NIT_Sparkathon
The NiT Sparkathon

COLLAB – BUILD YOUR NEXT STARTUP IDEA – GO VIRAL
& WIN 2 x 1,000 €

supported by Sparkasse Harburg-Buxtehude, KPMG and Impossible Founders

12th / 13th November 2026

NiT | TUHH | Hamburg

Register Now

Copyright: Mediaserver Hamburg / Christian Brandes

Why You Absolutely Should Attend NiT Sparkathon

The NiT Sparkathon is the ultimate innovation marathon for student innovators, creators, and future founders eager to turn ideas into real-world solutions. Over an intensive 24-hour challenge, you'll have the opportunity to work on real-world challenges brought by KPMG and Impossible Founders or pursue your own innovative project idea. Combining technology, creativity, and entrepreneurial thinking, you'll develop innovative concepts and prototypes that address real opportunities and challenges.

Whether you're a developer, designer, business strategist, engineer, or simply passionate about innovation, your perspective matters. Working in interdisciplinary teams, you'll gain valuable insights from experts, collaborate with like-minded innovators, and transform ideas into compelling solutions.

Beyond the competition, the NiT Sparkathon is an opportunity to connect with fellow innovators, industry professionals, startup founders, and investors. Present your solution to a jury featuring leading experts from KPMG and Impossible Founders, gain direct feedback from industry and startup leaders, and compete for cash prizes supported by Impossible Founders. The Sparkathon is more than a competition; it's an opportunity to showcase your talent, expand your network, and connect with the people building tomorrow's most impactful companies.

Join us and help shape the future through innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship.

Meet out sponsors who help to bring this think live

NITtheBusinessSchool@TUHH_white
KPMG_400x400
IF_logo
SKHB_Logo_white

Discover the Full NiT Sparkathon

Event Agenda

24 hours – Inspiration | Foundation | Building | Showcasing

We kick off on Thursday, November 12,
and wrap up on Friday, November 13.

 

 Spaces are limited to 50 participants. 

 Register for your chance to join! 

Places are not allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. All registrations will be reviewed by our Sparkathon Committee.

09:00-09:30 | Registration and participant check-in

Verify attendance and direct participants to the venue.

09:30-11:00 | Opening ceremony

Welcome, event objectives, rules, judging criteria and
acknowledgements.

11:00-12:00 | Networking

Create teams, confirm members and identify any unassigned participants.

12:00-13:30 | Challenge reveal and registrations

Present challenges, answer questions and register teams for their chosen track.

13:30–14:30 | Optional mentor briefing
Technical orientation and guidance before the official start.
14:30 | 🚀🚀🚀 24-HOUR HACKATHON STARTS 🚀🚀🚀

The solving clock and team development period begins.

14:30 (Thursday) –14:30 (Friday) | Hackathon work (overnight) and submissions

Problem analysis, ideation and initial prototyping. 

And of course, we’ll keep you fueled: food and drinks will be provided throughout the Sparkathon.
14:30–15:00 | Submission validation / jurybriefing

Check deliverables, confirm pitch order and scoring sheets; short participant break.

15:00–16:30 | Elevator pitches and jury Q&A

Teams present concise pitches to the jury; duration depends on team count.

16:30–18:00 | Jury deliberation – closing ceremony & awards

Jurors finalize scores and select winners.

Have a look at the OFFICIAL RULES & REGULATIONS

NIT Sparkathon 2026

1. The Spirit of the Hackathon

Welcome to the NiT Sparkathon! This is a business marathon.
Your goal is to build something innovative, collaborative, and creative. We challenge you to think beyond the obvious and design a project with a unique purpose and feel. Support each other, share what you know, and most importantly, have fun building the future.

2. Eligibility 

This event is open to all students, founders, and innovators.

3. The Challenge 

  • Your Mission: Solve a real-world problem. Find a challenge that matters and build a tangible solution. You can either choose from one of our 10 curated problem statements or invent your own. The choice is yours.

  • "Fresh Code" Rule: All development on your project, from writing code to preparing business model, must happen exclusively within the official hackathon window: 10:00 on November 12th to 18:00 on November 13th, 2026.

  • Resources: You are encouraged to use AI platforms, open-source libraries, frameworks, and public APIs. Must provide the reference to the usage in your project.

