ai hackathon
Host an AI hackathon at your university
You know your students. We know the format. Together we turn a lecture hall into a room where builders discover what modern AI puts within their reach. You provide the venue and the people, Tembi brings everything else.
In short
Access to technology should be a human right, not a privilege of geography or income. That belief is why Tembi Labs exists, and a student hackathon is the most direct way to act on it. An AI hackathon is the fastest way to show students what they can build with tools they already have around them. In a single weekend, a room full of curious people goes from never having touched an AI-native tool to pitching a working prototype to a jury.
For Tembi, the hackathon is also how a real partnership begins. It proves demand, shows us your infrastructure and priorities, and builds trust with your leadership. Devices and computer rooms come later, and they are earned. The hackathon comes first because it is where talent becomes visible. When you host a hackathon at your university, you give students hands-on digital skills and AI skills for jobs that the classroom rarely reaches.
How we work
How to host a hackathon with Tembi
- 01
The 30-minute call. We learn about your university, your students and what you want the event to achieve. No commitment, no cost.
- 02
Scoping and dates. We agree on a weekend, expected number of participants, the theme and any local partners. This is where the 6 to 8 week lead time starts.
- 03
Setup. We prepare facilitation, sponsored AI tools and credits, a jury, mentors and prizes. You confirm the venue, power, internet and a local contact.
- 04
The event. Roughly 4 hours of hands-on AI-tool introduction, then about 24 hours of team building, then a pitch to the jury with prizes.
- 05
After the event. The strongest builders join the Fellows network. We look together at whether a Chapter Lead, AI Champions or a device request makes sense next.
On the ground
Host an AI Hackathon
Bring an AI hackathon to your campus. You provide the venue and students, Tembi brings the format, jury, mentors and sponsored AI tools. From first call to event in 6 to 8 weeks.
Compare
Who brings what
| The university provides | Tembi brings |
|---|---|
| A venue on campus, plus power and reliable internet | The full hackathon format and run of show |
| Access to students and help spreading the word | Facilitation, mentors and a jury with real feedback |
| One local contact person who guides us on the ground | Sponsored AI tools, credits and prizes |
| Basic logistics, such as tables and a room over a weekend | Storytelling, documentation and the Fellows follow-up |
In short
There is no fee for the university and no cost for students to take part. Students bring their idea, their curiosity and a laptop if they have one. What we ask for is commitment: a contact who answers, a venue that works, and students who show up ready to build.
In short
What a hackathon leaves behind
A student hackathon is not a one-off spectacle. The weekend is designed to leave skills and momentum on campus. Students learn to prompt, evaluate and ship with AI-native tools, which is the kind of digital literacy that turns into AI skills for jobs. The strongest builders often go on to organise the next event as Chapter Leads or to support their peers as AI Champions, so the digital inclusion started in one lecture hall keeps widening after we leave.
For universities across Africa, South Asia and Latin America, hosting an AI hackathon is also a low-risk way to test what modern tools can do for teaching and research before committing to a computer lab. You see your own students build in real time, and that evidence shapes every step that follows, from a computer room to entrepreneurship on your campus.
Next step
Ready to bring one to your campus?
It starts with a short call. Tell us about your university and your students, and we will map out the path to your first hackathon.
Book a call
Host an AI hackathon or become a partner
Pick a slot that works for you. We will walk you through the next steps, from first call to your first event.
Booking calendar
To load the booking calendar, please accept functional cookies.
FAQ
Questions, answered.
An AI hackathon is a short, intense event where students learn AI-native tools and use them to build a working prototype in a weekend. It runs roughly 4 hours of tool introduction, about 24 hours of team building, then a pitch to a jury with prizes.
It starts with a short 30-minute call. We learn about your university and students, then agree on dates. From there it takes roughly 6 to 8 weeks of lead time to run the first hackathon.
A venue on campus with power and reliable internet, access to students, and one local contact person. Tembi brings the format, facilitation, jury, mentors, sponsored AI tools and credits, and prizes.
There is no fee for the university and taking part is free for students. Students bring their idea, their curiosity and a laptop if they have one.
Roughly 6 to 8 weeks from the first call, so we have time to scope the theme, prepare tools and credits, line up mentors and a jury, and help you spread the word.
No. The event opens with a hands-on introduction to AI-native tools, so beginners can build alongside experienced students. Curiosity matters more than a background in code.
The strongest builders join the Fellows network. We look together at next steps, which may be a Chapter Lead, AI Champions, or a device request once local demand is proven.
Not immediately. Devices are earned, not given away. The hackathon proves demand first. After that we can plan refurbished enterprise laptops and computer rooms, with local owners and a check-in after 6 months.
Yes. We run AI hackathons at universities across Africa, South Asia and Latin America. If you can offer a room, power, internet and a local contact, we can bring the format. Location is never the barrier, access is, and that is exactly what we are here to change.
A bootcamp teaches syntax over weeks. An AI hackathon puts students in teams, hands them AI-native tools, and has them ship a working prototype in a weekend. The goal is confidence, digital skills and a first taste of building something real, not a certificate. ---
Keep exploring