THE €5K BUILD & LAUNCH HACKATHON
THE €5K BUILD & LAUNCH HACKATHON
From Idea to MVP in 26 Hours.
Hosted by Layla.ai, part of Expedia Group, we’re bringing together Berlin’s most ambitious engineers, designers, growth operators, and founders for 26 hours of building, launching, and competing.
We’re looking for people who don’t wait for instructions. Who take ownership, move fast, and can turn an idea into a working product without weeks of planning.
If you thrive under pressure and know how to get things done, this is your weekend.
THE CHALLENGE
You have 26 hours to build a working MVP, launch it, and get it in front of real users.
You’ll join a multidisciplinary team, combining engineering, product, design, and growth to take an idea from zero to market.
Every team receives a dedicated marketing budget to test its launch and generate real traction.
The clock starts Saturday. By Sunday, your product should be live.
No unfinished prototypes. No promises to launch next week.
€5,000 IN PRIZES. A LOT MORE AT STAKE.
1st Place - €3,000
2nd Place - €1,500
3rd Place - €500
Your work will be presented to a jury of leading tech CEOs, successful founders, and venture capital investors, people who have built, scaled, and backed some of the most exciting companies in tech.
This is your chance to prove what you can do in front of people who can open serious doors.
HE JURY
Ariane Gorin · CEO of Expedia Group
Ariane has led Expedia Group, the company behind Expedia, Hotels.com and Vrbo, since 2024. Before that she ran Expedia for Business, the group’s B2B arm.
Nikolas Bullwinkel · CEO of Circus, co-founder of Flink
Niko co-founded Flink in 2020, one of Europe’s leading quick-commerce companies. Today he runs Circus, a publicly listed AI robotics company whose CA-1 robot cooks meals fully autonomously.
Saad Saeed · CEO of Layla.ai
Saad co-founded Layla.ai in Berlin and leads it as CEO. The AI travel company is now part of Expedia Group.
BUILT FOR A-PLAYERS.
This isn’t a beginner workshop or a weekend of brainstorming.
We’re looking for:
Engineers & AI builders who can build and deploy.
Product designers who turn ideas into experiences people can use.
Growth & performance marketers who can launch, test, and acquire users.
Founders & operators who make decisions and move teams forward.
You don’t need an existing idea or team. You need the skills, speed, and ownership to deliver.
WE BRING EVERYTHING. YOU BRING THE HUSTLE.
Everything is set up so you can focus on one thing: shipping.
OpenAI & Anthropic:AI credits and development tools provided.
Marketing budgets:Take your product to real audiences.
Fully equipped workspace & stage:Everything you need to build and present.
Food, coffee & drinks:Covered throughout the weekend.
Sofa beds & rest areas:Recharge when you need to.
CEOs, founders & VCs:Get your work in front of some of the industry’s most experienced decision-makers.
THIS COULD BE YOUR NEXT BIG MOVE.
Behind the event is Layla.ai, an AI travel company acquired by Expedia Group.
We’re building at startup speed with global ambition, and we’re looking for exceptional people who can build, launch, and take ownership from day one.
We’re hiring. Standout participants may have the opportunity to join our team.
THE DETAILS
November 21–22, 2026
Saturday, 2 PM – Sunday, 4 PM
Spaces Spittelmarkt, Berlin
Free to enter. Limited spots. Applications reviewed individually.
26 hours. €5,000. A room full of builders, CEOs, and investors.
The clock is ticking. Are you in?