The tech group Regional Internet of Things looks to redeem the word “hacker” and elevate it to equal status with terms such as “entrepreneur” and “innovator” with its inaugural Hackathon. The event will take place on Centennial Campus Friday through Sunday.

Hosted by the North Carolina branch of RIoT, Hackathon invites students and professionals to form teams and compete to create new technologies that bridge the gap between the online and offline worlds.

Competitors will be judged on their ability to create a product within the three-day window that has the greatest commercial utility. Hackers are expected to keep the business aspect of their projects in mind as they design and present.

There will be six grand-prize winners selected from the participants. Winners of Hackathon will be offered a fast-tracked slot in Groundworks Labs, a local startup accelerator. There will also be potential investors present scouting the competition looking for investment opportunities.

North Carolina RIoT will host workshops during the course of the competition to offer further training for participants. There will be three types of workshops, each with a different focus on software, hardware and business. The final workshops even include how to present your ideas in a business setting.

The event is open to anyone who wants to assemble a team to compete. Registration for the event is $75 for non-students and $25 for students. North Carolina RIoT will provide hardware for participants who feel they do not have the correct tools at their disposal to compete.

Hackers will be able to work on their projects from 8:30 p.m. on Friday to 1:30 p.m. on Sunday. Hackathon does not have clearance to remain in the building overnight, so hackers must clear out at midnight on Friday and Saturday.