A hackathon for people who take real work seriously
We are identifying people we would trust on real delivery work. Not demos. Not speed. Not polish. Judgement.
Choose one track. Go deep.
Each track represents a category of real-world problem. You will identify a specific instance and develop a working artefact with a video walkthrough.
Boring Businesses, Real Leverage
Operational problems in unglamorous sectors where small improvements create real value. Logistics, manufacturing, agriculture, local services.
Track BFrom Data Exhaust to Revenue
Using existing but underutilised data to create measurable business outcomes. Internal insight tools or external data products.
Track CAI-First Products With Long Horizons
AI-enabled products in domains where trust, validation, regulation, or long timelines shape what is feasible. Healthcare, legal, education, infrastructure.
Track DAutomated Internet Businesses
Lean, AI-assisted systems designed to operate with minimal ongoing human input. Clear economics, honest about automation limits.
Thinking, not tooling
This is for you if
You care about solving real problems rather than winning prizes. You can explain trade-offs clearly. You are comfortable saying "this is out of scope." You use AI as a tool, not a substitute for thinking.
You want exposure to professional delivery standards and the possibility of paid work with people who have shipped real systems.
This is not for you if
You expect guaranteed jobs or internships. You are only interested in prize money. You rely on polish to hide weak reasoning. You believe bigger scope automatically means better work.
Incomplete artefacts with strong justification can score higher than complete artefacts with weak thinking.
From application to paid trial
Apply
Short application about your background and how you approach problems. Individual or team (up to 3).
Receive the challenge pack
Four venture tracks, fixed rules, clear submission format.
Build and submit
14-day submission window. Working artefact and video walkthrough required.
Evaluation
Scored on problem framing, solution quality, trade-offs, realism, and communication.
Technical review
Shortlisted participants invited to a 20 to 30 minute live conversation.
Paid trials
Some participants invited into 3 to 4 week paid trial projects.
Key dates
Dates will not shift once published.
First place: £250. For team submissions, prize money is split equally among team members. There are no second or third place prizes. The primary incentive is access to paid trial projects with JamboLabs.
JamboLabs is a venture studio founded by practitioners who have delivered data, AI, and operational systems for global airlines, national healthcare systems, energy companies, and FMCG organisations. We are looking for people who think the way we do.
If this sounds demanding rather than exciting, that is intentional.
We are not running a marketing exercise. We are looking for people we would trust with real work.
Apply now