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watsonx Hackathons
All experience levels are welcome to take part in these virtual events. Get hands-on skills with the latest tech like agentic AI and showcase your innovative ideas to compete for prizes. Hear from Amy Tennison, VP IBM TechXchange & Client Advocacy, on what you can expect, and sign up for one of our next hackathons.
We’re planning more hackathons monthly throughout the year. Watch this space for more chances to participate!
Prizes
Our expert judges are looking for the hackathon submissions that are most creative, feasible, usable and effective. top teams can win cash prizes up to $5,000 USD and complimentary passes to the IBM TechXchange 2026 conference in Orlando (Eligibility rules apply). There’s also plenty of swag up for grabs, from Apple AirPods Pros® to watsonx t-shirts and hoodies, and even IBM Cloud credits to keep developing your big idea after the event.
Check out the details for each of our upcoming hackathons for specifics on what you can win.
“This was my first AI hackathon and I loved every bit of it. I got to learn so much about developing robust AI agents. Thank you very much to IBM for this opportunity. Thank you to the mentors too for being on hand to provide support.”
Recent winners
IBM TechXchange 2025 Pre-conference watsonx Hackathon
Team AIght
The team won first place in the “Build with agentic AI Developer challenge”. Their agentic AI solution uses IBM watsonx to fact-check meeting transcripts in real-time.
Watch their demoSustainable cities and communities challenge, brought to you by Call for Code
Team Hive.ai
The first place agentic AI solution in the Call for Code category of the “IBM TechXchange 2025 Pre-conference watsonx Hackathon” analyzes climate change data from multiple sources, providing local cities with world-class, actionable urban sustainability strategies.
Watch their demoAlumni winners
Winning the prize can be just the beginning. Hackathon teams often take the hands-on gen AI skills and insights they’ve gained and continue to further develop their solutions, putting watsonx to practical use to drive productivity and growth into their organizations or communities.
2024 IBM TechXchange Pre-Conference watsonx Hackathon
Team Daimyo
This student team from PES University in India built an IBM watsonx.ai and Granite-powered app to help restaurants automate and manage their data, boosting staff efficiency and saving significant time. Since winning, they are working on a deal to further develop their solution, and they have been invited to showcase their project at IBM TechXchange 2025 conference.
Watch their story
2024 Call for Code Global Challenge
Team GoBang
GoBang is a team of five Taiwanese students pursuing their education in the United States. They built an IBM watsonx.ai-powered assistant to provide teachers an interactive course planning experience, helping them effectively cover subjects outside their area of expertise.
Read their story
2021 Call for Code Global Challenge
Team Saafwater
Since winning the Global Challenge 3 years ago, the Saafwater team has grown their life-saving solution for providing local communities with clean drinking water.
Watch their storyRelated events
Call for Code
Winning solutions that address social and humanitarian issues from our qualifying watsonx Hackathons in 2025 can move on to compete for the 2025 Call for Code Global Challenge $50,000 USD Grand Prize.
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IBM TechXchange Events
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IBM Developer Events
Find your next opportunity to get involved and grow your skills by attending worldwide technical events including webinars, meetups, and more.
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IBM SkillsBuild Community Events
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