strAIght up! Hackathon 2026

​1 week. From idea to demo. Build with AI.

​strAIght up! Hackathon is a hybrid AI hackathon bringing together young builders aged 15 to 25 to explore, experiment, and ship real products using AI.

​Participants form teams of 2 to 4 and build usable projects from scratch over a week supported by an initiation day on 18th April at LorongAI with workshops, mentors and industry partners. Teams then work on their projects remotely until 25th April, where the judging will be held at LorongAI.

​Teams will be guided by prize categories that will be revealed on 18th April, in person!

​The hackathon is made for youths at any level of coding, whether you're just starting out or highly advanced. Our focus is on learning and experimentation to harness AI in build practical usable products that solve real problems!

​For more information, visit our website.

​​​📅 Event Details

​Choose from two tracks:

• ​The Tech Track: For those who love the "how" - APIs, architecture, and robust code.

• ​The Vibe Track: For non-tech visionaries who "vibe" products into existence using LLMs and rapid prompting.

​​Dates:

• ​18 Apr: In-Person Kickoff (LorongAI @ One-North)

  • ​Join us for hands-on workshops (OpenAI Codex, AWS Kiro, Figma Make, and Replit), mentor matching, and the big reveal of the challenge statements.

• ​19-24 Apr: Build remotely!

  • ​Go back to your home, school, or favorite cafe. Build at your own pace with your team (2–4 pax) using the latest AI tools (with free credits from our sponsors, of course!).

• ​25th Apr: Finale (LorongAI @ One-North)

  • ​Demo your usable product to industry judges and win amazing prizes.

​Winning teams will take home generous credits from OpenAI, AWS, Mobbin, Momen and more!

​Who should join?

• ​JC and Upper Secondary students exploring AI

• ​Polytechnic and ITE students building prototypes

• ​University undergraduates and early founders

• ​Young professionals in tech design or product!

​If you want an intense but friendly build experience without overnight hacking, this is for you!

​About the Organisers

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Wavesparks

​Wavesparks is a startup accelerator and education platform specifically dedicated to Generation Z (teenagers aged 15–20). Our primary mission is to provide global-standard entrepreneurship training, mentorship, and funding to young people across Asia, helping them launch "world-changing" tech ventures.

​Lythe

​Lythe is a research lab that builds foundational conversational AI infrastructure. We develop both the core infrastructure and agent orchestration, as well as d2c products.

​NextBigThing

​NextBigThing is a youth-led startup community dedicated to helping young builders move beyond ideation into building and launching real businesses. Originally started in 2023 as an interest group at Hwa Chong Institution, it has grown into an ecosystem that connects youth with angel investors, industry veterans, and MNCs.

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