Teens hack Wairau

A day that changes what you think you can do.

Teens Hack Wairau is a free, AI-first hackathon for teens 15–18; no coding experience needed. Spend a Saturday turning your idea into something real, with AI tools and mentors right beside you the whole way.

You bring the spark. We bring the space, the AI tools, the mentors, and the snacks.

What you'll do

• Build — Use the latest AI tools to design, code, and create like a pro

• Get unstuck — Engineers, designers, and founders are in the room all day to help

• Ship it — Pitch what you made on stage, win prizes, and walk away with something you're proud of

Not sure what to build?

Pick a stream to get the ideas flowing — an iOS game, a web app, a community chatbot, an AI agent — or run with something completely your own.

The day

• 9:00am — Arrive, meet the crew, pitch ideas, form teams

• 10:00am — Start building

• 12:00pm — First mentor check-in (2-min progress pitch)

• 12:30pm — Lunch

• 1:00pm — Keep building

• 3:00pm — Code cut-off — start prepping your demo

• 4:00pm — Demo and prizegiving

Details

📍 Te Au Pungao — Technology & Innovation Hub, Level 1, 33 Arthur Street, Blenheim
📅 Saturday 17th October 2026
💵 Free to enter — 50 spots for teen builders