OpenAI × Start2 × Zendesk Hackathon
Build with Codex. Ship in one night. Win real prizes.
OpenAI, Start2, and Zendesk are teaming up for a hands-on build night at the Hanwha AI Center.
Bring your laptop, team up, and ship a working prototype in a single focused evening — powered by OpenAI's Codex and a lineup of 2-3 standout APAC dev tool companies.
This isn't about shipping a finished product. It's about building something real and showing it off live by the end of the night.
Best builds win.
Prizes
OpenAI and Zendesk are offering:
1st place: $50k OpenAI API Credits + 2 years of Zendesk Suite Professional
2nd place: $25k OpenAI API Credits + 1 year of Zendesk Suite Professional
3rd place: $10k OpenAI API Credits + 1 year of Zendesk Suite Professional
Two arrival times. Please read before registering.
🛠️ Builders: Doors at 4:00 PM. Bring a laptop. Come solo or with a team.
🤝 Investors & Ecosystem: Doors at 6:45 PM. Join us for team presentations, judging, and networking.
All registrations are reviewed, and space is limited as we balance the room. Approvals go out on a rolling basis.
Run of Show
Welcome · 4:00–4:15 PM
Opening remarks from Start2, OpenAI, Zendesk, and our featured sponsors.Tech Demos + Q&A · 4:15–5:00 PM
Live demos from OpenAI and the featured dev tools companies, followed by open Q&A.Build Time · 5:00–7:00 PM
Teams build with Codex and featured APIs with thematic guidance. Hands-on support from OpenAI and the dev tools companies' solutions engineers. Submissions close 15 minutes before build time ends.Presentations · 7:00–7:30 PM
5 teams present live, each showcasing what they built with a featured API.*Networking · 7:30–8:00 PM
Wrap up and connect with fellow builders and event sponsors.
*Presentation Slots: Capped at 5, announced upfront. Teams self-nominate via a submission link, entering their team name, a one-liner on what they built, and the API used. Submissions close 15 minutes before presentations begin; we review and select the 5 that present.
Co-Hosts
OpenAl is an Al research and deployment company. OpenAl's mission is to ensure that artificial general intelligence—AI systems that are generally smarter than humans—benefits all of humanity.
Start2 Group, Inc. is a leading force in the global startup ecosystem, developing and running award-winning innovation programs that connect the right people with the right opportunities. By bridging sectors, markets, and regions, we create the conditions for meaningful partnerships and scalable progress. From global startup programs to corporate partnerships and government-backed initiatives, Start2 drives measurable impact and helps ventures scale with purpose.
Trusted by over 50,000 startups, Zendesk is an AI-powered customer support and experience platform designed to powerfully and securely handle startup growth seamlessly. Zendesk AI helps customers save an average of 7.3 hours a week on support-related needs, while AI agents automate up to 80% of interactions with human-like precision. This lets lean startup teams focus on strategic growth and innovation while still delivering the personalized service their customers expect. Get started today at zero cost for up to two years.
Event Sponsors
Hanwha AI Center (HAC) is a private membership for all those dedicated to AI. As a hub for innovation, HAC brings together passionate entrepreneurs, researchers, and visionaries to explore the societal and technological impacts of AI on human life.