📍London 🌀 Generalist World Hackathon
​We are running our first-ever hackathon!!!! 🎉
​We think generalists are made for the hardest problems. The ones that won't sit inside a single discipline, where the answer needs somebody who can hold four unrelated things at once and see how they join up. So we thought we'd test it!
​On 12 September, around 60 generalists will spend one day tackling real-world challenges from the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): the 17 goals every UN member state agreed needs solving by 2030. As of the UN's 2025 progress report, none of them are on track.
​At the Generalist World Hackathon, you'll work in a small team, pick one goal that matters to you and build something concrete that responds to it.
​We're super luck to have the amazing support of our main sponsor, Netlify, how generalists get their ideas live on the web.
​We're also supported by the Monologue, and Ramen Club!
​Who this is for
​Working professionals, founders, freelancers and career-changers who think across domains and don't fit neatly into one box. No technical background or hackathon experience needed.
​We're interested in how generalists approach solving challenges. What counts is whether what you build is real, specific and useful.
​Spaces are limited, so we’ll use your application to get to know a little about you and put together a group with a mix of generalist skills. There’s no “right” profile; if the event sounds like your kind of thing, please apply!
​What you can build
​There's no technical requirement and no required format. Some examples:
​A tool or prototype (digital or physical)
​A campaign
​A service concept with a working blueprint
​A content series or media concept
​A new framework, method, or resource
​A workshop or experience format
​The only requirements: it should exist by 5pm, be shareable and something a specific person could use.
​One note: the SDGs have political dimensions, but this hackathon is focused on practical interventions (things a small team can build), rather than political debate or commentary on active geopolitical conflicts.
​What you’ll be doing
​Morning (9:00h - 13:00h): We'll start with a light breakfast and a few activities to help you meet other participants and form a team of up to 3 people, pick your SDG, and scope a specific, doable problem within it. We'll give you a framework to get from "goal the size of the planet" to "something we can finish today." After that, you’ll start building.
​Lunch (13:00h - 14:00h): Lunch and a chance to recharge, plus an optional session on how to create a banging presentation. Useful for the end-of-day showcase and whatever comes next.
​Afternoon (14:00h - 17:15h): Time to keep building. Your team will produce something in whatever format works best for your idea. If you feel stuck, the organising team will be available for a quick check-in to help you find your scope or angle.
​End of day (17:15h - 20:00h): Teams submit their builds. 3-minute live presentations are optional but encouraged. The organising team will announce the shortlist and winners on the day.
​Our partners
​We're collaborating with the London Interdisciplinary School (LIS), a higher education institution that equips undergraduates, postgraduates and professionals with the skills to tackle complex challenges. Short courses for professionals include Cross-functional Leadership which swaps templates for interdisciplinary tools: systems thinking, collective decision making, working with experts outside your lane. Next cohort begins 7 October 2026 with early bird (10% off) ending 4th September.
​Netlify is how generalists gets an idea live on the web. Build with AI or code, iterate quickly, and get what you’ve made onto the web without getting bogged down in infrastructure.
​Monologue brings smart dictation, voice notes, and bot-free meeting transcription together in one app for Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch.
​Ramen Club is the #1 community for launching and growing SaaS to ramen profitability and beyond. Think proper desks, 1GB internet, meeting rooms, and a kitchen stocked with all the founder fuel you need.