FITS 2026

What to Expect

This is a one-day hackathon, so we don't expect finished products.

You can:

• develop and present a concept
• create designs or user flows
• build a clickable prototype
• code a website, app or small tool
• experiment with AI
• research or map existing solutions
• combine any of these approaches

The main focus is on understanding the problem and developing an interesting solution, rather than how much code you can write in one day.

You can work individually or in a team.

At the end of the day, participants will briefly present what they explored, their idea and what they created.

Do I Need to Code?

No.

Developers are very welcome, but you can also participate through design, research, product thinking, storytelling, community knowledge or simply an interest in the topic.

If you do want to code, go for it.

Using AI tools to help you brainstorm, research, design or code is absolutely allowed.

Before the Hackathon

Because we only have one day, we encourage participants to already think a little about the challenge beforehand.

You can:

• read some of the suggested resources
• think about situations where learning technology feels unnecessarily difficult
• look at existing learning communities or initiatives in your city
• think about people who might currently be excluded from technological developments
• come with an initial idea you would like to explore

But preparation is completely optional. You can also arrive without an idea and develop one together with others during the hackathon.

What to Bring

Please bring:

• a laptop if you have one
• a charger
• anything you normally use for designing, coding or taking notes
• curiosity and willingness to experiment

Depending on your project, useful tools could include:

Figma, FigJam, Canva, Miro or even pen and paper.

Whatever tools and programming languages you are comfortable with. Simple HTML/CSS/JavaScript projects are just as welcome as more complex applications.

ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, GitHub Copilot or other AI tools you already use.

Tools such as Framer, Webflow, Lovable, Bolt or similar platforms can be useful if you want to turn an idea into a prototype quickly.

There is no required tech stack and no required format.

Choose whatever helps you explore and communicate your idea within the day.

There will be different difficulty levels, so everybody can play along, no matter how experienced you are. In particular, absolute beginners are also encouraged to join.

First, there will be a general introduction to the track and ethical hacking. Then, we will briefly walk though a challenge from each area, so you know what to expect. Afterwards, we will form small groups and have different tables for different topics and challenges. The idea is that everybody in the group works together on the same problem, so you can learn from each other and share your experience and knowledge.

Many challenges do not require any special setup. Just bring your laptop and charger and you'll be ready. If you pick a challenge that does, we'll go through the setup together, so you can start out too. If you already have Docker installed it's a plus, if you have a Kali Linux VM, you should be fully covered for any possible challenge, but again, many challenges are accessible just with your browser and standard tools, so don't worry.

If you find out that you picked the wrong topic, don't worry, you can still switch around during the day. We will also take some time to do some reflection, look at cool solutions, useful tools and share what we learned.

In short, it's a Collective Cybersecurity Challenge Contemplation Convention!

Sneak Peak