Dresden Hub - Hack Nation Global AI Hackathon

about this event

Kick off your fall semester by building something that matters. Secure your spot at the Hub for the 7th Global AI Hackathon, October 3–4, 2026—a weekend for ambitious builders who want to meet exceptional peers, tackle some of the world's most pressing challenges, and turn bold ideas into real ventures.

Build, prototype, and pitch in just 24 hours, with feedback from mentors and judges whose backgrounds include OpenAI, Meta, Apple, and leading AI startups.

What's in it for you? - $30K+ in cash prizes and API credits across approximately 6–8 AI challenges - $200K+ in AI tools and credits available to participating teams - An invitation for the top 1% of teams to join our Venture Lab and continue incubating their startups after the hackathon - The opportunity to meet and build alongside MIT students, researchers, engineers, designers, and founders

No idea or team required. Come ready to build—challenge tracks will be provided.

Agenda October 3: Local kick-off October 4: 9:00 AM ET Project submission deadline October 8: Finalists notified October 10: 12:00–1:00 PM ET Finalist pitches and award ceremony (virtual)

Spots are limited and application-only. No walk-ins.

Hosted with the MIT Club of Northern California, MIT Club of Germany, and Hack-Nation. Previous partners and sponsors have included OpenAI, Databricks, Lovable, ElevenLabs, and more. Learn more: hack-nation.ai

schedule