HACKERS & RAVERS _ May 30 _ Wintercircus Ghent

// What is this

Code all night.
Dance till dawn.

Hackers & Ravers is a 12-hour AI hackathon fused with a proper rave party — co-organised by Soda & Wintercircus Gent, in partnership with Google, Lovable, Anthropic & Scaleup Flanders, inside the iconic Wintercircus dome in Ghent. Build with AI, ship something wild, and celebrate with 200 people who just pulled the same all-nighter you did.

Bring your team, your data, and your wildest ideas. Use Soda Straw to connect to the tools and data you need — then build agents, dashboards, apps, or anything else you can dream up in 12 hours.

Whether you're an engineer, designer, data scientist, ops lead, or just dangerously curious — if you can hack and you can dance, this is your event.

Hacker with CRT monitor, glitch aesthetic

// Who is this for

Two ways in

Whether you're sending a company team or coming on your own — there's a spot for you.

>_

Enrol your company

Send a team from your company. Connect your tools to Soda Straw before the event so you can start building the moment you arrive. The best teams mix developers with business people — and everyone builds.

Enrol a team

Mix developers with business people

//

Join as individual

Developer, data scientist, designer, student, or just dangerously curious? Apply solo and we'll match you with a team at the event. Bring your skills, learn new ones, and build something you couldn't build alone.

Apply solo

All backgrounds welcome

// How it works

From zero to shipped in 12h

Connect your data

Before the hackathon, connect your company tools — CRM, databases, spreadsheets, APIs — to Soda Straw. No API keys to manage. Your data is ready when you are.

Before the event

Build with AI

Use Claude Code, your favourite IDE, or any tool you want. Via the Soda Straw MCP, your agents instantly access all your connected data. 12 hours to build something that changes how your team works.

During the hackathon

Ship & celebrate

Demo what you built. An AI evaluator scores every project. Top teams pitch to a live jury. Winners get prizes. Then the bass drops.

Saturday evening

// Schedule

The program

Two days. One venue. Full schedule coming soon — here's the outline.

Sat May 30 _ 09:00

Doors Open

Check in, find your spot, meet your fellow hackers. Team formation for solo participants.

Sat May 30 _ 10:00

Kickoff & Hacking Starts

Opening presentations at 10:00, then keyboards out. The 12-hour clock starts.

Sat May 30 _ 20:00

Hacking Stops — Demos

Keyboards down. AI evaluator ranks every project. Top teams pitch live.

Sat May 30 _ 21:30

Awards

Prize ceremony & drinks. This part is open to a wider audience — invite your colleagues and friends. Registration required.

Sat May 30 _ 22:00

The Rave

DJ sets, lights, and everyone together on the dance floor. You built it. Now dance.

// Partners

Brought to you by

Soda soda.io → &

Wintercircus Gent wintercircus.be →

In partnership with

startup.google.com →

lovable.dev →

anthropic.com →

scaleupflanders.com →

// Become a partner

Want to partner with us to empower this event?

anton.wouters@soda.io

// How we judge

AI scores. Humans decide.

Every project gets evaluated by an AI across multiple dimensions. The highest-rated teams pitch live in front of a jury. Three winners walk away with exciting prizes.

// Prizes

What you win

Besides bragging rights and serotonin.

The prize pool

To be announced

Expect hardware, software, and a few surprises.

+ Final prizes and how they're distributed — revealed closer to the event • + All participants get Soda Straw credits

// The venue

Wintercircus,
Ghent

Built as a 19th-century circus hall, Wintercircus is a landmark domed venue in the heart of Ghent. Iron beams, stained glass, and a wide-open floor — the perfect stage for 12 hours of building, and the rave that closes it.

// FAQ

Got questions?

What's the ideal team?

A group from the same company: a mix of developers and business people (finance, ops, marketing, legal). Everyone builds — AI levels the field, so the people who know the problems are just as capable of shipping the solutions. Solo hackers are welcome too — we'll help you form a team.

Do I need to know how to code?

Not necessarily. AI is the great equalizer. Business people who understand the problem are just as valuable as engineers. The best teams combine both. If you can describe what you need, AI can help you build it.

What is Soda Straw?

Soda Straw is data access management for AI agents — and humans too. It lets you connect to your company data (CRMs, databases, APIs, spreadsheets) and share those connections without managing API keys. Agents and people get instant access to the data they need.

Do I need to connect my company data?

It's strongly recommended. The most impactful projects will use real company data to solve real problems. Connect your tools to Soda Straw before the event so you can start building immediately. We'll help you set this up.

How does the selection work?

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. We're looking for a balanced mix: business people, technical people, and teams that can connect real data. We'll review your application based on the information you provide in the form.

What should I bring?

Laptop, charger, headphones, a hoodie (it's a 19th-century building), and optionally a sleeping bag for power naps. Pre-connect your company tools to Soda Straw before arriving.

Where is Wintercircus?

Wintercircus is a landmark venue in the center of Ghent, Belgium. Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 11. Quick tram ride from Gent-Sint-Pieters station.

Do I need AI experience?

No. We'll have workshops, mentors, and Soda Straw does the heavy lifting for data access. Come curious and ready to learn. Some of the best hacks come from people who see the problem differently.

Code all night.Dance till dawn.