Swiss {ai} Weeks Hackathons 2025

Description

As part of a nationwide platform, we are transforming cutting-edge research from the Swiss AI Initiative into practical impact: new applications, responsible collaborations, and local startups. The hackathon supported by the Canton of Bern is being hosted at WORKSPACE & MORE - an accessible, high-tech coworking space in Liebefeld with a capacity of 90. People throughout the region were invited through social networks and flyers at community events. Dribdat is our open source, Apertus-enhanced Web platform, that will be used to fuel debate around the performance, public access, trustworthiness, and accountability of AI in a hands-on setting. We aim to foster a local community that values transparency and collaboration, reflecting a firm commitment to democracy and sustainability during the Swiss {ai} Weeks.

Target Group

Open to all skill levels, genders, alignments and backgrounds.

Challenges

• • Archive Image Matching, University of Bern
• • Heat Pumps from LIDAR data, Canton of Bern
• • Create your own Planetary Systems, ai4exoplanets group
• • Measure footprint of the new (Swiss) LLM, GreenIT champions
• • Habemus Apertus, a public data challenge generated with AI

Agenda

HACKATHON DAY I. Thursday, 18 September: 08:00 Doors opening on location 09:00 Check-in, kafi & gipfeli 10:00 Opening presentation 11:00 Team-building 12:00 Lunch break 14:00 Group facilitation 17:00 Check-out presentation 19:00 Evening programme HACKATHON DAY II. Friday, 19 September: 08:00 Doors opening again 09:00 Check-in, kafi & gipfeli 10:00 Pitch workshop 12:00 Lunch break 13:00 Project submission deadline 14:00 Presentations 16:00 Closing & apéro

Prizes

• • Public voting for a "human audience award"
• • AI-jury evaluation for all teams with top ranking team selected for a "machine audience award"
• • Winners can choose from small gifts from sponsors
• • Every participant gets a Certificate and take-home swag

Filming

Yes. Thursday afternoon, Friday morning would be ideal.

Description

The START Hack Tour St. Gallen is part of Europe's largest entrepreneurial hackathon format, bringing together students and young professionals for a 36-hour innovation sprint. Teams work on real challenges from leading industry partners with focus on AI and future technologies. The event is completely free: including meals, workshops, mentoring, goodies and accommodation on-site.

Target Group

Students and young professionals (business and tech background, approximately 18-29 years).

Challenges

• • 3 Real innovation challenges from partner companies (focus on AI, entrepreneurship and technological problem-solving)

Agenda

Friday, 19 September: 17:00-17:30 Open café (17:00-18:30) 17:30-18:00 Workshops (17:30-18:00) 18:15 Opening ceremony (15') & speakers (25') 19:00-19:30 Case presentation by partners 19:30-20:30 Deep Dives & Matchmaking + Case allocation 20:30 Start Hacking Saturday, 20 September: All day: Hacking continues 14:00-15:00 Workshops 15:00 Draft Submission 18:00-20:00 Partner slots Sunday, 21 September: 09:00-11:00 Team pitches 13:15 Closing & Award Ceremony + Voting

Prizes

• • CHF 2,000 for the winning team (chosen by voting of the hackers themselves)
• • Additional non-monetary prizes

Filming

Yes, possible

Description

On September 26, 2025, we will host a hackathon in Lenzburg with around 100 participants as part of the Swiss {ai} Weeks, exploring the potential of AI in banking and finance through four concrete challenges. In a relaxed and inspiring environment, we aim to develop exciting solutions together and enjoy a great time.

Target Group

AI interested people with proximity to Banking and/or Finance

Challenges

• • Building the Autonomous Financial Institution (FN1)
• • Banking Client Simulation Platform (FN2)
• • Financial Peace of Mind (FN3)
• • Investment Advisor for Stocks (FN4)

Agenda

08:00 Kick-off and Briefing 08:20 Start Working Sessions 12:00 Lunch 17:00 Solution Submission to Jury 19:00 Final Pitches and Reward followed by an Apero

Prizes

• • Not yet finalized

Filming

Yes, in the morning or during final pitches

Description

The EPFL AI Team and LauzHack are joining forces to host a 36-hour hackathon in Lausanne as part of the Swiss{ai}Weeks initiative. The event brings innovators, students and professionals together to tackle different challenges through AI and rewards the best projects with cool tech gadgets.

Target Group

Students from all backgrounds (engineering, business, …) but everyone – student or not - with basic programming skills is welcome!

