AccroNex 2026 · University of Vavuniya · 5 November 2026
Build beyond
limits.
A one-day hackathon at the University of Vavuniya where student talent meets real-world technology. Form a team of 3–4 from any faculty, pitch a solution to any real problem to get in, and build live at the Faculty of Technological Studies.
- 1 day
- of building, Thu 5 Nov
- 3–4
- members per team
- 20
- finalist teams max
- 3
- faculties invited
The problem statement is sealed.
Registration is open innovation: pitch any real problem to get in. The finale is different: its theme and problem statements are decrypted live at the opening ceremony and appear here at the same second. Nobody, including the mentors, sees them earlier.
> theme: open innovation (screening only)
> problem statements: encrypted
> unlock: Thu 5 Nov, 08:00 on stage
> status: awaiting keyholder
From sign-up to stage
Five milestones between now and the closing ceremony. Every date is Sri Lanka time and enforced by the platform, so a form closes at the deadline even if your browser still shows it.
2 Oct 2026
Theme announced
“Open Innovation: solve a real problem for real people”: pitch any real problem to get in. The finale theme stays sealed in the Vault.
2 Oct 2026 → 10 Oct 2026
Register and pitch
One form per team of 3–4: members, skills, past work and your idea for a real problem you choose. No prototype needed.
11 Oct 2026 → 14 Oct 2026
Selection
The panel reads every registration. If places are tight, close teams sit a short logic quiz as a tiebreaker.
15 Oct 2026
Finalists announced
Up to 20 teams, plus a waitlist. Every member gets the result by SMS. Finalists confirm their team and meal choices by 18 Oct.
5 Nov 2026 → 5 Nov 2026
Grand finale
One full day at the University of Vavuniya: the Vault opens in the morning, you build through the day, and pitch and defend your code before the awards.
LKR 45,000 in cash, medals, and one sealed surprise.
Awarded at the closing ceremony on 5 November.
Runner-up
LKR 15,000
- Medals for every member
- Certificates
- Champions
Winner
LKR 30,000
- Winner medals for every member
- Certificates
- A surprise gift, revealed on stage
2nd runner-up
Medals & certificates
- Medals for every member
- Certificates
The winners' surprise winners only · 5 Nov · 20:30
Sealed until the closing ceremony. Not a gadget, and worth more than the cheque.
Every finalist team
Certificate of participation · AccroNex 2026 stickers · Meals and refreshments through the day
Built live, or not at all
We can't watch twenty teams for a month, so we designed the event so that early work is worthless, live work is visible, and the tools you use are up to you.
Two-level reveal
To get in, you pitch any real problem you choose. The finale theme and statements are different, with constraints nobody can guess, and unlock on stage.
Fresh repo at H-zero
Each team's repository is created inside the AccroNex GitHub organisation at the reveal. The first commit is your time zero and the history is evidence.
Progress checkpoints
A one-minute recording and two lines of progress from the dashboard at set times during the day. Twenty percent of the score is consistent progress, not a finished product on the first morning.
The twist
After lunch the Vault opens again with one added requirement. Pre-built solutions bend badly; live-built ones adapt.
Own the build
In the final pitch a judge picks any part of the product and any team member to walk through how it works and why. Similarity scans run across all finalist repositories.
AI is welcome
ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, Cursor, Lovable: use whatever you like, for anything. We judge what you ship and how well you understand it, not how many lines you typed.
Put your brand in front of the region's next builders
Three packages, from LKR 30,000 to LKR 100,000, each with a campaign across the website, social media, the stage and the kit.
- PlatinumLKR 100,000“Build Beyond Limits Partner”
Premium placement everywhere, a prime booth, and the stage.
- GoldLKR 75,000“Innovation Partner”
Strong visibility with direct engagement alongside participants.
- SilverLKR 30,000“Supporting Innovation Partner”
Cost-effective visibility for organisations backing student innovation.
Who's behind AccroNex
Questions students ask first
Who can take part in AccroNex 2026?
Any current undergraduate of the University of Vavuniya, from any of the three faculties (Technological Studies, Applied Science, Business Studies) and any academic year. Each member registers with their student ID, and student cards are checked at check-in.
Do I need to be a programmer?
No. Strong teams mix builders with designers, analysts and people who understand the problem. The judges expect a working prototype, and AI tools make that reachable for far more people than before, but at least one member should be comfortable running, debugging and explaining code.
How big is a team?
Three or four members, from any mix of faculties and years. One person creates an account and fills in the registration for the whole team, and one member is named team leader as the primary contact.
Can I join more than one team?
No. Each student ID can be registered in one team per edition, and team names must be unique. The form tells you straight away if either is already taken.
What is the theme, and what does theme-based mean?
Registration is open innovation: your team picks any real problem with real people behind it, in any domain, and pitches how you would solve it. The finale is different: its theme and problem statements stay sealed in the Vault and are revealed live at the opening ceremony on 5 November. Nobody sees them earlier, so nothing can be pre-built.
Build beyond limits
Your team.
One day. One stage.
Registration is free and takes ten minutes. Bring two or three friends from any faculty.