Cash Prizes and Scholarships Awards
Awards for First, Second and Third placement for every category. Three additional teams will be selected as Honorable Mention for every category.
In addition, several awards for Leadership, Teamwork, Competitive Spirit at the team level. At every hour, during the competition, individual non-technical, quiz/fun-type awards are presented.
That’s over 150 students earning/receiving some type of award during the competition.
Students and Registration
Registration is free. We welcome every college student. The purpose of competition is to give an opportunity to every student who wants to compete, no exceptions, to showcase their technical practical skills to the industry and hiring managers from different organizations. Advisors and judges will be available throughout the full competition interacting with all participants.
All undergraduate students of all skill levels and majors welcomed. Graduate students are welcomed to join teams but max of two per team. If you are a graduate student and want to participate, make sure you list it in the registration so we can confirm and approve your team. If you don’t have a team, we will find a team for you.
Time and Location
University of Houston Sugar Land Campus
Check-in: BH (Brazos Hall) Lobby
Saturday, November 7th, 2026
Check-in/Breakfast: 7:30 – 9:00 AM CT
Opening Ceremony: 9:00 AM CT
Awards Ceremony: 6:00 PM CT
Full Event Time: 9:00 AM – 6:30 PM CT
Competition Problems
The cloudathon@UH competition provides a development platform for the full academic experience for students, from High School to Senior level college students, and to graduate students. The competition problems and the target academic level are the following:
- Cloud Computing Architecture and Implementation → Targets Junior and Senior level college students
- GenAI on the Cloud → Targets Junior and Senior level college students
- Cybersecurity → Targets Senior and Graduate level college students
- Network Design and Troubleshooting → Targets Sophomore College Students
- High School Cybersecurity in the Cloud/AWS Challenge → Targets High School Students
About the competition
The cloudathon@UH competition is an annual team competition to provide with industry relevant experience for cloud-based roles for college students. Universities and colleges nationally are invited. All AWS Academy universities are invited. Powered by the AWS platform, students will apply their cloud architecture and infrastructure analysis and design skills and, their implementation practical skills using the full services provided by AWS to solve current industry-level problems.
- Registration is free
- Free cloudathon@UH competition t-shirt with branded lanyard and other swag
- Hourly prizes, gifts and awards during the competition (9AM-6PM)
- AWS Hiring Manager Keynote Speaker
- Fun activities during the competition
- Teams should have a minimum one laptop, recommended all team members have their laptops
- Top three (3) teams for every category will be recognized and will receive an award
- Special honorable mention to three (3) teams in different categories will be recognized and will receive an award
- Soft skills awards on Leadership, Teamwork, Competitive Spirit, among others will be recognized
- In total, over 150 students will receive an award and/or recognition
- All meals, breakfast, lunch and snacks, will be provided
- AWS and CIS IAB hiring managers attending to interact with all students
- Conference and private rooms available to all judges, advisors, industry resources, and visitors
- Prayer and meditation rooms available
Problem Areas
- Analyzing, designing, configuring, implementing and operating AWS infrastructure architectures
- Architecting and implementing secured systems and services in the AWS platform
- Provisioning and deployment of AWS-based infrastructures and systems
- Migrations, provisioning and deployment of AWS-based infrastructures and systems including cost analysis
- Management, automation and operations of infrastructure and applications in the AWS platform
- Capture the Flag (CTF) and policy-driven type challenges on defending networks, securing critical infrastructure, penetration testing, incident response, and/or risk management
- Scenarios to design secure, scalable, reliable, and efficient infrastructure/networks, involving simulated troubleshooting, focusing on the Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability (CIA) triad
Learn more about the cloudathon@UH
Articles, Posts, Videos, Pictures, and more.
Contact — For more details
For more details, email us at egr-cloudathon [at] uh.edu (egr-cloudathon[at]uh[dot]edu).
Sponsors and Contributors
Any organization and/or individual can sponsor the full event or part or parts of the event. Please contact us at egr-cloudathon [at] uh.edu (egr-cloudathon[at]uh[dot]edu) for more details and benefits of becoming a sponsor.
You can be a sponsor by simply attending the competition representing your organization. Other sponsor categories are by amount of the contribution.
cloudathon@UH competition Sponsorship Package is available upon request by an organization.