BDI HACKATHON 2026 Open @Bangkok
An open opportunity for everyone to co-create a Bangkok that is easier to navigate, more livable, and safer through Data and AI.
What is BDI Hackathon 2026 Open?
A stage for urban innovators to pitch and compete with ideas, open to anyone who are passionate about transforming Thailand, using Bangkok as a pilot area to enable smarter and safer living. The competition is team-based, with 3–5 members per team, competing for an honorary trophy and opportunities to receive special awards from partner organizations.
Total prize money: 200,000 Baht
Plus a special award for the team that applies
ThaiLLM the best.
Competition Challenges
Choose the challenge you want to solve to design a Bangkok that is easier to navigate, better to live in, and safer through Data and AI.
Data for better Journey
Know Before You Go
Design a tool to helps people make travel decisions, so Bangkok residents can plan their journeys more easily.
Data for better Lifestyle
Know Every Service
Create a platform that enables urban residents to access government services and opportunities.
Data for better Safety
Know Before Disaster Strikes
Develop a real-time monitoring and alert system for public safety.
Applicant Qualifications
- Applicants must be at least 18 years old.
- Applications are open to teams of 3–5 people, pairs, or individuals.
- Individual or pair applicants may request to be matched with others through AI-assisted matching based on similar topic interests.
- Open to all occupations.
- Applicants must be able to participate in the program from start to finish and travel to the on-site activity venues according to the schedule below.
What Will Participants Receive from the Program?
- Support in using ThaiLLM and commercial cloud services during the activities.
- Opportunities to participate in workshops led by expert speakers, with mentors providing close guidance and consultation.
- Opportunities to try AI and data tools and technologies.
- Hands-on experience working on real-world challenges.
- Networking opportunities with the public sector, private sector, and industry experts.
- Opportunities to further develop their projects toward real-world implementation.
Important Documents
Event Schedule
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 7–31 May 2026 | Application Period |
| 10 June 2026 | Announcement of 30 Shortlisted Teams |
| 12 June 2026 | First Meet Orientation & Workshop #1 (Online | Half Day) |
| 19 June 2026 | ⭐️ Kick-off Meeting (Onsite | Full Day) @ SO/ Bangkok Hotel |
| 26 June 2026 | Workshop #2 (Online | 2 Hours) |
| 29 June 2026 | Workshop #3 by AWS (Onsite | Full Day) @ AWS Asia Pacific (Thailand) Office, Singha Complex |
| 1 July 2026 | Workshop #4 by Open Government Products (OGP), Singapore Government (Onsite | Full Day) @ The Sukosol Hotel |
| 10 July 2026 | ⭐️ Preliminary Round / Soft Pitch (Onsite | Full Day) Selection of 20 finalist teams @ Carlton Hotel Bangkok Sukhumvit |
| 20 July 2026 | Final Workshop #5: How to Pitch (Online | Full Day) |
| 25 July 2026 | ⭐️ Demo Day (Onsite) @ Lido Connect |
⭐️= mandatory event
The schedule may be subject to change as appropriate.
FAQ
What type of hackathon is this?
BDI Hackathon is a multi-week AI & Data Solution development program, with an approximately 6-week development period. The program includes workshops, mentoring sessions, and continuous PoC/MVP development throughout the project, from June to July 2026.
How long does the program last?
The program runs from June to July 2026, with an approximately 6-week solution development period.
What is the application format?
Applicants may choose from the following options:
- Compete individually or as a pair without joining a team with others.
- Apply individually or as a pair and request the organizers to match them with other applicants into teams of 3–5 members.
- Apply as a team of 3–5 members.
How many members must each team have?
Each team may have a maximum of 5 members.
Is coding or AI experience required?
No. The program welcomes participants from diverse backgrounds, including Tech, Business, Design, Policy, and anyone interested in Data & AI.
The program supports multidisciplinary teamwork and encourages each team to include members with different strengths, so they can work together to develop solutions across technology, design, problem analysis, and real-world implementation.
Is a prototype or previous work required before applying?
No. Applicants may apply with an initial idea or concept, then develop their prototype or PoC during the program through workshops and mentoring sessions.
Does the program focus only on ideas, or on building real prototypes?
The program focuses on developing Proof-of-Concepts (PoC) or MVPs that can be further developed or used in real-world settings. Participants will receive guidance from mentors and experts throughout the program.
Do participants have to follow only the given challenges?
Participants may choose to develop a solution for one of the program’s three main challenges. Each team must select only one challenge, but they are free to expand on their ideas or design additional problem-solving approaches within the chosen challenge.
Will datasets be provided?
The program supports the use of Open Data for solution development. Initial open data sources will be compiled for participants, and participants may also use data from other sources or their own datasets if they are suitable for the challenge and program format.
What activities are included?
The main activities include:
- Online Workshop
- Onsite Workshop
- Mentoring Session
- Soft Pitch
- Demo Day
Which activities are onsite?
The main activities that require onsite participation are:
- 19 June 2026 — Kick-off Meeting
- 29 June 2026 — Workshop by AWS
- 1 July 2026 — Workshop by OGP
- 10 July 2026 — Soft Pitch
- 25 July 2026 — Demo Day
What is the difference between the Soft Pitch and Demo Day?
The Soft Pitch, or Preliminary Round, is a presentation round held during the development period. Teams present their work to receive feedback, and 20 teams will be selected to advance to the final round.
Demo Day is the final pitch, where teams present their completed projects to the judges, partners, and event participants.
Can people from other provinces join?
Yes. The program includes online and hybrid activities. However, participants should be able to travel to attend the key onsite activities according to the program schedule.
Is there any participation fee or accommodation provided?
There is no fee to participate in the program.
The program does not provide accommodation for participants. However, the organizing team aims to select activity venues that are convenient to reach by public transportation.
If not all team members can attend every activity, can the team send representatives instead?
Yes. Teams may send representatives to attend some activities. However, those who attend are encouraged to share all information and details with the rest of the team afterward.
That said, it is best for the full team to attend whenever possible, so everyone can exchange knowledge, gain experience, and better understand the activity details together.
What makes a good proposal?
Participants should submit a project proposal that is clear, practical, and focused on real-world impact. The proposal does not need to be perfect, but it should show that the team understands the problem, has a credible solution approach, and can develop a PoC within the hackathon period.
Problem statement:
Participants should answer the following questions:
- What problem do you want to solve?
- Who is affected by this problem?
- Why is this problem important?
- What will happen if this problem is not solved?
- Which hackathon challenge or theme is this problem related to?
Approach to using data and AI:
Participants should explain how they plan to use data and AI, what data is needed, possible data sources, and how the data will be processed or connected.
What are the scoring criteria for proposal selection?
| Criteria | Weight |
|---|---|
| Problem relevance and challenge fit | 15% |
| Solution clarity and value proposition | 15% |
| Meaningful use of data and AI | 15% |
| Feasibility within the program | 15% |
| Impact, ROI, and adoption potential | 15% |
| Team capability and execution readiness | 15% |
| Program fit and coachability | 10% |
