Build With Nova

Overview: A 48-Hour Online Hackathon by Nova 24–25 October 2026 | Online | Teams of 1–4 Build With Nova is a 48-hour online hackathon organised by Nova, bringing together developers, students, builders, AI enthusiasts, indie hackers, and technology creators to build and launch working products within a limited timeframe. The hackathon is designed around one simple idea: give builders the tools, time, and freedom to turn an idea into something real. Participants can identify a problem they want to solve, develop their own product or solution, and use Nova CLI throughout the process to build, iterate, debug, experiment, and ship their final project. Unlike traditional hackathons that revolve around a single problem statement, Build With Nova gives participants the flexibility to choose what they want to build. This allows teams to work on problems they genuinely care about while exploring different applications of technology across industries and use cases. The Challenge: Participants will have 48 hours to take an idea from concept to a working product. The objective is not simply to submit an idea or a prototype, but to build something functional that can be demonstrated and experienced by others. Participants can work on projects across three broad tracks: AI for Everyday Life: This track focuses on products that solve practical, everyday problems or improve existing experiences. Participants can explore areas such as education, productivity, finance, travel, communication, health and wellness, personal organisation, and automation. The idea is to identify something people deal with regularly and build a solution that makes the experience simpler, faster, or more effective. Examples include: Productivity and personal organisation tools Education and learning products Financial planning or management tools Travel and planning solutions Communication tools Everyday automation AI for Developers: This track is focused on improving the way developers build and work. Participants can create tools that help developers write, test, debug, document, automate, or manage software more efficiently. The track is open to both developer-facing products and tools that improve specific parts of the software development workflow. Possible areas include: Developer productivity Coding and development tools Debugging and testing Documentation Workflow automation Developer utilities Software engineering tools Build for the Future: For participants with ideas that don't fit into a predefined category, Build for the Future is an open-ended track. Teams can choose any problem, industry, or use case and develop a technology-driven solution around it. The focus is on the quality of the idea, the problem being addressed, the execution, and the potential practical application of the final product. Built With Nova - Special Challenge: Alongside the three main tracks, participants can also participate in the Built With Nova challenge. This recognises projects that demonstrate a creative, meaningful, or extensive use of Nova CLI during the development process. Participants can showcase how they used Nova across different stages of building - from writing and modifying code to debugging, experimenting, iterating, and getting the final product ready to ship. How the Hackathon Works: The hackathon begins with an official kickoff, after which participants will have 48 hours to work on their projects. Teams can use the time to develop their idea, divide responsibilities, test different approaches, solve technical challenges, and continuously improve their product. The hackathon will be conducted completely online, allowing participants from different locations to participate without having to be physically present at a venue. The official Discord community will act as the primary space for communication throughout the event. Participants will be able to use the community to connect with other builders, find teammates, ask questions, get technical support, share progress, and stay updated with important announcements. The hackathon flow will include: Registration and team formation Official hackathon kickoff Project ideation and development Nova CLI onboarding and support 48-hour building period Project submission Project evaluation Final results and winner announcement Building With Nova: Nova CLI will be at the centre of the hackathon experience. Participants will be encouraged to use Nova as part of their actual development workflow and explore how an AI-powered development environment can help them move from an initial idea to a working product. During the 48 hours, participants can use Nova to build new features, iterate on existing ideas, identify and fix issues, experiment with different approaches, and improve their final product. The goal is not to simply demonstrate the use of Nova, but to show what can be built when builders have the ability to move quickly from an idea to execution. Who Can Participate? Build With Nova is open to anyone interested in building technology products. Participants do not need to be professional developers or experienced founders. Students, developers, designers, startup builders, indie hackers, AI enthusiasts, and technology creators are all welcome to participate. Participants can register individually or form teams of up to four members. Teams can bring together people with different skills, including development, design, product, research, and business. Participation Details: Open to students, professionals, developers, and builders Individual participation is allowed Teams can have 1–4 members Participants can work remotely from anywhere No specific industry or technology is mandatory Submission: At the end of the 48-hour building period, every participating team will submit its project through the official submission portal. The submission will give the judging panel an overview of the problem, the solution, the product, and the technology behind it. Teams will also be expected to provide access to their project or a working demonstration wherever applicable. Submissions will include: Project name and description Problem statement Proposed solution Key features Technology used GitHub repository or relevant project link Working demo or product walkthrough Explanation of how Nova was used Evaluation: Projects will be evaluated on the quality of the problem being addressed, the originality of the solution, the level of execution, and how effectively the final product works. Since the hackathon is about building within 48 hours, judges will also consider how much teams were able to accomplish within the given timeframe and how clearly they can demonstrate their product. The evaluation will broadly consider: Problem: Is the problem clearly defined and relevant? Idea: Is the solution thoughtful and original? Execution: How well has the product been built? Functionality: Does the product actually work? Experience: Is it simple and intuitive to use? Innovation: Does the project bring a fresh approach? Use of Nova: How effectively has Nova contributed to the build? Prizes: The hackathon will recognise the top three projects, along with the special Built With Nova challenge. Winner - Best Overall Build: The winning team will receive: 6 months of Nova Pro Nova merchandise Winner hamper Certificate Feature across Nova's social channels Project showcase by Nova Runner-Up: 3 months of Nova Pro Nova merchandise Runner-up hamper Certificate Social media feature Second Runner-Up: 1 month of Nova Pro Nova hamper Certificate Social media feature The Community: Build With Nova is also about bringing builders together. Throughout the hackathon, participants will have access to an online community where they can meet other participants, exchange ideas, find teammates, get help, and share what they are building. The official Discord will include dedicated spaces for announcements, rules, team formation, project discussions, technical support, Nova support, submissions, and general community interaction. Participants will be able to use the community before, during, and around the hackathon to connect with other people who are building and experimenting with technology. Event Details: Event: Build With NovaOrganised by: NovaDates: 24–25 October 2026Duration: 48 HoursMode: OnlineTeam Size: 1–4 MembersPlatform: Discord + Nova CLI + Submission Portal The Idea Behind Build With Nova: Build With Nova is ultimately about moving from idea to execution. You may start the hackathon with a fully formed product idea, a problem you have been thinking about, or simply a direction you want to explore. Over the next 48 hours, the goal is to turn that starting point into something tangible, something you can demonstrate, test, share, and potentially continue building after the hackathon ends. 48 hours. One idea. Build it with Nova.