From idea to a working prototype in 48 hours.

At our hackathons, teams of developers, product people, and founders build a working prototype in two days — with mentoring and a final demo.

Go to the next hackathon Past editions

48-hour build format110 participants · AI Coding Hackathon Spring 2026with Pirate Skills · Cologne

AI Coding Hackathon in September.

Team collaboration at the AI Coding Hackathon

Fri · September 4, 2026

AI Coding Hackathon September 2026

STARTPLATZ Cologne, Mediapark · Registration & team matching via the event page

Fourth edition of the AI Coding Hackathon: kick-off, build phases with mentoring, final demo. Judging is based on what you build.

Event page & registration

What came out of the last hackathons.

110

participants at AI Coding Hackathon Spring 2026

teams at the May 2026 hackathon

48 h

from kick-off to demo, in Cologne

2018→

hackathon experience with a long edition history

Drezzl

Outfit matchmaker — winning project at the May 2026 hackathon.

PitchPerfectly

AI pitch coach — second winning team in May 2026.

Special prize: 8th grade

The prize winners included an eighth grader — participants range from school students to experienced engineers.

Cover image of the hackathon recap: Thimofej

AI Hackathon Cologne: the winning project of a 14-year-old

A recap of the AI Coding Hackathon in Cologne — about Thimofej and his project (article in German).

Read the recap blog post

Three editions since November 2025.

hackathon

Sun · Nov 23, 2025

AI Coding Hackathon 2025

Cologne · first edition — with the winning project by 14-year-old Thimofej

hackathon

Sun · Mar 22, 2026

AI Coding Hackathon Spring 2026

Cologne · 110 participants — with Pirate Skills

hackathon

Sun · May 31, 2026

AI Coding Hackathon May 2026

Cologne · 33 teams — winners: Drezzl & PitchPerfectly

How a hackathon works.

Over two days, teams work in fixed phases: from kick-off through build sessions with mentoring to the final demo. Judging is based on what you build, not on the presentation.

Kick-off

Problem focus and MVP cut: what will you actually concentrate on?

Build phases

Building with support, check-ins, and sparring instead of going it alone.

Agentic & APIs

Agentic patterns, automation, prototyping — hands-on.

Demo & judging

Judging based on the prototypes built.

◆ Developers, tech leads & AI engineers
◆ Automation and n8n builders
◆ Product owners & product managers
◆ Founders & innovation teams
◆ Teams that want to test an idea under real conditions

◆ A working prototype
◆ Practice in AI-assisted development
◆ Contacts with builders, founders & innovation teams
◆ A sense of what is currently possible with AI
◆ A connection to other AI Hub formats

Good to know.

Do I have to be a developer?

Not necessarily. The format works best for technical and product-oriented people, but it also works for founders, product people, and innovation teams — as long as there is a clear build focus.

Is it about learning or about competition?

The focus is on execution: getting to a working result in a short time, with mentoring and exchange within the team.

Where can I find the next date?

The next edition is the AI Coding Hackathon on September 4, 2026 in Cologne. All other dates are listed in the event overview.

What happens after the hackathon?

The weekend does not end with the last demo: good teams and ideas grow into meetups, the KI Campus, and concrete projects.

Want to join the next hackathon?

Next edition: AI Coding Hackathon on Friday, September 4, 2026 at STARTPLATZ Cologne. Registration directly on the event page.

Go to the next hackathon Back to the AI Hub