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AI Builder Hackathon

Two-day hands-on hackathon · 18 and 19 January 2027 · Hoeve Hestia · In collaboration with The House of Coaching

You see AI opportunities every day. But you are still not building with them.

You have ideas. For yourself. For your clients. For your business. For a tool, an app, a site, a workflow, an assistant.

You feel it: there is something here.

But between inspiration and reality there is usually a frustrating gap. Too many tools. Too many options. Too little focus. Too little time. And above all: too few moments when you actually sit down and finish something.

Does that sound familiar?

  • You are an entrepreneur, founder or professional. You see AI opportunities everywhere, but you never quite get to a first working version.
  • You experiment with ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot or other tools, but it usually remains just loose attempts.
  • You want to build something useful for your own business or for a wider audience, but you do not know where to start.
  • You do not feel "technical enough" to just build an app or website yourself, but you are more than sharp enough to properly grasp the idea behind it.
  • You have had enough of yet another AI talk or inspiration session. You want to make something you can actually use or launch.

And meanwhile this happens

Every week you put it off. Not because the idea is bad. But because it feels too big, remains too vague or drowns in the stream of tools and possibilities.

So you get stuck in:

  • ideas that never land;
  • prompts that never become a product;
  • workflows that are half finished;
  • concepts you will "get around to someday".

And that is a shame.

Because meanwhile others are building. Faster, simpler, more experimental. Not because they are naturally more technical, but because they make their idea small enough and sharp enough, and actually make time for it. Accessible AI and no-code hackathons show the same thing every time: people without a traditional programming background can absolutely deliver functional solutions in a short time, if the format is accessible, guided and build-first.

That is why there is the AI Builder Hackathon

A two-day hands-on hackathon for freelancers, entrepreneurs, founders and AI enthusiasts who want to turn a real idea into a first working solution.

Not a traditional tech hackathon. No developer jargon. No tool overload.

Instead:

  • you start from your own reality;
  • you first get clear on why this idea matters;
  • you then define what exactly you are going to build;
  • and only then do you choose how to build it in a smart, feasible way.

Over two days you work, with guidance, towards a tangible first version of something you can show, test, share and, if you want, publish, as:

  • a website,
  • a mini-app,
  • an AI tool,
  • a workflow,
  • an agent,
  • or a publicly usable prototype.

What you come here for

You do not come here to "learn more about AI". You come here to build something that is truly relevant.

That means:

  • choosing a concrete business case or opportunity;
  • getting clear on who the user is and what the value is;
  • deciding what the smallest useful version looks like;
  • actually building that version;
  • and finishing with a demo and clear next steps.

The goal is not technical perfection. The goal is a solution that works, makes sense and is useful. That aligns with what other no-code and non-coder hackathons consciously aim for: usability, creativity and speed, not complex engineering.

Who is this for?

This hackathon is for you if you:

  • are a freelancer and want to tackle repetitive work smarter;
  • are an entrepreneur and want to turn an idea into a first MVP;
  • are a founder and want to test something quickly without a full development track;
  • are an AI enthusiast and want to step out of the experimental phase;
  • want to build something without needing to be a traditional developer.

You do not need to be a programmer. You do need to be curious, willing to make choices, and up for two focused building days. No-code hackathons exist exactly so that participants, regardless of their technical background, can quickly arrive at functional applications.

What you can expect

Day 1: WHY & WHAT (Monday 18 January 2027)

We do not start with tools. We start with your reality.

Together you work on:

  • the problem you really want to solve;
  • the user or context for whom this matters;
  • the value of your idea;
  • the scope of the smallest meaningful solution;
  • a clear plan for what you are going to build over the two days.

Day 2: HOW & BUILD (Tuesday 19 January 2027)

Only then do you start building.

With practical guidance you work on:

  • the first version of your solution;
  • the right tool choices for your specific case;
  • testing and iterating;
  • a demo of what you have built;
  • a clear next step, so you can continue after the hackathon.

What you take home

After two days you do not leave with just inspiration. You leave with:

  • a sharply formulated use case;
  • a first working solution or prototype;
  • a demo of what you have built;
  • a clearer view of which tools actually work for your project;
  • a result you can publish or develop further.

Why this place works

The AI Builder Hackathon takes place at Hoeve Hestia, Dikkebusseweg 299, 8900 Ieper, Belgium. A new place for peace, connection and growth in the Westhoek, on a two-hectare estate with greenery, a pond and wide views. Hoeve Hestia welcomes groups of up to 20 people, has four guest rooms and is explicitly designed for retreats, teams and multi-day programmes.

That is no detail.

Because real building requires more than tools. It requires focus, peace and distance from the daily noise. That is exactly the experience Hoeve Hestia was made for: slowing down, connecting, growing.

This is your moment to go from idea to something real

If you have felt for a while that you want to do more with AI than just experiment, then this is the moment to take that step.

Not later. Not "when things quiet down a bit". Not after testing another five tools.

But now. With guidance. With focus. With a concrete result.

An initiative by CoachSteff in collaboration with The House of Coaching.

Frequently asked questions

When and where does the AI Builder Hackathon take place?

On Monday 18 and Tuesday 19 January 2027 at Hoeve Hestia, Dikkebusseweg 299, 8900 Ieper, in the Westhoek. You choose between two days without an overnight stay, with all meals, or with an overnight stay in a private room.

Do I need to know how to program to participate?

No. The hackathon is made for people without a programming background. You do need to be curious, dare to make choices and be up for two focused building days.

Who is the hackathon for?

For freelancers, entrepreneurs, founders and AI enthusiasts who want to turn a real idea into a first working solution, such as a website, mini-app, AI tool, workflow or agent.

What do I take home?

A sharply formulated use case, a first working solution or prototype, a demo of what you built, a clearer view of which tools work for your project and clear next steps.

And after the hackathon?

Do you want to continue after these two days, with guidance and in a close-knit group of founders and self-employed professionals? You can in Leverage: a year of group coaching in which you build your own business system with AI, without programming.

Discover the learning space

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