AI Hackathons (2026)
AI hackathons and build competitions for developers, researchers, and founders ready to ship fast and win prizes.
AI Trading Agents with ERC-8004 Hackathon
Hosted by lablab.ai, this specialized hackathon focuses on the intersection of decentralized finance and autonomous agents. Participants are challenged to design and build trustless financial agents that execute on-chain trading strategies using the ERC-8004 identity registry. This virtual event provides a unique opportunity for web3 developers and AI researchers to collaborate on solving liquidity and automated execution problems in a fully digital environment.
LA Hacks 2026
LA Hacks 2026 returns to UCLA's Pauley Pavilion as Southern California's largest student-led hackathon. The 2026 edition features a massive dedicated track for Generative AI, challenging students to build tools that address social impact, education, and sustainability. With mentorship from Silicon Beach's top engineers and a prize pool exceeding $30,000, LA Hacks remains a vital recruitment hub for the next generation of AI talent.
AI Agent Olympics 2026
The AI Agent Olympics 2026 is the flagship hackathon of Milan AI Week. This competition focuses on the rapid development of autonomous agents for real-world enterprise use cases. Developers from across Europe gather to build tools that can automate complex B2B workflows, enhance customer service, and optimize industrial supply chains. The event highlights the shift from conversational AI to 'Agentic' AI, where models act as independent executors of complex tasks.
AI Hackathons for 2026: Time to build
If you would rather write code than listen to a four-hour lecture, these are for you. Hackathons are where the real builders hang out and try to make things work in a short amount of time.
It is a solid way to find a cofounder or just get your hands on some new tech before everyone else does. We list a mix of virtual challenges and in person build sessions so you can participate from anywhere.
Shipping real products with the latest tools
The best part of a hackathon is the focus on shipping something that actually works. You get to play with new APIs and frameworks alongside other people who are just as curious as you are.
It is a great way to sharpen your skills and see what is actually possible when you stop talking and start doing. Many of the most interesting startups today started as a simple hackathon project over a single weekend.
Connect with other builders and founders
These events are the best way to meet people who actually know how to build things. Whether you win a prize or not, you usually walk away with a better understanding of the tech and some new friends in the industry.
Many hackathons are supported by labs and firms looking for the next big idea, so it is a good way to get your work noticed. It is about the work and the community more than anything else.