Following last year’s successful launch, the 2026 Hackathon is moving into its next phase. Founders and teams with social or environmental business ideas, products, and services can apply to participate through Sunday, October 18. This free program, offered by the Department of Economic Affairs and Employment of the State Capital of Wiesbaden, supports participants in further developing their projects in a targeted manner and preparing the next steps toward implementation.

“Innovative startups make an important contribution to our city’s economic development. We want to provide a favorable environment in Wiesbaden specifically for business ideas that combine economic success with social or environmental impact. The hackathon is another building block we’re using to support founders on this journey,” emphasizes Daniela Georgi, Head of the Department of Economic Affairs.

The focus is on specific challenges from the participating projects. These may include, for example, the further development of a business model, the creation of a prototype, the development of marketing materials, or the design and visualization of a service process. Together with coaches and experts from various fields, participants will tackle individual challenges and develop solutions that are as concrete as possible.

“For us, supporting startups means not only getting good ideas off the ground, but also helping them overcome specific challenges during implementation. With the hackathon, we therefore specifically bring founders together with the experts whose expertise they need for their next step in development,” explains Birgit Knetsch, Head of the Department of Economy and Employment in Wiesbaden.

The hackathon is structured as a multi-stage program. After participants are selected, their individual challenges will first be refined and the work phase prepared. During the onboarding session on Wednesday, November 4, participants will get to know one another and prepare to work together. The actual hackathon will take place on Thursday, November 12, at the Altes Gericht. At a follow-up meeting afterward, the participants will reflect on the solutions they developed, discuss further implementation, and agree on next steps.

For those interested, a digital information session will also be offered before the program begins. It will take place on Tuesday, October 13, and will provide information about the program, the schedule, and the application process.

The application deadline is Sunday, October 18. Participation in the entire program is free of charge.

The 2026 Hackathon is organized by the Department of Economic Affairs and Employment of the State Capital of Wiesbaden. Heimathafen GmbH has been commissioned to carry out the program.

Those interested can find further information on the application process, eligibility requirements, and the program schedule at heimathafen-wiesbaden.de/hackathon-2026/ (opens in a new tab) or request it by emailing existenzgruendung@wiesbaden.de or calling (0611) 313131.