3rd Edition · 2025

BUILD IN 48 HRS

Hack48 is a 48-hour startup hackathon for young founders, builders, coders, and designers. Form a team. Ship a product. Launch a company.

Apply for Free Learn more ↓
48
Hours to build
2
Cities
48
Spots per city
0
Cost to enter
About

The hackathon
for real builders

Hack48 is a 48-hour startup hackathon designed specifically for young founders and builders across Auckland and Sydney.

No endless workshops. No filler. You show up, form a team, and you build — real products, real ideas, real companies.

Partnered with January Capital and Lyra, the event connects you with operators, investors, and mentors who've done it before — and want to help you do it too.

Only 48 spots per city. Every seat matters.

48
$ hack48 --status
Applications open
→ Edition: 3rd
→ Format: In-person
→ Duration: 48 hrs
→ Focus: Startups
→ Entry fee: FREE
✓ Mentors from leading startups
✓ Investor access
✓ Cash prizes
✓ Food & caffeine included
Teams formed
On-site
No team needed to apply
Schedule

48 hours.
Every minute counts.

Day 1 · Evening
Arrive & Pitch
Doors open. You register, meet people, and pitch your idea to the room. Teams form organically around the strongest ideas.
Day 1 · Night
Build Begins
The clock starts. Mentors circulate. You build. Coffee is free. Sleep is optional — but recommended.
Day 2 · Morning
Mid-point Check-in
Mentor sessions, office hours with investors. Time to pressure-test your idea and sharpen your pitch.
Day 2 · Afternoon
Demo & Judging
Present your product to a panel of founders and investors. Prizes announced. The next chapter begins.
What's provided
✓ Food & drinks throughout
✓ Workspace & power
✓ 1:1 mentor sessions
✓ Investor access
✓ Fast wi-fi
✓ Your IP stays yours
Judging criteria
01 Problem & market
02 Working prototype
03 Business viability
04 Execution & speed
Tracks

Who should apply

You don't need an idea to show up. You don't need a team. You need ambition and 48 hours.

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Engineers
Coders, developers, and technical builders. If you can ship, you belong here. Bring your stack, we'll bring the problem.
✦
Designers
UX, product design, and brand. Every great startup needs someone who can make it beautiful and intuitive.
↗
Founders
Have an idea? Bring it. Or find one on the day. Either way — you're here to build something real, not just talk about it.
Partners

Backed by
people who've built

Our partners aren't here for optics. They're operators, founders, and investors who want to help the next generation build.

VC Partner
January Capital
Early-stage venture fund backing exceptional founders across Southeast Asia and Australia. The team brings deep operator experience and a global network to help Hack48 participants go further, faster.
Title Partner
Lyra
A high-growth Australian startup with a 65+ person team. Lyra's founders and team bring firsthand experience of what it takes to scale a company from zero — and they're in the room at Hack48 to share it.
Become a Sponsor
Your Brand
Interested in reaching the next generation of founders and builders? Get in touch. We have a limited number of partner spots available for the 2025 edition.
Contact us →
Prizes

Win more than
just cash

Top teams walk away with prize money, mentorship, and direct introductions to investors ready to back the next thing you build.

🏆 First Place
$5K
  • Cash prize
  • Investor introductions
  • 6 months mentorship access
  • Feature in January Capital portfolio
  • Fast-track to accelerator interviews
🥈 Second Place
$2K
  • Cash prize
  • Mentor network access
  • Investor introductions
🥉 Third Place
$1K
  • Cash prize
  • Mentor follow-ups
  • Community access
Note: All IP built at Hack48 belongs entirely to the team who built it. We don't take equity or rights over your work.
Locations

Two cities.
One mission.

Hack48 runs simultaneously in Auckland and Sydney. Apply to your city — or both.

AKL
Auckland
New Zealand · 48 spots
Applications Open
SYD
Sydney
Australia · 48 spots
Applications Open
FAQ

Questions

Do I need a team to apply?
No. You can apply solo and teams form on the first evening around the ideas pitched. Many of the best teams at previous editions met for the first time at the event. If you do have a team, that's fine too — each member still needs to apply individually.
Do I need to have an idea?
No. If you have an idea, bring it and pitch it on day one. If you don't, you'll join a team working on an idea you find compelling. What matters is that you're ready to build.
Is it really free?
Yes. Entry is completely free. Food, coffee, and the workspace are all covered by our partners. All we ask is that you show up ready to build for 48 hours.
Who owns the IP?
You do. 100%. Everything built at Hack48 belongs to the team who built it. We don't take equity, rights, or claims over anything created at the event. Period.
What should I bring?
Your laptop, chargers, and any hardware you need. We'll handle food, coffee, workspace, and wifi. Some teams bring sleeping bags — it's up to you whether you power through or get a full night's rest (most successful teams sleep).
What kind of projects can I build?
Anything. Software, apps, hardware, AI products, consumer tools, B2B SaaS — there are no restrictions on what you build. The best ideas solve a real problem and have a viable path to a business.
Can I apply to both cities?
Yes. If you're keen on both Auckland and Sydney, apply to both. We'll confirm spots closer to the event date.
Applications · 2025

48 hours to
change everything

Spots go fast. Only 48 per city. Apply now — it's free, takes 2 minutes, and might be the best decision you make this year.

Apply for Free →

Questions? hello@hack48.org