Hacking for Defense at Columbia University

Hacking for Defense (H4D) is an academic course that tasks students with real problems that have been extracted from the Department of Defense, intelligence agencies, and the U.S. government at large.

At Columbia, this class is open to all undergraduate and graduate students. All are encouraged to apply – this class is strongest when students from a variety of disciplines, backgrounds, and experiences come together to think through and solve some of today’s most pressing national security issues.


Developed by Steve Blank, Columbia Senior Fellow for Entrepreneurship, and Ret. Colonel Pete Newell, CEO of BMNT, Hacking for Defense is a national program that uses Lean Launchpad methodology and startup-level speed to tackle problems sourced from the U.S. government. Students work directly with those experiencing and looking to solve these problems, and the students’ work has real-world impact.

See what problems Columbia students have taken on in “H4D Projects” and get granular on what to expect and what is expected of you in “FAQs on H4D”. Then go over to “Apply” for an opportunity to serve your country.