Hack Hydra: The HydraDB Open Source Hackathon
Build with the HydraDB open-source repo. Compete for $5,000 in prizes.
About
As we prepare for our open-source launch we are inviting developers globally to see what they can build with it from August 12-20, 2026. We are looking for projects that go beyond a quick demo. Build something technically interesting, genuinely useful, or completely unexpected. How it works The HydraDB open-source repository will be available when the hackathon goes live. The official challenge brief and complete submission requirements will be announced ahead of kickoff. Build individually or with a team during the hackathon. Submit your finished project by the submission deadline. Selected projects will be reviewed by the HydraDB team and our judging panel. What can I build? The official hackathon challenge will be revealed alongside the launch. Expect a problem designed to reward teams that use HydraDB meaningfully. Technical depth, originality, execution, and what your project makes possible will be rewarded. Prize Pool: $5k in total prizes. Final prize distribution and judging criteria to be published before submissions open. Who should participate? Open to everyone, but you should definitely join if you’re: an AI/ML engineer or software engineer looking for something new to build building AI agents or AI-native applications experimenting with memory, context retrieval, or knowledge systems interested in graph-based infrastructure a student who wants to ship an ambitious technical project an open-source builder who likes exploring new infrastructure Timeline: August 12: Hackathon begins + HydraDB OS repo launch August 12-20: Build August 20: Final submissions due (11:59 PM PT) Following submissions: Judging + winner announcements This is a fully online hackathon. Registration is free. Bring an idea and your curiosity and get ready to build! About HydraDB: HydraDB is the graph AI runs on. Built on object storage for 10x lower cost and serious speed, it powers ontologies, agent memory, company brains, and context graphs, with live connectors for Slack, Notion, GitHub, and Gmail. The company is backed by Sky9 Capital and super angels including Jeff Dean, Nikesh Arora, Gokul Rajaram, Wade Foster.
This hackathon has ended