🏛️ In-Person Hackathon Day
The CATS26 Pre-Summit Hackathon is a one-day, in-person working session where teams come together to make real progress on their ideas.
This day is about collaboration, focus, and momentum. You’ll spend the day working alongside your team, exploring a real problem, shaping a solution, and building an early version of your idea that you can continue refining after the event.
This is a chance to move your project forward in a shared space with support.
🎯 What This Day Is For
The in-person hackathon exists to help teams get aligned and unstuck.
During the day, teams will:
- Clarify the problem they are working on
- Agree on a practical solution direction
- Start building an early prototype or clear concept
- Get feedback from mentors and facilitators
- Leave with something tangible and documented
By the end of the day, you should be able to clearly explain what you’re building, why it matters, and what your next steps are.
📍 Venue & Logistics
The in-person hackathon takes place at The Meeting Point Abuja on December 6, 2025, starting from 8:30 AM:
Location: The Meeting Point Abuja
Yemi Akinseye-George, The Yellow Building, off Oladipo Diya St, behind New NNPC, Gudu, Abuja 900104
Please bring:
- Your laptop
- Your charger
- Any tools or software you normally use to build
Power, seating, and internet will be available at the venue. Please try to arrive on time so everyone can start together and teams can settle in smoothly.
🗓️ Day Schedule (Overview)
Below is the general flow of the day. Exact timings or small adjustments may be made, but will be communicated accordingly.
| Time (WAT) | Session | What’s happening |
|---|---|---|
| 8:00 – 8:30 AM | Arrival & Registration | Check in, find your seat, and settle in with your team. |
| 8:30 – 8:45 AM | Opening Session | Welcome, goals for the day, and how the hackathon will run. |
| 8:45 – 9:00 AM | Challenge Briefing | Overview of the themes, problem spaces, and what teams should aim to achieve. |
| 9:00 – 9:10 AM | Team Formation & Seating | Teams are finalized and seated together (4–6 people per team). |
| 9:10 – 9:20 AM | Icebreaker: One-Minute Mascot | Short, fun activity to warm up collaboration and creativity. |
| 9:20 – 11:30 AM | Work Session 1: Concept Development | Teams define the problem, identify users, and sketch solution ideas. |
| 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM | Lunch Break | Lunch and informal conversations with other teams and mentors. |
| 12:00 – 12:10 PM | Post-Lunch Energizer | Quick reset activity to bring focus back after lunch. |
| 12:10 – 1:40 PM | Work Session 2: Prototyping Sprint | Teams begin building early prototypes, flows, or technical approaches. |
| 1:40 – 1:55 PM | Snack Break | Short break to recharge and move around. |
| 1:55 – 2:20 PM | Team Check-In | Quick team updates on progress, challenges, and next steps. |
| 2:20 – 3:00 PM | Mentor Support Sessions | Optional one-on-one or small-group support to get feedback or unblock issues. |
| 3:00 – 3:50 PM | Work Session 3: Final Build & Pitch Prep | Teams refine their work and prepare a short pitch. |
| 3:50 – 4:15 PM | Pitch Practice | Friendly practice pitches with supportive feedback (no judging). |
| 4:15 – 4:30 PM | Reflection Circle | Short guided reflection on learning, teamwork, and what comes next. |
| 4:30 – 4:45 PM | Closing Session | Wrap-up, key takeaways, and clear next steps after the hackathon day. |
🛠️ What to Focus On
This day is about progress, not polish.
Try to:
- Keep your solution simple and focused
- Make decisions and move forward, even if things aren’t perfect
- Show real progress, even if it’s rough
- Document what you build or decide (links, screenshots, notes)
- Be clear about how Cardano fits into your solution
If you’re stuck, ask for help early—that’s what the mentors are there for.
📜 Expectations
To make the day work well for everyone:
- Be respectful to other teams, mentors, and the venue
- Stay engaged and work with your team throughout the day
- Be honest about what you’ve built or explored
This is a shared space focused on learning and collaboration.
🚀 What Happens Next
After the in-person hackathon, teams continue working on their projects. You’ll refine what you started, build further, and prepare for formal submissions in the next stages of the hackathon.
Clear next steps will be shared at the end of the day.
📸 Photos & Media
You can find photos and short videos from the in-person hackathon in the drive folder below.