Colorado students joined a Google hackathon to tackle energy grid challenges.

We held the second annual Colorado Impact Hackathon at our Boulder offices, in partnership with CU Boulder and the Colorado Energy Office.

Participating students tackled a crucial challenge: How can we create a clean, secure, and resilient electric grid in Colorado? The winning projects addressed this head on:

First place: SolarSnap, an AI app that helps homeowners find the ideal setup for solar panels using their phone’s cameraSecond place: Grid Watch, an AI-managed battery network designed to keep power on during wildfire shutoffs while reducing electricity costs.Third place: Grid Guard, providing predictive capabilities for targeted grid hardening

At the event, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser and CU Boulder Vice Chancellor for Sustainability Andrew Mayock highlighted the importance of bold innovation to shape Colorado’s clean energy future.

From mitigating wildfire risks to tackling energy backlogs, events like these demonstrate how collaboration between students, public leaders, and technologists can drive meaningful change for Colorado.