NandaHack: Agentic AI Hackathon
HCLTech and MIT Media Lab
Credit Sponsors: OpenAI Codex
Build a system, tool, or layer that fixes a real bottleneck in how AI agents are deployed, coordinated, or scaled.
March 27 – May 7, 2026
What is the Agentic AI Hackathon?
A hackathon to build the missing infrastructure layer for AI agents
The Challenge
Six arenas. Escalating difficulty. Your agents must deploy, coordinate, trade, reason, and survive adversarial attacks. Not another chatbot. A battle-tested proving ground.
Why It Matters
The agent ecosystem is growing fast, but the infrastructure hasn't kept up. Coordination is ad-hoc. Memory is siloed. Communication is fragmented. We need builders who fix the plumbing.
What We're Looking For
Battle-tested agents that survive real pressure. Not slideware. Not vaporware. Agents that deploy, coordinate, trade, and defend under adversarial conditions.
Built on NEST
All agents are deployed on NEST infrastructure. Your solution should be compatible with and deployable on the NEST platform, ensuring real-world usability from day one.
About the Event
Solve core AI agent infrastructure problems. Build systems, tools, and layers that fix real bottlenecks in how AI agents are deployed, coordinated, and scaled.
The Challenge
Build agent infra so good that a generic AI can use it with zero custom integration
The “internet of agents” only works if infrastructure is good enough that any agent can use it without bespoke integration. That's exactly what we test. On demo day, a stock OpenClaw agent gets your instructions and tries to use what you built — live, in front of judges. No hand-holding. No custom glue code. It either works or it doesn't.
Build Infra
Teams build infrastructure projects for AI agents — wallets, registries, auth layers, coordination protocols, and more.
Demo Day
Judges spin up a stock, unmodified OpenClaw agent. No custom integrations. No special wrappers. Just a generic agent out of the box.
Plain English Test
The judge tells the agent in plain English to use your infra. If it can follow your instructions and interact with your project, it works. If it can't, it doesn't.
Live Demo — Pass / Fail
Can a generic agent actually use your infra from plain-English instructions alone? Concrete, objective, and on the spot.
Ambition & Vision
Subjective points for the scope of the problem you tackled and the boldness of your approach. Big swings matter.
Challenge Tracks
Two tracks. Choose one or combine across both.
Pipeline Impact Mapping
Build AI solutions that directly map to enterprise pipeline and revenue generation.
| Track | What It Builds | Pipeline Impact | Revenue Lever |
|---|---|---|---|
| Client 0 | Internal AI agents, copilots, productivity tools | Creates proven use cases + credibility | Faster deal conversion (proof-led selling) |
| Enterprise AI (incl. Modernization) | Client-ready solutions (SAP, legacy, agents) | Generates direct qualified opportunities | Large transformation deals ($$$) |
| Sales AI Enablement (Client 0 x Enterprise) | AI-powered account insights, RFP agents | Improves deal identification + win rates | Pipeline expansion + higher conversion |
| Responsible AI | Safety, governance, red-teaming solutions | Reduces enterprise adoption friction | Unlocks regulated industry deals (BFSI, healthcare) |
| Executive AI Coaching | AI copilots for CXOs + coaching model | Opens C-suite access + strategic deals | High-value consulting + transformation programs |
Core AI Agent Infrastructure
Game of Thrones-style arena battles that stress-test real agent infrastructure. Six arenas, escalating difficulty, one grand champion.
The Forge
Deploy or die
Deploy a working agent. Speed and reliability are everything. First to ship a production-grade agent wins.
The Commons
No agent is an island
Agents share memory and coordinate to solve problems no single agent can. Build collective intelligence that actually works.
The Bazaar
Trust no one, verify everything
Agents trade services, verify identity, and settle micropayments. Build the economic layer for the agent economy.
The Gauntlet
Adapt or be forgotten
Agents face a rapid-fire series of unknown challenges. No preparation, no hints. Pure reasoning and adaptation under time pressure.
The Wall
Last agent standing
Survive adversarial attacks while completing tasks. Your agents face prompt injection, resource exhaustion, and hostile actors.
The Throne
Rule them all
Full integration challenge. Deploy, coordinate, trade, and defend. The grand champion masters every layer of the stack.
Deploy via
Judging
Timeline
Timeline
Announcement. Buildathon. Build. Awards.
Hackathon Launches
- 01Hackathon officially announced
- 02Form teams and choose an arena
- 03Start exploring the 5 arenas
- 04Prepare for the buildathon
In-Person Buildathon
- 01In-person buildathon event
- 02Kick off with fellow builders
- 03Kick off your project with your team
- 04Mentor office hours and support
- 05Start building your prototype
Keep Building
- 01Continue building after the buildathon
- 02Polish and optimize your solution
- 03Submit code, video demo, and slides
- 04Final submissions due before May 7
Award Ceremony
- 01Live demos and presentations
- 02Judging: Impact, Technical Depth, Simplicity
- 03Winners announced
- 04Celebration
How to Participate
What your submission needs to include
Choose an Arena
Pick one of the 5 arenas — from The Forge to The Throne — and prepare your agents for battle.
Build It
Write code. Deploy it. Make sure other developers can actually use what you build.
Submit
Upload your code, video demo, and slides before the deadline.
Requirements
- Must be usable by other developers — not just a demo
- Must run or be deployable — no slideware
- Show clear improvement over the status quo
- Compatible with NEST infrastructure
- All agents deployed on NEST
- Open source or clearly documented API
Judging Criteria
We value working software over fancy presentations
Impact
Does this meaningfully solve a real problem? Would other developers actually use it?
Technical Depth
Is the implementation solid? Does it demonstrate deep understanding of the problem space?
Simplicity
Is the solution elegant and easy to adopt? Can someone get started in minutes, not hours?