10 years of AI for Access Hackathon
Vibe Coding × Domain Expertise — build your prototype with AI.
10 Years. 10 Hours. 10× Output.
AI for Access — a double promise.
Access for Users
AI-powered products create access to healthcare, law, education, work, and community — for everyone, regardless of language, background, or digital skills.
Access to Software Development
AI tools like Claude, Cursor, and Lovable lower the barrier so that domain experts can build working prototypes — without ever writing a line of code.
Three paths to your project.
Company Challenge
Sponsor companies submit concrete problem statements. You choose freely on Friday evening.
Your Own Idea
Bring your idea and find a team on Friday evening.
If you want to work on your own idea, you must submit it as a challenge beforehand.
Note: Unlike company challenges, individual ideas are not pre-screened for impact. This can result in a lower score for the impact criterion.
Spontaneous
Come without an idea and join a team — at a challenge or a pitched idea.
Digi-Coach
Digital InclusionAI assistant for digitally excluded people — step-by-step through online processes.
Access Law
Legal TechMake legal questions understandable — tenant law, labor law, insurance.
Barrier-Free Bern
AccessibilityAccessibility checker for public services — AI scans websites, suggests improvements.
Authority Navigator
IntegrationExplain official letters, translate, convert into todo lists.
Health Access
HealthPrepare doctor visits — symptoms in your language, translate medical terms.
Skill Match
EmploymentCV → skill profile → match with Swiss job titles.
2 Days. 10 Hours. Your Prototype.
Get to know your Team
Ahead of the event: meet your team online — or find one if you don't have one yet. Details via email & Discord.
Friday — Warm-up
Arrive, networking, food
10 years Powercoders, AI for Access thesis
Company challenges, 60-second pitches, teams form
What can we realistically build in 10 hours?
Good night — tomorrow we hack!
Saturday — Hack Day
12hDoors Open & Coffee
Setup, arrive
Hack Start
10-hour countdown begins — crash-course videos (AI & vibe coding, MVP thinking) available on demand anytime
Mentor Check-in
Brief status check per team
Lunch
Keep working if you want
Yoga & Break
14:00–14:45 · Guided yoga & stretching — clear your head
Mentor Check-in
Status update per team
Code Freeze
Submit prototypes, prepare pitches
Jury Speedrun
Jury nominates the top 10
Pitches
Top 10 · 3 min demo + 2 min jury Q&A, live voting
Awards & Apéro
Ceremony, networking, celebration
End
Thanks & safe travels 🥳
Who's missing if you don't come?
Your knowledge is the code. This hackathon is intentionally for a broad, interdisciplinary audience.
Domain Experts
Your expertise + AI = a prototype in 10 hours.
Designers
User experience decides impact.
Developers
Build in a day what usually takes weeks.
Product Managers
From problem to pitch in 10 hours.
Students
Portfolio project, network, and pizza. In one day.
Powercoders Alumni
10 years of community. Your network awaits.
Newcomers
Show what you can do. Not where you're from.
Career Changers
Your first tech prototype — in one weekend.
You're never alone.
Experienced mentors support you all day — not just with code, but also with ideas, design, and pitching.
AI Sherpas
Specialized in AI tools. They sit with you and show how to build your prototype with Claude, Cursor, or ChatGPT — whether you're a doctor, lawyer, or designer.
Domain Mentors
Experts from healthcare, law, education, and integration. They help you sharpen your problem and find the right target audience.
Tech Mentors
Developers helping with architecture, APIs, and deployment. For the tricky technical questions.
Pitch Coach
Available from 4 PM. Helps you convince in 3 minutes: Problem, Demo, Impact.
More than a trophy.
Grand Prize
Best overall project — with prize money to keep building.
Best Newcomer Impact
Projects with clear integration impact
Audience Award
Live voting during pitches
Every project gets a base score on four questions: Desirable, Viable, Feasible, Ethical. The four criteria above summarize that score. Weights will be published here before the event. The final score is 50% jury and 50% live vote by all participants.
Powercoders × Tech & Beyond
Powercoders
OrganizerPowercoders is a non-profit program enabling refugees and migrants to enter the tech industry. Since 2016, over 500 graduates have launched careers in IT. For their 10th anniversary, Powercoders organizes this hackathon — a statement that AI further democratizes access.
powercoders.org →
Jonas Österle
Tech & BeyondJonas builds MVPs with an AI-first workflow — a one-person product team using Claude, Cursor & Co. as his architect toolkit. 7+ years in enterprise development (Full-Stack, .NET, Azure), then the leap to building his own products. He is the initiator and technical host of this hackathon: mentoring, AI tool setup, and proving that interdisciplinary teams can build real prototypes in 10 hours.
Achieve more together.
Main Sponsor
AI Sponsors
Challenge Sponsors
Micro Sponsors
Community
Stadtkloster Frieden
Fun fact: The venue is a repurposed 1920s church — 20-meter ceilings, 800 seats, and a unique atmosphere for creative work.
Built 1918–1920. Reformed Friedenskirche. 800 seats. 20-meter nave. Revived as a city monastery since 2022.
Frequently Asked Questions.
Do I need to know how to code? +
No! This hackathon is deliberately for non-coders too. Domain expertise, design skills, and business thinking are just as valuable. AI tools make the technical part accessible.
How much does it cost? +
Participation is free. Catering (Friday evening snacks, Saturday lunch + snacks) is included.
What language is the hackathon in? +
The hackathon is bilingual (German and English). Teams organize in whatever language works best.
Do I need to bring a team? +
No. Team formation happens on Friday evening. You can come alone and join a team.
What should I bring? +
Your laptop (charged + charger), headphones, and good energy. WiFi, power, and catering are provided. Tip: Create accounts for Claude, ChatGPT, and Cursor beforehand — it saves valuable hack time on Saturday.
Who organizes the hackathon? +
The hackathon is organized by Powercoders — on the occasion of their 10th anniversary. Powercoders is a non-profit program that helps refugees enter the tech industry.
Do I need to stay overnight? +
No. Friday ends around 9 PM, Saturday starts at 9 AM. If you're not from Bern, we recommend booking accommodation nearby.
What happens to projects after the hackathon? +
All teams keep their intellectual property (IP). There is no IP claim by sponsors or organizers. Promising projects can be developed further through the Powercoders network.
How big are the teams? +
Ideally 3–5 people per team. Friday evening team formation ensures a good mix of different skills.