T126: KOI No-Code AI Micro-Apps Hackathon

About this event

Build Your Own AI App — The KOI Annual No-Code Hackathon is Back!

Following the success of last year’s T125: Design Your Professional Portfolio Website event where students built high-impact personal brands without writing complex code, we are evolving for 2026. This is our featured annual academic event where your ideas turn into functional tools.

Curious about what happened last year? Check-out the T125 Portfolio Recap to see the professional benchmarks set by previous winners. This year, we are breaking the coding barrier entirely with T126: Web Micro-Apps with AI. In this event, you aren’t just using AI; you are becoming an AI creator. We have stripped away the complex barriers of traditional coding so that any student, regardless of their degree, can build a high-quality web application from scratch.

Here is exactly how you will turn your idea into a working app:

1. Use AI as Your Co-Pilot

Instead of writing every line of code yourself, you will use ChatGPT as a brilliant coding assistant. You describe what you want the app to do in plain English, and the AI helps you generate, refine, and fix the code in real-time. You are the “Director,” and the AI is your “Production Team.”

2. Build in a Simple Online “Canvas”

We use CodePen, a beginner-friendly tool that lets you see your app come to life instantly in any web browser. There is no complicated software to install and no expensive subscriptions. It’s as easy as sketching an idea and seeing it work immediately.

3. Run Powerful AI Locally and Privately

You will use a library called Transformers.js to make your app smart. The best part? This AI runs directly on your own laptop, not on a faraway server. This means your data stays 100% private, and your app works without needing a paid API key.

The Tools We Use:

Why YOU Must join?

• Win Big: Compete for a share of a $500 grand prize for the top innovator.
• Professional Clout: Participants will receive an official certificate.
• Live Deployment: The most effective apps will be embedded directly into the KOI Engage website for the whole KOI community to use.
• Future-Proofing: Master prompt engineering and local AI execution; the core technical skills for the 2026 job market.

How It Works: Two Steps to Success

You don’t need to be an IT student to start. We provide the support you need at every stage:

1. The Hands-On Workshop (Friday, 17/04/2026): We’ll show you exactly how to use ChatGPT and CodePen to build your first prototype in Room 0808.
2. The Competition Sprint (Friday, 01/05/2026): A live, 3-hour session where you build your own unique app. Don’t worry; the Engage Maintance Team will be there in person to help if you get stuck.

What Could You Build?

Your app just needs to be useful for KOI students in one of three areas: Professional Development, Leadership, or Culture.

• Aussie Slang Translator: Help international students understand local campus slang.
• Tone-Perfect Email Assistant: Checks your drafts to make sure you sound professional when emailing recruiters.
• The Uni-Jargon Decoder: Turns complex assessment instructions into simple, actionable English.
• Daily Task Generator: Breaks a giant goal (like a 3,000-word report) into five easy 30-minute steps.

What You Need to Know:

• Who can join? ALL currently enrolled KOI students (any degree, no IT background needed!)
• Where is it? On campus in Room 0808 and Room 1009
• What do I need? Just yourself! We are hosting this in the computer labs, so PCs are provided; no need to bring your own laptop.
• Is there help? Yes! We have a dedicated WhatsApp group and live support during the event.

Ready to Become an AI Creator?

Spots are strictly limited. Register now using your KOI student email by click on REGISTER FOR EVENT to secure your place.