NOT ONE STAGE.
SIX WAYS TO
PARTICIPATE.
HATCon is designed for different kinds of engagement.
Sometimes you need to listen. Sometimes you need to question. Sometimes you need to build. Sometimes the best conversation needs ten people, not a thousand.
DIFFERENT IDEAS
NEED DIFFERENT ROOMS_
A breakthrough keynote should not be forced into a workshop. A technical workshop should not become a panel.
A private CXO conversation should not be broadcast to hundreds of people. A startup demo should not pretend to be a research talk.
HATCon uses different formats because different conversations need different conditions.
LISTEN_
BUILD_
CHALLENGE_
DISCUSS_
DEMONSTRATE_
CONNECT_
CHOOSE THE ROOM THAT MATCHES
WHAT YOU WANT TO CONTRIBUTE_
BIG IDEAS.
SHARED OPENLY.
STAGE_ is where ideas are presented to the wider HATCon community.
Clear. Challenging. Worth listening to.
Designed to leave the audience with a better question than the one they arrived with.
MAY INCLUDE_
- Keynotes
- Fireside conversations
- Debates
- Expert talks
- Selected panels
- Major announcements
- State-of-the-industry conversations
FOR_
- Researchers with important work
- Practitioners with real experience
- Builders with lessons worth sharing
- Leaders with perspective
- Experts who can explain difficult ideas clearly
NOT FOR_
- Disguised sales pitches
- Generic motivational talks
- Presentations with no real substance
STAGE_ sessions are selected for relevance and substance. Commercial participation does not guarantee editorial speaking slots.
DON'T JUST HEAR IT.
TRY IT.
LAB_ is hands-on. This is where people learn by doing.
Smaller groups. Laptops open. Questions encouraged.
People should leave having done something they could not do before.
MAY INCLUDE_
- Technical workshops
- Live builds
- Security exercises
- AI experiments
- Coding sessions
- Research walkthroughs
- Hardware demonstrations
- Tool-based learning
- Practical masterclasses
FOR_
- Developers
- Researchers
- Students
- Technical practitioners
- Builders
- Teams learning a new technology
CAPACITY_
Labs are small by design. A session may require:
- Pre-registration
- Prerequisite knowledge
- Equipment
- Software setup
SOLVE SOMETHING.
PROVE SOMETHING.
ARENA_ is where knowledge becomes action under pressure.
Teams form. Problems are real. Time is limited.
Mentors are available. Outcomes matter.
MAY INCLUDE_
- CTFs
- Hackathons
- AI challenges
- Cybersecurity exercises
- Hardware competitions
- Research challenges
- Startup problem-solving
- Industry-sponsored technical challenges
FOR_
- Students
- Hackers
- Developers
- Researchers
- Startups
- Technical teams
SOME CONVERSATIONS
NEED A SMALLER ROOM
TABLE_ is designed for depth.
Small. Curated. Focused. Often off-stage. Sometimes invite-only.
Designed around participation, not passive listening.
MAY INCLUDE_
- CXO roundtables
- Research discussions
- Founder tables
- Policy conversations
- Investor discussions
- Closed expert groups
- Technical working sessions
FOR_
- Domain experts
- Researchers
- Founders
- Senior industry leaders
- Policymakers
- Investors
- Invited specialists
ACCESS_
A table can be:
- OPEN_
- APPLICATION_
- INVITE ONLY_
- PRIVATE_
Some TABLE_ conversations are not recorded or publicly summarised. What is said in the room can stay in the room.
SHOW US
WHAT YOU'RE BUILDING
SHOWCASE_ is for real work.
Show the work. Show the problem. Show what changed.
Curated around relevance and quality — not floor space.
MAY INCLUDE_
- Startup demos
- Research posters
- Product demonstrations
- Prototypes
- Hardware
- Open-source projects
- Student innovation
FOR_
- Startups
- Researchers
- Students
- Labs
- Open-source teams
- Product teams
- Independent builders
Paid exhibition opportunities exist separately and are labelled as such. Editorial inclusion in curated SHOWCASE_ is not purchased.
DON'T MEET MORE PEOPLE.
MEET THE RIGHT ONES.
CONNECT_ is the relationship layer of HATCon.
Networking should not be random.
Matches are made from what you're building and what you need — and every match says why.
MAY INCLUDE_
- Curated introductions
- Matchmaking
- One-to-one meetings
- Founder × investor
- Researcher × industry
- Student × mentor
- Startup × enterprise
- Talent × organisation
- Local × global community
FOR_
- Every member, whatever they came for
MATCHED ON_
Your four fields drive who you meet:
- I'M BUILDING_
- I'M EXPLORING_
- I CAN HELP WITH_
- I'M LOOKING FOR_
YOUR PROGRAM
DOESN'T HAVE TO LOOK LIKE
ANYONE ELSE'S_
STUDENT_
RESEARCHER_
FOUNDER_
CXO_
Over time, HATCon will recommend a personalised program from your role, interests and goals. For now, the formats are yours to combine.
GOOD PROGRAMS
DON'T HAPPEN BY ACCIDENT_
SESSIONS COME FROM_
- Open call for participation
- Invited contributors
- Community nominations
- Research submissions
- Partner-led proposals
- Challenge outcomes
- HATCon editorial curation
EVERY SUBMISSION IS EVALUATED ON_
RELEVANCE_
DEPTH_
ORIGINALITY_
PRACTICAL VALUE_
EXPERIENCE / CREDIBILITY_
FORMAT FIT_
COMMUNITY VALUE_
You do not need a famous title to be selected. Unknown builders with strong work have a path in.
HAVE SOMETHING
WORTH SHARING?_
Not just papers. Propose anything that helps the community go deeper.
A PROPOSAL WILL ASK FOR_
- Proposed title
- Short summary
- Format
- Topic
- Technology area
- Audience level
- What people will learn
- Why this matters now
- Speaker / facilitator profile
- Relevant experience
- Previous talks (optional)
- Links / research / project
- Preferred city
- Availability
SUBSTANCE
OVER PROFILE_
WE LOOK FOR_
REAL EXPERIENCE_
REAL RESEARCH_
REAL LESSONS_
REAL QUESTIONS_
REAL WORK_
WE AVOID_
SALES PITCHES_
GENERIC TALKS_
RECYCLED HYPE_
EMPTY PREDICTIONS_
COMMERCIAL SUPPORT
SHOULD NOT CONTROL
THE CONVERSATION_
Partners are an important part of HATCon. They support tracks, power labs, bring challenges, host experiences, demonstrate technology and take part in discussions.
But a partnership does not purchase editorial credibility.
EDITORIAL PROGRAM_
Selected by curation on substance alone. Not purchasable.
PARTNER EXPERIENCE_
A partner powers a lab, track or experience. Attributed openly.
SPONSORED SESSION_
Commercially supported content. Always visibly labelled as such.
WHAT'S COMING_
THE PROGRAM IS BEING BUILT_
Sessions are published as each city program is confirmed. We don't list a session until it's real.
ONE HATCON.
DIFFERENT LOCAL PROGRAMS.
EACH CITY PROGRAM REFLECTS_
- Local technology ecosystem
- Universities
- Startups
- Research
- Industry
- Community
- Local challenges
Every event stays connected through the wider HATCon network. Local programs. One community.
DON'T JUST READ
THE PROGRAM_
HELP SHAPE IT_
PROPOSE A SESSION_
HOST A LAB_
BRING A CHALLENGE_
SHOWCASE YOUR WORK_
JOIN THE COMMUNITY_
The program is not something we create for the community. It is something we create with it.
THE PROGRAM IS THE COMMUNITY
IN MOTION_