Looking for a way to get through these last weeks of winter blues? Flex your coding muscles and take part in this year’s Canadian Open Data Experience (CODE)!

CODE is a 48-hour hackathon challenge to build innovative apps based on federal government datasets found on the Open Data Portal. This competition is a great exercise for anyone interested in trying their hand at coding – developers, graphic designers, students, or just enthusiasts.

Participants are encouraged to get creative and mash up federal datasets, as well as include provincial, territorial, and municipal data when building their apps.

There are three categories this year: Youth, Commerce, and Quality of Life. To keep things interesting, specific themes will be announced just minutes before the hackathon begins. You’ll probably want to get a fresh pot of coffee ready to make it through this challenge! You can take part anywhere, from your home, school, local coffee shop, or one of their three VIP hubs in Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver.

Registration is free, and what’s better, there are some serious cash prizes to be won:

• Grand prize: $15,000
• Youth Category Winner: $5,000
• Commerce Category Winner: $5,000
• Quality of Life Category Winner: $5,000
• Best Student Team: $5,000
• Fan Favourite: $5,000

Get your team together and register today.

CODE 2015 is starting February 20 at 6PM and continues for 48 hours. Good luck!