
Lead Consultant at Quisitive
Steve Corey’s recent YouTube video presents a clear, practical guide to the SharePoint Hackathon 2026, aimed at people across the SharePoint ecosystem. In the video, Corey walks viewers through the event’s schedule, submission categories, and the technologies that matter most this year. As a result, the presentation serves both newcomers and experienced practitioners who want to plan a competitive submission. Overall, the video balances high-level context with actionable steps that teams can follow immediately.
Corey opens by explaining that the hackathon runs for two weeks and highlights the deadline for entries, stressing timeliness and clarity in submissions. He emphasizes that the event welcomes a wide range of participants, from end users and designers to developers, which helps broaden the kinds of solutions entered. Furthermore, he notes that no formal registration is required and that teams typically submit via the official repository and by providing a video demonstration. Therefore, teams that prioritize a concise, well-documented demo will likely perform better in judging and visibility.
The video identifies several core technologies that the hackathon organizers emphasize, including SPFx for extensible experiences, Copilot agents for AI-driven features, and SharePoint Embedded for document-centric apps. Corey also draws attention to designs that rely on out-of-the-box features and to dashboard work through Viva Connections, explaining why each approach matters. He explains that judges look for creative use of these tools as well as solutions that improve employee experience and workflow efficiency. Consequently, participants should weigh how much custom code they need against the benefits of native features when planning their entries.
In practical terms, Corey advises participants to start with a clear usage scenario and to storyboard the user journey before building. He recommends producing a short, focused video that demonstrates the scenario end-to-end, because all participants who submit a video earn recognition and the judges often prioritize clear demonstrations. Additionally, he suggests documenting architecture decisions and including sample code or configuration so reviewers can reproduce key aspects of the solution. Thus, preparation that combines a strong narrative, reliable demos, and reproducible artifacts typically stands out.
Corey explores the tradeoffs between low-code and full-code approaches, noting that low-code solutions scale faster but may limit unique functionality, while full-code solutions using SPFx offer powerful customization at the cost of more development time. He also highlights challenges tied to AI features: integrating Copilot agents can add significant value, but it raises concerns around data accuracy, maintenance, and governance. Moreover, teams must balance polish against scope; a narrowly focused, well-executed project generally beats an ambitious but incomplete one. Therefore, teams should decide early which risks to accept, and align their effort with available time and skills.
Corey points viewers to live streams, Q&A sessions, and official product team demos as valuable resources for learning during the event, and he underscores the benefits of engaging with product engineers during AMAs. He also explains the awards structure, including published recognition for top entries and digital badges for video submitters, which help contributors gain visibility in the community. Importantly, he notes that the process itself can accelerate team learning and produce reusable patterns for future projects, even if a submission does not win. In short, the hackathon offers both short-term visibility and long-term skill gains for participants.
Concluding his guide, Corey urges teams to focus on clarity, reproducibility, and measurable outcomes when building their entries, because clear value propositions translate well to judges and to other organizations that might adopt the solution. He also encourages practical risk management: choose an approach that fits the team’s timeline and expertise, use demos to show real flows, and document decisions so others can follow. For readers watching the video and planning to enter, following these concrete steps will improve the chance of recognition and create more durable, maintainable solutions. Ultimately, Corey’s video functions as a pragmatic roadmap for anyone who wants to participate meaningfully in the SharePoint Hackathon 2026.
SharePoint hackathon 2026, SharePoint hackathon submission, SharePoint hackathon project ideas, SharePoint developer challenge, SPFx hackathon entry, Microsoft 365 hackathon submission, SharePoint app competition 2026, Best SharePoint hackathon entries