Next Level Challenge is a 24-hour hackathon organized in Leuven on 10-11 March 2026.
A competition where various partners present real-world challenges on which teams of 4-5 students develop a functional prototype, create a business plan and pitch their solution to the jury. This is followed by a reception with booths and networking opportunities. No previous coding experience is required, but it can be an advantage.
It's a free event where students can turn theory into practice by working on real business challenges. It's a chance to have a unique experience with friends or to meet new people, while building something they can be proud of and add to their portfolio.
Workshops, coaching sessions & fun activities throughout the event
Compete for a +€2,000 cash prize pool
Catering and drinks included for the full 24 hours
Next Level Challenge teams exist of 4-5 people. You don't have to register as a full team already, you can also participate as a smaller group or individual and we will match you with your dreamteam. People from all study fields are welcome - it can be very beneficial to form a team with different backgrounds to get more synergy and diverse perspectives! A maximum of 250 people can participate, so secure your spot in time!
The event takes place at Sportoase (Philipssite 6, 3001 Leuven) in the Stella Artois venue.
View location on Google MapsYou might know us as "Holy Hack" — that was our original name! We decided to rebrand because we realized that the word "hackathon" can sound intimidating to many people. In reality, no coding experience is required to participate. By choosing "Next Level Challenge", we want to make it clear that this event is for everyone who wants to innovate, learn, and take their skills to the next level — regardless of their technical background.
With a wide range of cases provided by our partners, there will always be a topic that you're interested in!
Partners will be disclosed closer to the event
The Next Level Challenge has officially begun! During this opening ceremony our partners and the cases are presented.
Detailed timeline will be disclosed closer to the event
Stop coding, it's time to pitch your solution to the partners!
No coding experience is needed. Everyone with a good idea is welcome in this competition. We provide you with unlimited AI credits to 'vibecode'. We will provide a workshop on this at the beginning of the competition. This is a great opportunity to learn how to build a prototype without having to code.
We offer 6 different cases from various industry sectors. Each team works on ONE case during the 24-hour hackathon. In your dashboard, you will be able to rank your top 5 preferred sectors. Cases are assigned to teams based on these rankings, so you'll work on a case in a sector you're interested in!
Our jury evaluates each team based on the technical solution, businessplan and pitch. For each case a case winner is selected. There are prizes for the case winners, best team overall, best technical solution and best business plan & pitch.
You can register as an individual or as a team. If you register as an individual, we will match you with your dreamteam.
Ready to build with us? Register now to participate in Belgium's most epic case competition!