AI Hackathon Challenge
Boost your career by joining a 2-days full immersion in real life company problems, and showcase your AI superpowers!
Hacka... what?!
A Hackathon is a creative, time-bound competition where talented individuals collaborate in teams to solve real business challenges. Participants have the opportunity to develop innovative solutions, create prototypes, and present their ideas to industry experts. Hackathons foster open innovation, networking, and personal growth.
Step into the world of innovation with XTEL AI Hackathon!
Step into the future at the AI Hackathon and see how Artificial Intelligence is reshaping the FMCG sector. During the event you will:
- Collaborate with top minds to solve real industry challenges, showcase your talent, and create innovative solutions;
- Enjoy expert mentorship, grow your professional network, and compete for an exclusive prize;
- Receive personalized feedback to boost your skills and make your profile stand out for internships and future career opportunities.
Essential Information
When 🗓️ : The Hackathon will take place on 11th and 12th of February 2026.
Where 📍: The challenge will take place in XTEL's Research & Development Centre located in Casalecchio Di Reno (Bologna), Via del Lavoro 47
How to reach us 🗺️ :
🚆 By Train
The nearest train stations are:
- Casalecchio Ceretolo – about a 4-minute walk. 🚶♂️
- Casalecchio Garibaldi – about an 15-minute walk. 🚶♂️
🚌 By Bus
You can also use the Ceretolo Molino bus stop, which is just 3 minutes on foot from our location.
🅿️ By Car
We offer a large parking area for our visitors; free parking is also available in the surroundings.
Application Timeline
Application Opening
Application Deadline
Application Feedback & Invitations
HACKATHON - DAY 1
HACKATHON - DAY 2
Feedback & Winners (email)
Hackathon Days - Agenda
-
February 11, 2026
Morning (9:00 - 13:00)
- Registration & Welcome
- Opening Remarks & Introduction
- XTEL & CPG Speakers
- Project Launch & Group Formation
🥪Lunch Break (13:00 - 14:00)🥪Lunch will be provided by XTEL
Afternoon (14:00 - 17:30)
- Group Work - Part 1
- Day 1 Closing & Wrap-Up
-
February 12, 2026
Morning (9:00 - 13:00)
- Group Work - Part 2
- Results uploads
🥪Lunch Break (13:00 - 14:00)🥪Lunch will be provided by XTELAfternoon (14:00 - 17:30)
- Group Presentation
- Feedback Survey
- Event Closing
And the winner is...! 🏆
Few days after the event, all the students will receive via email:
- 📝 Detailed feedback on their presentations;
- 🥇 Announcement of the winning group.
For the winning group, we have reserved some very special prizes:
- 🤝 1-hour individual mentorship sessions with our top engineers, where you’ll receive personalized advice on your career path;
- 🎁 An extra surprise for each member of the winning group... Stay tuned!
Participant Requirements
-
Education Background
Final-year Master’s students or recent graduates in Computer Science, Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, Mathematics, Statistics, or other STEM fields.
-
Experience
No work experience is required, just passion and curiosity for AI, data analysis, statistics, and machine learning.
-
Programming skills
Any language is accepted; however, technical support will be provided exclusively for Python.
-
English
Fluency in written and spoken English is requested.
-
Laptop
Every participant is requested to bring their own laptop.
If you do not have access to a laptop, please indicate this in your application so we can assist you.
Ready to showcase your AI superpowers?
Unfortunately, applications for this edition are now closed. We will be organizing more hackathons in the future, so keep an eye on our careers site for the next edition! 🔔
Have questions?
Get in touch with the Talent Acquisition Team!
Click on any team member to view our contact details.
About XTEL
XTEL is a leading global SaaS enterprise software provider,delivering a mission-critical, cloud-native, and AI-first revenue management platform across augmented AI data management, trade promotion management, advanced AI analytics, assortment, and retail execution. The company is disrupting a multi-billion-dollar global market that is expected to grow at a double-digit annual rate through 2030.
Founded in 2015, XTEL supports more than 400 global mega brands in the CPG sector, managing over €100 billion in annual trade spend through its AI-enabled platform, with the US as its largest market. XTEL is building its AI agentic framework for the Revenue Management platform in partnership with Microsoft and Copilot. XTEL has $100m of topline and is delivering accelerating profitable growth of 50%+.
Backed by Bain Capital, XTEL has demonstrated strong momentum in product innovation and global expansion since becoming a standalone entity in 2023.
Already working at XTEL?
Let’s recruit together and find your next colleague.