Fresno State will host over 100 students from community colleges and universities from around the nation to compete in the second annual “HackFresno” from Friday to Sunday.

The event, which takes place in North Gym 118, is a 36-hour-long collegiate hackathon where participating students form five-person teams that work together to develop ideas into working prototypes based on four core themes.

The themes are education, health and wellness, environment and agricultural and social good.

Industry professionals will judge participants’ prototypes based on idea, technical quality, presentation and pitch.

Lead organizer for HackFresno and Fresno State computer engineering student Sam Clark said that hacking has become a common term for collaboration and is not always used in the sense of breaking into a computer.

He said that the event is a great opportunity for students to build relationships with each other and to work together against a deadline while using recently acquired skills to create something that is beneficial for the community.

One of the event sponsors, DPS Telecom, will have its chief executive, Bob Berry, speak at HackFresno. Berry said that the concept mimics the way that entrepreneurs think and behave.

Budgets for the projects are small, and students will arrive with only a laptop. They will be provided with tools and basic equipment.

Students are allowed to register at the door or online at HackFresno.com.