About This Hackathon

AI & Robotics Hackathon 2026

Co-Hosted by Bangkok Bank and the MIT Media Lab | Bangkok, Thailand

Building Better Futures: Reimagining the Next Era of Manufacturing, Food, Work, and Learning

Building on the success of the inaugural AI & Robotics Hackathon in 2025, Bangkok Bank and the MIT Media Lab are joining forces once again in 2026 to bring together the next generation of innovators, creators, entrepreneurs, and problem-solvers.

This year marks an exciting new chapter, with Bangkok Bank joining the MIT Media Lab as an official co-host, further strengthening the collaboration and expanding opportunities for participants to engage directly with faculty, researchers, and students from one of the world's leading interdisciplinary research and innovation communities.

Under the theme "Building Better Futures," participants will explore how artificial intelligence, robotics, and emerging technologies can address real-world challenges, unlock new possibilities, and shape a more innovative, sustainable, and human-centered future.

Four Innovation Challenge Tracks

Participants will be invited to develop bold ideas and innovative solutions across four interconnected challenge tracks:

• Future of Manufacturing – Reimagining the factories, supply chains, and production systems of tomorrow through intelligent automation, advanced robotics, and human-machine collaboration.
• Future of Food – Transforming how we grow, produce, distribute, and experience food through emerging technologies, sustainable practices, and innovative solutions.
• Future of Work – Redefining how people work, collaborate, and create value in an increasingly AI-enabled world, while exploring new opportunities for human creativity, productivity, and well-being.
• Future of Learning – Envisioning new approaches to education, skill development, and lifelong learning through AI, immersive technologies, and personalized learning experiences.

Three Days of Innovation, Collaboration, and Discovery

The hackathon will take place over three intensive days at Cloud 11 in Bangkok, bringing together participants from diverse backgrounds to collaborate in interdisciplinary teams, exchange perspectives, and transform ambitious ideas into innovative solutions.

Throughout the program, participants will have opportunities to:

• Collaborate across disciplines with fellow innovators, technologists, designers, entrepreneurs, and creative thinkers.
• Engage with the MIT Media Lab community, receiving mentorship and insights from faculty, researchers, and students.
• Explore emerging technologies and discover how advances in AI, robotics, and interdisciplinary research can inspire practical solutions to real-world challenges.
• Develop and refine innovative concepts, combining technical expertise, creativity, and entrepreneurial thinking.
• Present their solutions to a panel of judges, showcasing their ideas and potential for meaningful impact.

To encourage connections and collaboration from the outset, participants will also be invited to a networking reception on the evening preceding the hackathon, providing an opportunity to meet fellow participants, organizers, and representatives from Bangkok Bank and the MIT Media Lab.

Participation in the entire program, including the networking reception and all three days of the hackathon, is required to ensure a meaningful, immersive, and collaborative experience for everyone involved.

More Than a Competition

The AI & Robotics Hackathon 2026 is more than a competition. It is an opportunity to challenge conventional thinking, explore new possibilities, and connect with a global community of innovators committed to shaping the future.

By bringing together the MIT Media Lab's interdisciplinary research culture, Bangkok Bank's commitment to innovation, and the creativity and ambition of participants, the hackathon aims to inspire solutions that extend beyond the event itself.

Whether your passion lies in technology, design, entrepreneurship, or social impact, this is an opportunity to learn, experiment, collaborate, and contribute to building a better future.

The future is not something we wait for. It's something we build together.

Schedule 

• December 14 – Morning icebreaker session with hackathon participants on the 29th floor, followed by an immersion session on the 30th floor at Bangkok Bank. The day will conclude with an evening reception aboard the Saffron Cruise, beginning at approximately 19:00.
• December 15 – Official opening ceremony and launch of the hackathon.
• December 16–17 – Hackathon activities, including team collaboration and project development.
• December 18 – Final project presentations, followed by the award ceremony.