The real currency of building isn’t time — it’s nerve
If you’ve ever shipped something you weren’t “ready” to show, you know the feeling: a mix of adrenaline and clarity. Constraints sharpen you; risk wakes you up. That’s the energy we want to celebrate.
We’re rewarding boldness—not the longest feature list or the most polished deck, but the courage to pick an idea that might fail publicly and make it work in 24 hours. The prize isn’t a trophy for the shelf; it’s a week in Cape Town with our team: working sessions, ocean-air resets, and the space to dream bigger about what you’re building next.
Why Cape Town?
Because context changes outcomes. Cape Town is a place where mountains drop into the sea and ideas collide fast—design, tech, nature, people. We want the winner embedded with us there for a week: pair-building, long walks that turn into product decisions, and the kind of conversations that rarely happen on Zoom.
What “bold” means to us • A crisp idea: You can describe it in one breath, and people get it. • Runnable reality: In 24 hours, it actually works. Click it, run it, play it. • Demo gravity: When you show it, the room leans forward.
Our judges score on Originality, Execution, and Impressiveness. If it makes us say “I wish I’d built that,” you’re in the zone.
How the hackathon works • When: Saturday, October 4 → 24 hours straight • Format: Open. Web, AI, tools, games, hardware—if it impresses, it counts. • Finish: Live demo session where top projects present.
Prizes • 1st place: Fully paid 1-week trip to Cape Town with the ACTA team • 2nd place: €300 + fast-tracked interview • 3rd place: Raspberry Pi + fast-tracked interview
A simple playbook to stand out
- Start with a sharp promise. One-sentence outcome > vague ambition.
- Cut scope ruthlessly. If a feature won’t show up in the demo, it’s a post-hackathon idea.
- Make it feel alive. A tiny bit of UX love (copy, empty states, sensible defaults) beats raw scaffolding.
- Engineer the “wow.” One surprising moment—a speed jump, a clever visualization, a magical shortcut.
- Tell the story. In the demo, start with the problem, show the moment of magic, and then talk tech.
Idea sparks (steal these) • A one-file AI tool that turns messy logs into clear, actionable summaries. • A local-first note app that syncs peer-to-peer and feels instant. • A browser extension that explains any form field and autofills with context. • A tiny game with a single mechanic that’s weirdly addictive. • A “2-click” analytics tool: upload CSV → get three shareable insights.
Why join—even if you don’t “win”
Because momentum compounds. You’ll leave with a shipped demo, signal from people who build for real, and a pathway into ACTA via fast-tracked interviews for standout participants.
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Ready?
Bring an idea you’re a little afraid to demo—and ship it anyway. Register now: link
Questions about format, tooling, or demos? Drop us a note—we’re happy to help.