AI Salon Rio presents Hackathon VX: AI for Business Problems, powered by Grupo Visagio, an in-person AI-focused hackathon taking place on November 7–8, 2026, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Participants will have two days to develop and demonstrate an AI-powered solution to a real business problem. Teams will select from a curated set of challenges released before the event and deliver a product demonstration alongside an analysis of the problem, its market, and its commercial potential.
Event Overview
- Event name: Hackathon VX: AI for Business Problems
- Presented by: AI Salon Rio
- Powered by: Grupo Visagio
- Dates: November 7–8, 2026
- Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (exact venue available through event registration)
- Format: In-person
- Core mission: Develop an AI-powered solution to a real business problem within two days
- Challenge format: Organizers will release curated business challenges on October 27, 2026, from which teams will select one
- Required outputs: A demonstrable product or prototype accompanied by an analysis of the business problem and market, identifying who experiences the problem, its economic impact, and why it can be addressed now
- Target sectors: AI & Data, Software & IT, Sector Agnostic
- Target startup stage: Stage Agnostic
- Program categories: Hackathon, Competition/Challenge, Event
Prize Structure
- Total prize pool: R$ 25,000
- 1st place: R$ 12,000
- 2nd place: R$ 8,000
- 3rd place: R$ 5,000
- Additional rewards: Prizes and credits provided by event partners
Participant Profile
- Primary audience: Technical builders, developers, and individuals with AI and software development capabilities
- Additional participants: Product managers, designers, entrepreneurs, and business professionals who can contribute to problem definition, market analysis, product development, and pitching
- Geographic eligibility: Applications are open to individuals across Brazil, although participants must attend the event in person in Rio de Janeiro
- Startup stage: No specific startup maturity or funding stage is required; individuals may participate without an established startup
Application and Team Formation
- Capacity: 50 participant spots
- Selection criteria: Portfolio, motivation, and alignment with the hackathon's objectives
- Application deadline: October 25, 2026
- Selection process: Applications are subject to organizer approval
- Application options: Individuals may apply independently or as part of an existing team
- Solo applicants: Organizers will arrange team matching before the event, ensuring participants join their assigned teams on the first day
- Team applicants: Teams must consist of 3–5 participants, with each member submitting an individual application
- Application platform: https://luma.com/hackathonvx
Build Expectations
- Participants are not expected to develop a polished minimum viable product (MVP) or a highly complex solution within two days
- Teams should create a functional demonstration or prototype sufficient to illustrate the feasibility of their proposed AI solution
- Evaluation emphasizes problem-solving, prioritization, experimentation, innovation, and decision-making under time constraints
- Strong problem definition and commercial understanding are important alongside technical execution
- The quality of a team's reasoning, strategic choices, and demonstrated solution takes precedence over the quantity of features developed
Key Dates
- October 25, 2026: Applications close
- October 27, 2026: Selection results announced and challenges released
- November 3, 2026: Teams finalized
- November 4, 2026: Two-hour online preparation session covering event rules, judging criteria, partner credits, environment setup, and Q&A
- November 6, 2026: Teams submit their selected challenge to the organizers
- November 7–8, 2026: In-person hackathon in Rio de Janeiro
Weekend Agenda
Saturday, November 7, 2026
- 08:00: Check-in and welcome coffee
- 09:00: Kickoff talk
- 09:30: Building begins
- 13:00: Lunch
- 16:30: Afternoon snacks
- 20:00: Doors close
Sunday, November 8, 2026
- 08:00: Morning coffee
- 10:00–13:00: Pitch coaching session
- 12:30: Lunch
- 14:00: Code freeze and final submissions
- 15:00–16:00: Team pitches (5 minutes per team)
- 16:15: Awards ceremony
- 16:30–18:00: Happy hour
All agenda times are local to Rio de Janeiro (UTC−3).
Hackathon VX provides a competitive, hands-on environment for technical builders and cross-functional professionals to develop AI-powered solutions to real business challenges. Through curated challenges, team matching, product prototyping, market analysis, and pitching, participants will demonstrate their ability to turn business problems into potential products. With a R$ 25,000 prize pool and 50 available participant spots, the event emphasizes innovation, execution, collaboration, and commercial thinking rather than startup maturity or prior funding.