# KiwiHacks

> New Zealand's first high school hackathon club. We run free hackathons for
> high school students aged 13 to 18, and everything is organised by high
> schoolers. Attending is free, and no prior experience is needed.

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## Organisation

- Name: KiwiHacks
- Legal name: KiwiHacks Incorporated
- NZBN: 9429053360274
- Founded: 2026-01-07
- Founders: Niko Purdie (Chief KiwiHacker), Sebastian Johnson (Organiser), Kyle Bendall (Organiser), Josh Palmer (Organiser), Audrey Shi (Organiser), Christie Berenshteyn (Organiser), Maggie Berenshteyn (Organiser), Kiera Langridge (Organiser)
- Country: New Zealand
- Who can take part: any high school student in New Zealand, aged 13 to 18
- Cost to attend: free, including food, mentors, workshops and swag
- Website: https://kiwihacks.org/
- Contact: niko@kiwihacks.org

## Events

KiwiHacks Nova is a series of three free 24-hour hackathons for high school
students, one in each of three cities.

### KiwiHacks Nova - Wellington

- Dates: 28 to 29 September 2026
- City: Wellington
- Venue: to be confirmed
- About: KiwiHacks Nova is a free hackathon for teenage coders and innovators, coming to Wellington.

### KiwiHacks Nova - Christchurch

- Dates: 2 to 3 October 2026
- City: Christchurch
- Venue: to be confirmed
- About: KiwiHacks Nova is a free hackathon for teenage coders and innovators, coming to Christchurch.

### KiwiHacks Nova - Auckland

- Dates: 10 to 11 October 2026
- City: Manukau, Auckland
- Venue: MIT Marae
- About: KiwiHacks Nova is a free hackathon for teenage coders and innovators, at MIT Marae in Manukau, Auckland.

## Partners

### Gold partners

- [GD1](https://gd1.vc)
- [Simplicity](https://simplicity.kiwi)

### Silver partners

- [Auror](https://www.auror.co)
- [FireEyes](https://fireeyes.xyz)

### In-kind partners

- [.xyz domains](https://www.gen.xyz/)
- [Canva](https://www.canva.com/)

Partnering with KiwiHacks supports the next generation of New Zealand
builders. Enquiries go to niko@kiwihacks.org.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is KiwiHacks?

KiwiHacks is New Zealand's first high school hackathon club. We run free hackathons for high school students, and everything is organised by high schoolers.

### Who can attend KiwiHacks events?

Any high school student in New Zealand, aged 13 to 18. Come on your own or bring a team of friends. No experience is needed.

### How do I join KiwiHacks?

Join the Discord. That's where the club lives day to day. It's free, there's no form to fill in, and new events are announced there first.

### I'm not a good coder. Can I come?

Yes. Total beginners are welcome and a lot of KiwiHackers write their first line of code at an event. We run workshops and have mentors on hand all weekend. Designers, artists, and storytellers fit right in too.

### What should I bring to a hackathon?

A laptop and charger, any devices you want to build with, a water bottle, and a sleeping bag if you want to rest. Our events run for 24 hours, so pack like a sleepover. We cover the food, Wi-Fi, and the space.

### When's the next event?

Everything we're running right now is further up this page. New events are announced in the Discord first.

### All of this, for free?

Yes, completely free to attend. Food, mentors, workshops, and swag are all covered by our sponsors. Cost is never a barrier at KiwiHacks.

### How about safety?

Our events are supervised by the KiwiHacks team around the clock. There's a secure venue with check-in and check-out, first aid on site, a clear code of conduct, and guardian contact details collected at sign-up.

### What if my parents are concerned?

We're happy to talk. We run parent information sessions before each event, the venue is supervised the whole time, and a signed waiver is required to take part. Our parents guide covers most of it, and they can email niko@kiwihacks.org with anything else.

### What if I have more questions?

Email niko@kiwihacks.org or join the KiwiHackers Discord. We reply fast.

## Links

- [Home](https://kiwihacks.org/)
- [Discord, where the club lives day to day](https://kiwihacks.org/discord)
- [Project showcase](https://kiwihacks.org/showcase)
- [The team](https://kiwihacks.org/team)
- [Parents guide](https://kiwihacks.org/parents-guide)
- [Code of conduct](https://kiwihacks.org/code-of-conduct)
- [Privacy policy](https://kiwihacks.org/privacy-policy)
- [Status](https://kiwihacks.org/status)
- [Sign up for KiwiHacks Nova](https://kiwihacks.fillout.com/nova)
- [KiwiHacks Nova site](https://nova.kiwihacks.org)
- [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/kiwihacks/)
- [LinkedIn](https://nz.linkedin.com/company/kiwihacks)
- [GitHub](https://github.com/orgs/KiwiHacksNZ)