Next Level Challenge is a 24-hour hackathon organized in Leuven on 10-11 March 2026.
A competition where various partners present real-world challenges on which teams of 4-5 students develop a functional prototype, create a business plan and pitch their solution to the jury. This is followed by a reception with booths and networking opportunities. No previous coding experience is required, but it can be an advantage.
Next Level Challenge teams exist of 4-5 people. You don't have to register as a full team already, you can also participate as a smaller group or individual and we will match you with your dreamteam. People from all study fields are welcome - it can be very beneficial to form a team with different backgrounds to get more synergy and diverse perspectives! A maximum of 250 people can participate, so secure your spot in time!
The event takes place at Sportoase (Philipssite 6, 3001 Leuven) in the Stella Artois venue.
View location on Google Maps
Turn theory into practice with workshops, coaching sessions, fun activities and build something you can add to your portfolio
Compete for a +€2,000 cash prize pool while working on real business challenges
Free catering and drinks for 24 hours, plus meet new people and make connections
Each team solves one case during the 24 hours. Click on a partner to learn more! Each team solves one case during the 24 hours. Hover over a partner to learn more!
We are a leading game changer in supply chain planning solutions. The world's largest companies, including Johnson & Johnson, Procter & Gamble, and Nestlé, count on our smart software and services to optimize their supply chains. Our commitment to people and innovation is our key driver of success. That's why we continuously invest in growing talent and industry expertise. Are you ready to join over 1,500 passionate colleagues of over 67 nationalities? We work as one team from our head office in Belgium and regional offices in Brazil, China, India, the US, and other countries.
Capture is an app-based industrial data platform - developed by Vintecc - that functions as an Industrial Data Backbone for production and asset-driven environments. Vintecc has been building the Capture platform for 10 years and it has been extensively tested with clients during that time. The platform provides operational insights from the start and serves as the foundation to unleash the potential of AI in factories as well. The platform combines a strong industrial data foundation and standard functionalities with the flexibility to build custom apps and IP on top of it.
InvestSuite is a B2B-oriented company, founded in 2018 with the mission of helping financial institutions thrive in an ever-digital world. We understand the latest demands and continuously adapt our InvestTech solutions to best encompass the needs of our clients. The skills we bring onboard, the products we develop and the tech stack we built are geared to help the most demanding companies quickly enhance their digital product range and stay ahead of the competition.
Collibra frees your data from the constraints of silos by unifying data and AI governance across every system and bringing business and technical users into the fold. It gives you a higher degree of compliance paired with more autonomy, so your users can trust, comply and consume. Accelerate and strengthen every data and AI use case.
Komatsu is an industry-leading manufacturer and supplier of equipment, technologies and services for the construction, forklift, mining, industrial and forestry markets. For over a century, Komatsu equipment and services have been used by companies worldwide to develop modern infrastructure, extract fundamental minerals, maintain forests, and create technology and consumer products. The company's global service and distributor networks support customer operations, tapping into the power of data and technology to enhance safety and productivity while optimizing performance.
At Randstad Digital, we're focused on helping companies accelerate their digital enablement. We believe that this progress is driven by people, and we are passionate about creating environments where talent can grow, succeed, and drive meaningful change. We believe that innovation is a team effort and that a truly diverse team is the strongest one. Our support for this initiative reflects our commitment to empowering talent in technology and helping them achieve their full potential.
AI Partner
AI Partner
Build faster with Claude's advanced AI directly in your command line. Delegate entire coding tasks—from debugging to building new features—and watch Claude Code autonomously write, test and iterate on your solution. Perfect for hackathons where every minute counts.
Claude Code AI credits are provided to all Next Level Challenge participants. Claude Code is accessible via terminal, browser, IDE or desktop app.
Technical Partner
Technical Partner
Odoo is a suite of open-source business apps that cover all your company needs: CRM, eCommerce, accounting, inventory, point of sale, project management, etc.
Odoo will provide coaches that walk around the venue to provide guidance and answer technical or business related questions. They will also provide a hands-on workshop.
The Next Level Challenge has officially begun! During this opening ceremony our partners and the cases are presented.
Detailed timeline will be disclosed closer to the event
Stop coding, it's time to pitch your solution to the partners!
No coding experience is needed. Everyone with a good idea is welcome in this competition. Several workshops are organised throughout the 24 hours, where you will be able to learn and improve your skills.
We offer 6 different cases from various industry sectors. Each team works on 1 case during the 24-hour hackathon. In your dashboard, you will be able to rank your top 5 preferred sectors. Cases are assigned to teams based on these rankings, so you'll work on a case in a sector you're interested in!
Our jury evaluates each team based on the technical solution, businessplan and pitch. For each case a case winner is selected. There are prizes for the case winners, best team overall, best technical solution and best business plan & pitch.
You can register as an individual or as a team. In your dashboard, you can invite friends by e-mail or you can share your teamcode with them. If you register as an individual, we will match you with your dreamteam.
For an optimal experience, be sure to bring a laptop & charger and writing utensils.
No, you can leave or go to sleep whenever you want! We provide the venue, food, and drinks throughout the full 24 hours, so the event will be open the whole time with a place to work together and chill. However, presence is mandatory during the opening presentation where the cases are presented (10/3 at 18:00) and for your team's pitch to the jury (11/3 between 16:00-18:00).
Our event will be held in English, as such all information will be announced in English and participants will be expected to pitch their solutions in English.
Yes! All participants will receive Claude Code AI credits - one of the most advanced AI coding tools available. This is a great opportunity to learn how to build a prototype with AI.
Ready to build with us? Register now to participate in Belgium's most epic case competition!