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Open Agent Hackathon 2026
Build an agent that does real work.
Registration closes in
Meet the judges
Michael HayChief Technology OfficerZetaris
Michael ArmentanoHead of Technical PartnershipsSpaceXAI
Sam CummingsDirector of EducationGenAI Works
Shestakov VladyslavHead of EngineeringGenAI Works
Remus RancaEducation Operations LeadGenAI Works
About the event
Build an agent that does real work.
The Open Agent Hackathon 2026 brings together developers, builders, and innovators to create useful, real-world agentic applications that solve meaningful problems for clearly defined users.
Over a six-day build sprint, participants will explore how AI agents, data, and modern developer tools can be combined to create functional products and workflows. The hackathon provides access to sponsor technologies, resources, workshops, and technical support to help teams move from an idea to a working solution.
Participants will work across a range of real-world use cases and challenge areas, with a focus on building practical solutions rather than simple prototypes or demonstrations. Teams are encouraged to make meaningful use of the available sponsor technologies and clearly demonstrate how these technologies contribute to their solution.
The hackathon is designed to encourage experimentation, collaboration, and practical application of agentic AI while giving participants the opportunity to showcase what they can build using emerging AI and data technologies.
Fully online. 22-27 October 2026, and a prize pool of up to $20,000.
Judges & mentors
Judges
Michael Hay
Chief Technology Officer
Zetaris
Area of expertiseData analytics, AI and storage technologies
Michael Armentano
Head of Technical Partnerships
SpaceXAI
Area of expertiseAI and data intelligence, cloud technologies, enterprise architecture and strategic partner development
Sam Cummings
Director of Education
GenAI Works
Shestakov Vladyslav
Head of Engineering
GenAI Works
Key dates
6 dates that matter - all times UTC
- Aug 14, 2026, 00:00 UTCRegistration opens
- Oct 22, 2026, 00:00 UTCBuild window opens
- Oct 22, 2026, 23:59 UTCRegistration closesHard deadline
- Oct 27, 2026, 00:00 UTCJudging opens
- Oct 27, 2026, 23:45 UTCSubmissions closeHard deadline
- Nov 6, 2026, 16:00 UTCResults announced
Challenge tracks
Pick one track. Build for it.
Solving Fragmented Intelligence
Demonstrate a clever ability to discover and work across fragmented data sources.
The Agent That Can Explain Why
Build agents that investigate complex questions across multiple data sources, connect findings, and produce evidence-backed answers or recommendations.
Reasoning Architecture
Demonstrate a novel ability to turn data, knowledge, memory, and reasoning into reliable decisions and actions.
Bonus track
Wildcard [Tinkerer]: Bring Your Own Project
Bring an existing project, prototype or concept and extend it using sponsor technology such as Meterless and Zetaris. Entries are judged on the same criteria as the other tracks, must integrate Zetaris and Meterless, and are scored on the new work rather than prior development.
Prizes & scoring
Prize pool Up to $20,000
1st $1,600, 2nd $1,200, 3rd $900
1st $1,600, 2nd $1,200, 3rd $900
1st $1,500, 2nd $1,200, 3rd $900
1st $1,000, 2nd $600, 3rd $400
NVIDIA DGX Spark AI Supercomputer (Founder's Edition)
SpaceX Cursor API credits
Official rules
10 sections. Read what applies to you.
- 1.1Open worldwide to anyone aged 16 or older at the start of the build window.
- 1.2Employees of the organizer and of judging sponsors may participate but are not eligible for cash prizes.
- 1.3One account per participant. Duplicate accounts disqualify the whole team.
FAQ
Still deciding?
No. Registration, the platform workspace, mentor office hours and submission are all free.
Community
Where the hackathon actually happens
Discord is for announcements and post event activities.
Registration closes Oct 22, 2026, 23:59 UTC
Build an agent that does real work.
3,605 builders registered so far. One sign-up gets you the event and community updates. Joining Discord is optional.
