Terrible Ideas Hackathon!

DATE UPDATE - NOW RUNNING JUNE 2026!

Terrible Ideas happen everywhere – from pottery to programming. This event is a challenge to create the most terrible, awful, brilliant ideas you can think of! From robot-driven tattoo guns and soleless Jandals to vegemite-flavoured fudge and a camera that only takes a photo when you're blinking, join us in a celebration of failure, creativity, and stupid, terrible decisions.

Keen for a look at past hackathons? Watch this wrap reel from our event last October.

As always, this event runs in Sydney, Auckland, and London. This Eventbrite is for the UNSW Sydney venue.

The hackathon lasts for 46 hours starting on Friday at 6pm. "Pens-down" is Sunday at 5pm. There will be a chance to showcase work and an awards ceremony too! Showcase exclusive tickets are also available Sunday 5pm - 6:30pm. The event space will be closed overnight Friday and Saturday.

We will have the MCIC makerspace available for building and the MCIC events space with tables and chairs for working on projects. If there is anything specific you'd like to use for your project feel free to bring it in! This could include laptops, art supplies, desktop PCs, tools, or electronics! Multi plugs and extension cords could be useful too!

What's a hackathon without food? Breakfast, lunch and dinner will be provided for all attendees!

This hackathon has been run globally in New Zealand, Sydney, and London with a huge amount of success and now we're back! Here's the website where you can see some previous terrible projects! https://terriblehack.com/

Code of conduct: https://terriblehack.com/code-of-conduct/

Questions? 1) Check the FAQ below 2) Send an email to: hamish.mcfarlane@unsw.edu.au

As Australia's leading university-based entrepreneurial program, UNSW Founders has a proven track record of success. Since its inception in 2018, the program has supported 200+ startups every year, provided entrepreneurial skills training to 25,000+ individuals, provided over 10,000 coaching and mentoring sessions, and incubated (co-located) 70+ startups on campus to foster collaboration with the UNSW business, industry, academic, and research networks.

By registering for this event, you grant UNSW Founders full rights to use the images from any photography/video footage for publicity and education purposes. This may include (but is not limited to), the right to use them in their printed and online publicity, coursework presentations, social media and press releases. If you do not wish to be photographed, please inform an event organiser.