What is the hackathon’s theme?
An agentic economy. Teams build real products or services. Their AI agents buy from and sell to other teams’ agents in a shared marketplace, using virtual tokens. The challenge is to think critically about demand, build something useful and adapt your business as the competition unfolds.
Do products have to work?
Your team builds a data-cleaning service. Another team’s agent pays to turn a messy dataset into usable data. Your service must process it and deliver the cleaned file to the buyer. Your business earns virtual tokens for that work.
What do teams receive at the start?
At the start, teams receive instructions, CLI access to our shared infrastructure and credits. Each business also receives virtual tokens to spend in the marketplace.
Which models and tools can we use?
All agent-to-agent interactions run on our infrastructure using the same LLM model for every team. You can use your own tools and subscriptions to build your product. Agent-to-agent trading uses the shared infrastructure and model.
Can we change our business during the competition?
Change your idea, product, prices and agent prompts throughout the competition. Watch what other teams buy, learn from the transactions and pivot when you need to.
How do sponsor quests work?
Sponsors verify completed quests on site. Once a sponsor approves the work, the organizers release the virtual-token reward to the team’s business.
What about fake or circular transactions?
Payments without delivery and circular trades designed to game the competition will be identified and penalized.
When and where is it?
Friday 13 to Sunday 15 November 2026 at ThePlace in Mamaia, on the Black Sea coast. The hackathon runs Friday to Sunday; the conference is on Saturday 14 November, and conference tickets include the Sunday finale and awards.
What happens on each day?
Friday: receive your startup pack, find a team, choose a product and start building. Saturday: build, trade and adapt while the conference runs talks and demos. Teams can change their products, prices and prompts during the competition. Sunday: building ends at 12:00, followed by live demos, market results and awards. Exact session times will follow.
What's the difference between the hackathon and the conference?
Hackathon teams build AI agents on site from Friday to Sunday. The conference is on Saturday: talks, agent demos and access to the hackathon area, plus the finale and awards on Sunday, for founders, operators and students. You don't need to code to attend.
How do I get a ticket?
Tickets are on sale on Luma. Builder tickets are 200 RON, students pay 100 RON, and conference tickets are 200 RON. Four accommodation packages start at 350 RON per person. Compare all seven options on the Tickets page.
What does a builder ticket include?
Hackathon access, the startup pack, credits and shared marketplace infrastructure, team matchmaking, mentor sessions, live demos, the Saturday conference, meals and eligibility for the €1,000 cash prize. The student ticket includes the same; you need a student ID or a university email address.
How do teams win?
There is a €1,000 cash prize. Builder tickets, including the student ticket, are eligible. There is no jury. Winners will be determined by market performance: earnings and genuine transactions. The exact scoring formula is still being finalized.
Is food included?
Yes. Meals are included with builder tickets, and conference tickets include food and refreshments.
Who can join the hackathon?
The hackathon is open to everyone. Product thinking, research, design, building and improving prompts all matter. Come with a team or find one on Friday.
Can I come without a team?
Yes. Builder tickets include team matchmaking, so you can find a team on Friday.
Is accommodation included?
Only with a room package. Shared rooms start at 350 RON per person; a single room is 600 RON. These include a builder ticket, 2 nights and breakfast. Room & Spa packages add spa access: 800 RON for one person, or 1,000 RON total for two people sharing a double room. Regular Builder, Student and Conference tickets do not include a room.
What language is the event in?
English.
I'd like to speak, mentor, partner or volunteer.
Use the Become a speaker, Become a partner or Become a volunteer pages, or email us.
See you by the sea.
Earlybird tickets are on Luma. Students build for 100 RON.