4. Submission Requirements

Deadline: 14:30 on Thursday, November 13th, 2026.

Your submission must include:

  • Project Info: A title and a short description.

  • Code: A link to your public GitHub repository, which must be a fork of the official Sparkathon repository.

  • Video: A link to a 1-minute (max) video demonstrating your digital project.

  • LinkedIn Post: A link to a public LinkedIn post showcasing your project. The post must include your video and tag the Judges, official NiT, and sponsor accounts with the hashtag #NiTSparkathon.

  • Live Demo: Be prepared to present your working digital prototype live to the judges

5. Judging Criteria 

The winning team will be determined by a cumulative score based on the following five key areas:

  • Innovation & Creativity (35%): How original and bold is the idea? Does it uniquely solve the problem?

  • Technical Execution (30%): Does the digital prototype work reliably? Is the software implementation skillful and impressive?

  • Design & User Experience (15%): How does it feel to use? Is the design thoughtful, intuitive, and engaging?

  • Presentation (10%): How well did the team communicate their vision and demonstrate their project?

  • Community Engagement (10%): This score is based on the number of likes received on the team's official LinkedIn project post by the submission deadline. 

6. Prizes

The grand prize will be awarded to the team with the highest total score across all judging criteria. Specific prize details will be revealed at the opening ceremony.

7. Code of Conduct

  • Respect Always: We have a zero-tolerance policy for harassment and  discrimination. Be inclusive and professional.

  • Collaborate Openly: Help others and ask for help. This is a community event built on mutual support.

  • Create with Integrity: All work submitted must be your own, created during the hackathon.

  • Report Concerns: If you witness any violation of these rules, please report it to the organizers (Shubham or Sumant) immediately.


Good luck! 🚀

We can’t wait to see what you build, create, and bring to life during 24 hours of inspiration, collaboration, and innovation at the NIT Sparkathon 2026!

Who Should Definitely Attend the NiT Sparkathon

  • Entrepreneurs
    Have a startup or business idea? Bring your vision, guide teams on strategy, and help turn prototypes into solutions with real-world impact.
  • Innovators
    Love generating ideas and solving problems? Collaborate with teams to design creative solutions and explore new ways to tackle challenges.
  • Tech Enthusiasts
    Curious about new technologies? Experiment, learn hands-on, and contribute to innovative projects with your fresh perspective.
  • Engineers
    Enjoy building things from scratch? Dive into coding, hardware, or AI, and help bring your team’s prototype to life.

Meet Our Hosts:

The Team bringing NiT Sparkathon to Life

NiT Sparkathon is brought to you by a team committed to supporting innovation and collaboration. Our hosts are here to provide guidance, resources, and encouragement as participants explore new ideas, experiment with technology, and create impactful solutions.

Shubham_Mehta_1zu1_white
Shubham Mehta
NIT Sparkathon | Host
Sumanth_1-1
⁠Sumanth Sagar Suresh
NIT Sparkathon | Host

Explore the NiT Sparkathon:

Venue and Location Details

NiT – The Private Business School at the TUHH
TUHH Campus, Building
Kasernenstraße 12
21073 Hamburg


The NiT Northern Institute of Technology Management is a premier institution for engineers, scientists, and aspiring leaders seeking to master the crucial intersection of technology and management. This institute offers a unique, practice-oriented curriculum where students tackle real-world challenges through dynamic, project-based learning. Whether your passion is innovation, digitalization, or entrepreneurship, NiT’s program is designed to forge the next generation of industry pioneers.
You’ll have the chance to cultivate essential leadership qualities, build an international network, and master the agile thinking required to thrive in a fast-evolving professional world. Join the community of innovators who are engineering the future.

 

Ready to turn an idea into a real-world product in just 24 hours?

Join the NiT Sparkathon, a hands-on hackathon on November 12th-13th, co-hosted by the NiT!

We'll provide the core hardware and a wide range of prototyping materials to bring your vision to life. Your challenge is to build an innovative IoT or AI-powered prototype. Whether you're a coder, a business strategist, or a creative thinker, this is your chance to collaborate and create something impactful.

We'll provide core hardware, but you are welcome to bring your own materials and electrical compoents to enhance your project!

Spaces are limited to 50 participants.
Apply below to secure your spot!