This hackathon is designed to show how AI effectively solves real business problems.

Rather than building abstract demos, each team will select a concrete business challenge relevant to SMEs or enterprises — and work on developing a practical AI-driven solution to address it.

From operational inefficiencies to customer engagement, decision-making, or workflow optimisation, the focus is on real use cases, real constraints, and real impact.

By the end of the day, the goal is not just to explore ideas — but to build working solutions that could genuinely be deployed in a business context.

What makes this different?

This is not a typical hackathon focused on experimentation for its own sake.
We are bringing together a curated group of participants, partners, and mentors to build practical, business-ready AI solutions.

👉 Quality over volume — participation is selective
👉 Real challenges — defined by industry partners
👉 Hands-on delivery — not just ideas, but working prototypes

Focus Areas

Participants will work on high-impact, business-relevant themes:

AI agents and intelligent automation
Workflow automation at scale
Real SME and enterprise use cases

How it works

Teams will be formed around clearly defined challenges and supported throughout the day by experienced mentors.

You will:

Collaborate with a curated group of builders, operators, and AI practitioners
Work on partner-led challenges grounded in real business needs
Receive guidance by Mentors for quick & efficient delivery
Build and present a working prototype

Expected Outcomes

By the end of the day, teams will have:

Working, demonstrable prototypes
Practical and replicable use cases
Early-stage validation for real business problems
Exposure to partners and decision-makers

Selected solutions will present their solutions at the Executive Event during the Oxford Tech Week at Said Business School on 27 May 2026.

Who should attend?

This event is designed for:

AI engineers, developers, and builders
Product managers and technical founders
Innovation and transformation leads
Operators looking to apply AI in real business contexts

If you are interested in building — not just discussing — AI for business, this is for you.

Agenda Overview

09:00 – 09:20 Registration & Opening Notes
09:20 – 10:00 Themes & Tools — Partner Introductions & Challenge Briefings
10:00 – 10:30 Team Formation, Mentor Assignment & Project Selection
10:30 – 13:00 Team Work — Part 1
13:00 – 14:00 Working Lunch & Networking
14:00 – 17:00 Team Work — Part 2
17:00 – 18:00 Project Presentations & Q&A
18:00 – 18:30 Closing Remarks, Awards & Next Steps

Important Note

Due to the curated nature of this event, applications will be reviewed, and places will be confirmed to ensure the right mix of skills, experience, and perspectives.

Hackathon - Building AI For Business (Oxford)