Kozhikode overnight hackathon invites young people to build travel projects

TinkerHub Foundation will organise an overnight hackathon in Kozhikode for students and non-working young people aged 15 to 25. Called LAYOVER, the free event will take place at TinkerSpace Calicut from 6 p.m. on October 10 until 6 a.m.

on October 11. Participants will present their projects to a panel of judges between 7 a.m. and 9.30 a.m.

The event is being organised in partnership with The Visa Guy and is expected to attract as many as 200 participants from across Kerala. Unlike a conventional hackathon with a fixed problem statement or business brief, LAYOVER will allow participants to decide what they want to create around the broad theme of travel. Projects may use hardware, software, artificial intelligence, games or experimental technology.

They do not need to have a practical or commercial purpose. Participants may compete individually or in teams of up to two people and can choose their own technology and approach. More than 20 mentors, volunteers and organisers will support participants during the event.

The organisers will select one overall winning team, which will receive a fully funded trip to Dubai. Jazim, a community manager at TinkerHub Foundation, said the organisation wanted to see what young people would build when given freedom to explore. He said travel could encompass mobility, navigation, accessibility, culture and experiences while leaving room for unexpected ideas.

Registration closes on October 6. Interested participants can register through the TinkerHub website at tinkerhub.org/layover. TinkerHub Foundation has operated since 2014 and says it has a community of more than 44,000 young makers across 65 campuses.

Its activities include mentorship, peer learning and connections with industry. The source material does not specify further eligibility conditions beyond age and participant status, or provide details of the judging criteria.