HACK_002: 24h AI Hackathon
HACK_002: Signal From Tomorrow
24-Hour In-Person AI Hackathon · Vienna · 26–27 September 2026
→ Visit the official HACK_002 website
→ View photo impressions from HACK_001
Build something that should exist.
AI just solved a Millennium Prize problem. It predicted the structure of 200M+ proteins and designs new antibiotics. Now it's your turn.
HACK_002 is a 24-hour, in-person AI hackathon bringing together builders, researchers, designers, founders, students, hardware makers, and domain experts in Vienna.
Over one focused weekend, small teams turn ambitious ideas into working prototypes. This is not just about writing code: research, product thinking, system design, hardware, storytelling, and deep domain knowledge matter just as much.
Come to experiment with bleeding-edge technology, meet people outside your usual bubble, exchange skills, and build the first version of something meaningful.
🏆 Expect insane prizes. Award categories and the prize pool will be announced soon.
🎯 Who Should Join?
You belong here if you are a:
Developer or AI builder exploring agentic workflows and modern stacks
Researcher or scientist with complex data or domain problems
Designer or product thinker crafting real-world user interfaces
Founder, student, or operator looking to execute on ideas
Hardware, robotics, medical, or biotech specialist
Curious builder with an idea and the drive to make it real
No developer background required. Teams of 1–4 people. Team-finding happens on-site and in the participant Discord after acceptance.
⚡ Two Blocks · Six Tracks
🔷 Block A: Useful AI Systems
A1 · Applied AI for Consumers: a usable AI product for real users (apps, assistants, tutors, new interfaces)
A2 · Applied AI for You: tools and workflows that improve how you or your organisation works
A3 · Dev Tools: infrastructure for building AI systems (agent runtimes, evals, local models, security)
🔶 Block B: AI Advances Science
B1 · Longevity & Aging: biomarkers, aging clocks, biological data, literature mining
B2 · Neural Systems: neural simulation, connectomics, brain-inspired computation
B3 · Scientific Discovery: scientific agents, experiment design, lab automation, automated analysis
Detailed briefs, examples, and starter resources for every track are on the website.
Output: teams submit a short demo video (aim for 2 minutes, 4 at most) and a ZIP of their Git repo via a Google Form. Deadline: Sunday, 13:00.
🌟 Day 0 (Friday, 25 Sep): Irene Fialka + AI Primer
Kick off the weekend a day early at HOIV. Come for one block or the whole evening. Register for Day 0 here.
15:00 · Arrival & setup
~15:15–16:45 · Irene Fialka: talk + Ask Me Anything. Irene is the former CEO of INiTS, where she built one of Austria's leading startup incubators, and now advises top corporations. On Saturday she also mentors teams for free. For everyone, technical or not.
From ~17:00 until ~21:30 · AI Primer with Peter Wimberger (Machine Literacy): modern AI workflows, agentic coding, hackathon ideation, hacker culture. Aimed at non-technical people and newcomers, but everyone is welcome. Dinner break at Hofer right next door.
Public materials and slides: machine-literacy.com
🕒 Schedule
Saturday, 26 Sep
12:00 · Arrival
12:30 · Opening, rules & briefing
13:00 · Teamfinding + breakout rooms, building starts
18:30 · Pizza
19:00–20:00 · Show & Tell
Sunday, 27 Sep
08:00 · Breakfast
09:00–10:00 · Show & Tell II
11:00 · Finish your demo video
13:00 · Submission deadline (24h build time ends), lunch break + judging
16:00 · End Show
18:00 · Networking
19:00 · Communal cleanup
⚖️ Jury
Birgitta Olofsson, PhD · University of Cambridge
Constantin Convalexius, MD · Medical University of Vienna, Harvard University
Lucas Mair · Technical University of Munich, ProviGen
Stefan Huber, MSc · Maastricht University
Alexander Spreckelsen · University of St.Gallen, Helsing, Stanford University
Tanmay Gupta, PhD · Oxbridge Frontier Intelligence
Andreas Petersson · Capacity, OwnYourAI
Sebastian Hochreiter · Medical University of Vienna, AIM President
Claudio Reiter · Technical University of Munich, FR8
🤝 Sponsors & Partners
Main sponsor: Texterous
Maritime · Project Europe · AMASS · Lovable · ElevenLabs · OFI (Oxbridge Frontier Intelligence) · AIM (Association for Informatics and Medicine) · Proximata · The Residency Vienna
Venue partner: HOIV — Home of Innovation
Want to sponsor HACK_002? Write to events@teloscircle.com.
📍 Location
HOIV — Home of Innovation, Arsenalstraße 11, 1030 Vienna, Austria
A 4,500 m² innovation hub with coworking floors, studios, and creative space. The venue stays open throughout the full 24-hour build window (overnight building supported).
📋 Key Facts
Dates: 26–27 September 2026 (Day 0 on 25 September)
Format: In-person only
Language: English (official)
Team size: 1–4 people
Tracks: 2 blocks, 6 tracks
Submission: Sunday, 27 September, 13:00 (demo video + Git repo ZIP)
End Show: Sunday, 16:00
Overnight access: Yes (24h open venue)
Prizes: Insane. Details announced soon
About Telos Circle
Telos Circle is a Vienna-based nonprofit bringing builders, researchers, and founders together around ideas worth pursuing. Our events create the spark; a committed network helps turn those ideas into projects, companies, and lasting collaborations.
🌐 Full details & briefing on the HACK_002 website
✉️ Questions? Contact us at events@teloscircle.com.