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Hackathon

"Art Meets IT: Digital Solutions to Preserve Kharkiv’s Cultural Heritage"

Make an impact on the recovering the cultural heritage using digital tools, AR/VR-technologies, and art innovations! We invite all creative ambassodors to merge modern IT tools with immortal culture.

I want to participate

For mentors

What if technology could make history unbreakable?

We are merging IT and culture in order to create a stable background for future stability and resilience.

This hackathon brings together IT and art to preserve unique traditions and share them with the world.

During the hackathon we'll focus on:

Digital Preservation and Restoration

Kharkiv’s cultural heritage must be protected and revived. AI, 3D scanning, and digital archiving can restore damaged artifacts, preserve architecture, and create interactive museum databases, ensuring the past remains part of the future.

Cultural Innovation and

Cross-Disciplinary Art

Technology unlocks new artistic possibilities. From AI-generated paintings to algorithmic music and digital installations, this direction explores how tradition and innovation merge to create unique cultural expressions.

Infrastructure and Accessibility

for Cultural Heritage

Cultural heritage should be part of modern city life. Smart systems, AI-driven urban planning, and open platforms can protect historical sites, making them more visible, interactive, and accessible to the public.

Sustainable Cultural Development and Monetization

Artists need new tools to grow. Blockchain, digital platforms, and AI analytics can help fund, promote, and protect creative work, ensuring cultural heritage thrives in the digital era.

Participants will develop their projects in collaboration with experts

The whole week of close work to grow the community and their skills

Registration

Everyone who wants to take part will join a team — either with friends or with new people (the organizers are ready to assist if needed).

Opening the Hackathon

Teams will meet at the Rethinking Tank in Kharkiv to listen to guest speakers from the art and IT industries and take part in an interactive business game.

Support and Assistance

Even without a ready idea, participants will get support from mentors to find a direction that can make an impact on Kharkiv’s cultural heritage.

Team work (remote)

Each team will be assigned a mentor and will spend five days developing their project. During this time, they can book consultations with expert mentors almost without limits

Grand Final

Teams will meet offline for two days: one for completing their projects and preparing their presentations (with a clear guide from us), and one for the Final, where they present their work and the jury selects the winners

Join as a participant

We also invite professionals with an art or IT background

to join the Hackathon as a mentor

We will be glad to see you among us if you are ready to share your experience and work together with teams.
Mentoring here is not just about giving advice — it’s a chance to meet real enthusiasts, exchange ideas, and support Kharkiv, a city that keeps growing despite being so close to the frontline.

Customizable Scheduling

Mentors choose any convenient time and amount of hours they want to devote. The available slots will be set up via Google Calendar or Calendly — no pressure on minimum or maximum time

Respect To Your Time

Participants will book consultations at least 24 hours in advance, so you will have time to prepare and no unexpected calls

Global Knowledge Sharing

No matter if you are in Ukraine or abroad: your experience is valuable and needed. Besides, every mentor is invited to the Grand Final, either online or offline in Kharkiv — free of charge

Join as a mentor

Why Kharkiv?

Ukrainian Silicon Valley

Kharkiv is the tech capital of Ukraine — home to over 500 IT companies and 45,000 skilled professionals. Global giants like EPAM, NIX, and SoftServe have offices here, while local startups are making waves on the international stage. This is not just a city that keeps up with global trends — it sets them.

Despite ongoing challenges, Kharkiv’s IT sector remains a powerful player in the global arena. From AI and cybersecurity to fintech and blockchain, local experts deliver cutting-edge solutions to clients worldwide.

UNESCO recognition

With a population of over 1.5 million, Kharkiv was the birthplace of Ukrainian Futurism in the early 20th century. Its architectural landmarks, like the legendary Derzhprom building, are lasting symbols of innovation and modernist vision

Culture

Kharkiv is more than a hub of tech companies — it’s a city of creators: developers, designers, engineers, and artists who are already shaping the next digital revolution. Here, technology and art don’t just coexist — they amplify one another

Top universities

With more than 30 universities and 150,000 students, Kharkiv is a powerhouse of talent development. Its graduates go on to work for global companies, while the city itself stands as one of Ukraine’s key education centers for IT, engineering, and creative industries

Great place for business

Even in close proximity to the frontlines, Kharkiv remains a vital economic and technological engine. Entrepreneurs continue to adapt: some businesses have resumed operations on-site, while others have relocated within the region or across the country.
Local companies are not only staying afloat — they’re launching bold new ventures, from IT solutions to drone manufacturing and critical equipment production. The business community actively partners with international donors, nurtures startups, and builds a new economy focused on resilience, digital innovation, and smart growth.

400+

enterprises have resumed or relocated operations since the start of the full-scale invasion

80%

of Kharkiv’s IT companies continue operations, serving global markets

$200 M+

in investments raised for business and infrastructure recovery

Top 35

startup ecosystems in Ukraine — Kharkiv is proudly among them

Timeline

14th of June

Business Game "Rethinking Culture"

22th of June

The Grand Opening of Cultural Diplomacy Week

22-29th of June

Cultural Diplomacy Week

November 2025

Hackaton

Participant

free

Work on practical digital solutions for Kharkiv’s cultural heritage.
Collaborate with people from different backgrounds and fields.
Learn from experts through workshops and consultations.
Turn ideas into working prototypes with real potential.
Present your project to the jury and compete for valuable prizes.

Join now

Mentor

free

Support teams in shaping their ideas and finding solutions.
Share your experience where it can make a direct impact.
Help participants navigate technical and creative challenges.
Take part in discussions that connect culture and technology.
Meet talented teams and contribute to meaningful projects.

Join now

Visitor

free

Explore how digital tools can preserve cultural heritage.
Attend open lectures, exhibitions, and project presentations.
Discover ideas developed by participants and mentors.
Connect with people working at the intersection of art and IT.
See how Kharkiv’s cultural future is being reimagined.

Soon

Who is behind the scenes?

This initiative is organized by art hub MAK withing the project Art2Unite and Rotaract Kharkiv International

Anastasiia Mattias

Founder&CEO at MAK, Entrepreneur, Marketing Advisor, TEFL-certified Business English Coach, Rotary member, Fiction Author

I am dedicated to supporting creative initiatives and helping artists confidently promote their services, monetize their activities, and ultimately make a meaningful impact on society through their art

Alexander Tankovsky

Business Developer, CRM Integrator, Youth Activist, Rotary member, President of RC Kharkiv International, Deputy of the Youth Council of Kharkiv

My goal is to help Kharkiv youth build quality organizational structures and implement IT solutions for the effective development of projects that will have a long-term positive impact on the community and the city