TinkerHub Foundation, a Keralam-based nonprofit organisation working to make technology education and hands-on learning accessible to all, will organise LAYOVER, an overnight hackathon for young participants. Open to students and non-working young people aged 15–25, the free event will challenge participants to create projects on the broad theme of travel.

The hackathon will be held at TinkerSpace Calicut from 6 p.m. on October 10 to 6 a.m. on October 11. Participants will present their creations to a panel of judges between 7 a.m. and 9.30 a.m. The event, organised in partnership with The Visa Guy, is expected to bring together up to 200 participants from across Keralam.

Unlike conventional hackathons that provide a specific problem statement or business challenge, LAYOVER will give participants the freedom to decide what they want to build around the theme of travel. Projects can involve hardware, software, artificial intelligence, games, or experimental technology and need not have a practical or commercial application.

“We wanted to see what young people create when they have the freedom to explore. Travel is an interesting starting point because it brings together mobility, navigation, accessibility, culture, and experiences, while leaving plenty of room for unexpected ideas,” said Jazim, community manager, TinkerHub Foundation.

Participants can compete individually or in teams of up to two members and choose the technology and approach for their projects. More than 20 mentors, volunteers, and organisers will support them during the event.

The hackathon will culminate in the selection of one overall winning team, which will receive a fully covered trip to Dubai.

TinkerHub Foundation has been working since 2014. It has a community of more than 44,000 young makers across 65 campuses and provides mentorship, peer learning and industry connections to students.

Registration for the event will close on October 6. For registration, visit: https://tinkerhub.org/layover