Challenges

• • Will be announced at the event

Agenda

Friday, 26 September: 8:00-9:30 Registration and breakfast 10:00-10:15 Opening ceremony 10:20-11:40 Tech talks 11:40-12:00 Team building 12:00 Hacking starts 12:00-13:00 Lunch 18:30-19:30 Dinner Saturday, 27 September: 0:00-1:00 Midnight snack 7:00-9:00 Breakfast 11:30-12:30 Lunch 12:00 End of Hacking 12:30-15:00 Judging 15:00-17:00 Closing Ceremony 17:00-19:00 Closing apéro (optional)

Prizes

• • First prize: 250 CHF/person (in the form of cool tech gadgets)
• • Second prize: 200 CHF/person (in the form of cool tech gadgets)
• • Third prize: 150 CHF/person (in the form of cool tech gadgets)

Filming

Best times: Opening ceremony, tech talks, lunch, participants hacking (Saturday 10am-3pm), judging and closing ceremony (13:00-17:00). Requires prior approval from presse@epfl.ch at EPFL

Description

The Zurich Hackathon brings together innovators from all backgrounds to translate cutting-edge artificial intelligence research into real-world solutions. Participants will collaborate for 36 hours to tackle challenges in sectors like finance, GovTech, logistics, and healthcare, notably using Switzerland's own open-source language model, Apertus. The event fosters a hands-on, ethical, and open approach to building the future of human-centric AI in Switzerland.

Target Group

Anyone 16+ from any background — coders, designers, strategists, policy thinkers, educators, students, and professionals. We hope to attract individuals (students and professionals) as well as already defined teams, either in the form of a group of friends, a startup, or from an established company.

• • 26 Challenges (AXA, CSS, ETH, Swiss Gov, Swiss Post, Swiss Re, Swisscom, UBS, Viseca, VZ)

Agenda

Day 1 — Friday, 26 September: 08:00 Door opens, check-in and coffee 09:30-10:30 Keynote, reverse pitches and jury process (Main stage) 10:30 Hacking starts officially 12:00-13:30 Lunch 14:00-17:00 Mentor and expert check-ins 18:00-20:00 Dinner and casual networking 20:00 Silent disco, open end hacking Day 2 — Saturday, 27 September: 07:30-09:00 Breakfast 09:00-11:00 Mentor and expert check-ins 12:00 Submission to jury (longlist) 12:00-13:30 Lunch 13:00-15:00 Pitches to expert jury, Open pitch to partners 15:30 Communication of jury shortlist 16:30 Final submission to jury (shortlist) 17:00-18:30 Pitches to jury (Main stage) 19:00-21:00 Award ceremony and celebration (Main stage) 21:00 Official end

Prizes

• • 25,000 Euro

Filming

Yes

Description

Trusted access to the Swiss LLM can empower humanitarian organisations like UNHCR to work more efficiently and securely, despite severe budget cuts and workforce reductions. By leveraging the model's strengths in multilingualism, transparency, trust, and AI sovereignty, staff can gain efficiency, independence, and resilience compared to commercial LLMs. In addition, specific challenges such as improving energy efficiency in Geneva's buildings will be explored to further showcase AI's impact.

Target Group

International humanitarian and aid workers based in Geneva, technology experts, students, but open to anyone who would like to engage for the entire hackathon over the 2.5 days.

Challenges

• • How can we provide a Trust based end-to-end solution instead of "just" a technical solution
• • How can IA improve the energy management of the building park in Geneva (working title)

Agenda

Day 1 — Friday, 26 September: 16:30-18:15 Welcome & Kickoff - Challenge + principles to remember 18:15-19:00 Hacking Time: Challenge Framing; contextualization, info gathering, expert exchanges 20:00-21:00 Hacking Time: Challenge Framing (continued) 21:00 Peer Exchanges: Micro-Pitches (Phase 1) 21:00-22:00 Hacking Time: Ideation (key idea & value proposition) 22:00-07:00 Hacking Time: Prototyping - in the comfort of your home Day 2 — Saturday, 27 September: 08:00-09:00 Peer Exchanges: Intermediary Micro-Pitches (Phase 2) 09:00-12:30 Hacking Time: Prototyping (continued) 14:00-18:00 Hacking Time: Testing & Iterating (Phase 3) 18:00-19:30 Peer Exchanges: Intermediary Micro-Pitches (Phase 3) 20:30-07:00 Hacking Time: Testing & Iterating Day 3 — Sunday, 28 September: 08:00-10:30 Presentation Preparation (Phase 4) 10:30-12:00 Final Presentations & Closing Ceremony (Phase 5) 13:00 End

Prizes

• • Free event pass (+800€) to Mobile World Congress and 4YFN Spain, Barcelona, 2-5 March 2026 by International Trade Center (ITC)
• • 2 Incubation program team spots by Impact Hub Geneva
• • Incubation support by Geneva Innovation Movement (tbc)

Filming

Yes, ideally on Friday 26th September around 5 pm, or on Sunday at around 11 am.

Description

The BotWerkstatt is a hackathon focused on the development of chat and voice bots. Around 50 hackers form teams to create their own bots, with access to expert guidance and a Swiss language model API. The event includes a series of expert sessions, prototype development, and concludes with a presentation and awards ceremony.

Target Group

Marketing & communication teams, IT & developers, designers, business experts

Challenges

• • Tomorrow's Legal Assistance (AXA)
• • Don't Walk Into the Trap (Swiss Gov)

Agenda

09:00-09:30 Welcome & Introduction 09:30-10:15 Team Building & Challenge Overview 10:15-12:15 Expert Sessions (Chatbase, Voicebot, AI Tools) 12:15-13:00 Lunch 13:00-17:00 Hackathon - Prototype Development 17:00-18:30 Final Demos & Awards Ceremony

Prizes

• • Still open

Filming

Yes