ElevenLabs Global Hackathon Handbook

One Night. Thirty Cities. Building the Future of Conversation.

Welcome to the ElevenLabs Global Hackathon, powered by AI Tinkerers. You’re joining builders across 30 cities worldwide to explore the frontier of Conversational Agents — systems that can speak, listen, and collaborate as naturally as we do.
This guide will help you navigate the evening, understand what’s expected, and get inspired for what to build.

Goals

• Push the boundaries of what’s possible in conversational AI.
• Build and demo a running project — not slides, not mockups.
• Experiment with tools from ElevenLabs and partner sponsors to create new ways humans and AI communicate.
• Connect with other top-tier builders in your city and beyond.

Theme: Conversational Agents

Your mission: build something that talks back — and means it.

• Turn browsers, voices, and APIs into agents that act on intent, respond in real-time, and evolve through interaction.

Some starting points:

• Voice-to-voice or multimodal agents that listen, reason, and respond.
• Real-world assistants that combine voice, vision, and action.
• Tools that help creators, educators, or teams collaborate with AI voices.
• Experiments that push conversation beyond text — ambient, embodied, or emotional interfaces.

The only limit is your imagination (and the four-hour clock).

If you’d like some further inspiration for projects or ways to get started, check out this list of ElevenLabs projects from their showcase. https://showcase.elevenlabs.io/

Getting Started

Bring your laptop, charger, and an open mind. You’ll form a team, build something from scratch, and demo it live by the end of the night.

• Team Size: 2 – 4 people
• Project Type: New work only — you may use open-source and public APIs, but projects must be built during the hackathon window.
• Tech Stack: Anything goes. You’re encouraged (but not required) to build with sponsor technologies — especially if you want to compete for special track prizes.
• Collaboration Tools: All participants will receive free access to Miro to brainstorm and map ideas before and during the event.

Check back soon for onboarding links and sponsor API credits.

Tools & Partner Tracks

You’ll have the freedom to use any tools you like — but special prizes are available for the best use of partner technologies, including:

• n8n — automation and workflow orchestration
• Bolt — rapid backend deployment
• BlackBox — AI-powered coding tools
• CodeRabbit — AI code review and pair-programming
• Clerk — authentication & user management
  Check the local event page for updates and partner documentation as they’re released.

Judging

Each city will have its own local judges who select top teams. Local winners will automatically advance to the global finalist pool, judged by an international panel including the ElevenLabs founders and partners.

Global Prizes

🏆 Global Winner

• Dinner with the ElevenLabs founding team in London
• Present your project at the ElevenLabs Summit
• 111 million ElevenLabs credits
  And more surprises to come

🥇 1st Place (All Locations): Apple AirPods, $6k in Stripe Credits
🥈 2nd & 3rd Place: Local prizes announced at each venue
🎖️ Special Awards: Best use of n8n · Bolt · BlackBox · CodeRabbit · Clerk

Submission Requirements

• Submit a GitHub link including all relevant code and a README describing your build and setup.
• A short demo video (≤ 2 minutes) is strongly encouraged — it helps judges and the global audience understand your work.
• Make sure your repo clearly notes any open-source tools or APIs used.
• Only work done during the hackathon will be considered.

Rules

• All participants must attend in person — no remote entries.
• Projects must be created from scratch during the event window.
• Teams must consist of 2–4 builders.
• You own all IP created during the hackathon.
• You may use open-source libraries and publicly available APIs, including those from sponsors.
• Any projects using private or pre-existing code must clearly document what was pre-built.

Code of Conduct

We’re committed to maintaining a welcoming, inclusive, and builder-focused environment across all cities.
Please:

• Treat all participants with respect and professionalism.
• Work collaboratively — share, learn, and help others build.
• Avoid harassment, discrimination, or disruptive behavior of any kind.
• Follow sponsor platform policies and venue guidelines.
  Violations may result in removal from the event. If you experience or witness behavior that violates this policy, please find an organizer or report it immediately.

Media & Recording

Photos and video may be taken during the event. By attending, you consent to appear in event photography or social media coverage. If you need a photo removed, please contact your local organizer after the event.

Questions & Support

• Ask questions, get technical help, connected with fellow builders, and share your progress on the event message board

Final Thoughts

Across 30 cities, thousands of voices will build, speak, and create in sync. This night isn’t about competition — it’s about discovery.
We’re at the dawn of a new interface for human creativity: one where conversation itself becomes code. Let’s build the systems that make that future possible.
See you on December 11.
Let’s make AI talk back.