AI giants unite in Singapore to back local coding talent for the region’s largest-ever 24-hour hackathon

Started by just five founders and operators from Singapore’s startup ecosystem, the 24-hour event to code with AI has already gathered more than 900 applications through word of mouth.

SINGAPORE, 16 OCT 2025: Singapore will become the first place where the world’s leading AI companies (Cursor, DeepMind, OpenAI, Anthropic, Supabase and more) will come together under one roof for 24 hours to empower the next generation of builders.

“It’s the first time you’ll see all these AI leaders in one place, even in the US, that never happens. They’re showing up in person to teach, guide, and champion new talent, not just sending logos. That says a lot about where the next wave of innovation will come from. It’s a signal: global AI leaders are investing in the grassroots talent coming out of Singapore.”

— Agrim Singh, Cursor Ambassador and event co-organiser of the Cursor Hackathon (and a startup founder)

With more than 900 participants registered, the 24-hour Cursor Hackathon on 18 Oct hosted at the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), is already one of the largest hackathons in Asia.

Cursor, DeepMind, OpenAI, Anthropic, and Supabase have rarely shared the same stage. Their participation in Singapore marks an unprecedented moment of cooperation in the global AI community.

The event has grown from a zero-budget idea into a 900-strong movement of builders, students, and founders; with some flying in from as far as Amsterdam and the Valley. A team with father-and-two-children (ages 13 and 18) is competing alongside seasoned engineers and founders, showing how inclusive the next generation of AI creation can be.

Backed by over US $100,000 in combined prizes from the likes of Cursor, DeepMind, OpenAI and Anthropic, the event was built to close the AI divide by giving students, developers, and first-time builders direct access to cutting-edge tools, mentorship, and workshops from the people shaping the global AI frontier.

Leaders from the AI brands will lead lightning workshops to support hands-on upskilling and judging live demos will be Lee Robinson, VP of Developer Experience at Cursor, and Heejin Cho, Go-To-Market Lead at OpenAI, among others. The joint presence of these industry heavyweights signals a shared belief that the future of AI progress depends on open collaboration and accessible education.

“It doesn’t matter if you have 30 years or 30 days of experience, we’re still under the same roof to build something cool. We want to make AI accessible, to fight gatekeeping and open doors for anyone who wants to build. When a family can hack next to startup founders, you know something real is happening.”

— Sherry Jiang, Cursor Ambassador and co-organiser of the Cursor Hackathon (and a startup founder)

Workshops and social coding sessions will run overnight, with snack stations, music, and community-driven challenges to make AI approachable and fun.

Singapore already ranks among the most AI-adopting nations, with one in four residents using ChatGPT. The hackathon amplifies that momentum — positioning the city-state as a live testbed where the world’s biggest AI companies collaborate, not compete, to nurture Asia’s emerging developer ecosystem.

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For press enquiries and requests, please contact: Rachael De Foe ([email protected])

We can provide: interview access, participant stories, images, footage, and real-time stats from the event.

About the Hackathon#

The Singapore AI Hackathon 2025 brings together developers, students, and enthusiasts to build real-world AI solutions over 24 hours at the Singapore University of Technology and Design. The event is independently organised by local community leaders with support from Cursor, DeepMind, OpenAI, Anthropic and Supabase.