Built Different, Built Brilliant: 10 Years of Black Tech Excellence

More than 300 students from 43 historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) gathered in Charlotte to showcase their tech talent and compete for jobs at Black Enterprise’s 10th Annual BE Smart Hackathon. Presented by American Airlines, the coding competition convened the largest pool of students in the event’s history. With impactful connections, meaningful networking, and a suite of outstanding prizes, students gave their best to shine bright-- but only one team came out on top. Check out this recap of the 2025 BE Smart Hackathon.