THE
LOCKIN.
8 hours. One venue. Build something real.
APRIL 2026 · TAMPA, FL · 100 BUILDERS · UP TO $45K IN PRIZES
COUNTDOWN
A LETTER FROM OUR FOUNDER
We've been building this community for five years.
What started as five engineers building in a Tampa coworking space has grown into a network of 150+ AI builders, 8 incubated ventures, and $4.2M in deployed capital. But this moment — The LockIn — is what we've been building toward all along.
This isn't another hackathon. It's a tournament. A proving ground. You walk in with an idea and you walk out with a deployed product, feedback from real investors, and — if you earn it — capital and job offers on the spot.
Your application is your interview. Your project is your pitch deck. We don't care about your résumé, your follower count, or your alma mater. We care about what you can build in 8 hours when everything else is stripped away.
This is the culmination of everything we believe: that small teams with unreasonable ambition, given the right environment and the right constraints, can build things that change industries.
Come get locked in.
— Founder & CEO, LockedIn Labs
THE FORMAT
This isn't another hackathon —
it's your launchpad.
8-Hour Sprint
Not a weekend. Not 36 hours of sleep deprivation. One intense, focused day. Arrive sharp. Ship sharper.
Live Code Only
No slides. No mockups. No Figma files. Your demo runs on a live URL or it doesn't count. Production or nothing.
Real Stakes
Up to $45K in prizes. Internship and full-time offers from LockIn Labs portfolio companies. And potential pre-seed investment.
RULES OF ENGAGEMENT
PRIZES & OPPORTUNITIES
What's at stake.
Grand Prize
+ Pre-seed investment consideration
Runner-Up
+ LockIn Fellowship offer
Audience Favorite
+ 6-month mentorship
Beyond the Prize
Every finalist receives internship and full-time position offers from LockIn Labs portfolio companies. Your project is your interview. No résumés required.
Investment on the Spot
The grand prize winner will receive a pre-seed investment offer from LockIn Labs. The question isn't if we invest. It's who and how much.
THE DAY
Full schedule.
Doors Open
ARRIVECheck-in. Get your LockIn jersey. Meet your cohort.
Opening Ceremony
CEREMONYFounding Letter read aloud. Theme revealed. Rules of engagement.
LockIn Begins
BUILDThe clock starts. Teams form. Build begins. No distractions.
Mentor Office Hours — Round 1
MENTOR30-minute 1:1 sessions with industry mentors. Architecture reviews.
Working Lunch
FUELCatered meal. Keep building. No one stops.
Mentor Office Hours — Round 2
MENTORTechnical deep-dives. Product feedback. Investor readiness checks.
Final Sprint
BUILDLast 2 hours. Polish your demo. Rehearse your pitch.
Submissions Lock
LOCKCode freeze. All repos submitted. Deploys must be live.
Demo Presentations
PITCHEach team: 5-min demo + 3-min Q&A from judges. No slides. Live code only.
Judges Deliberate
BREAKNetworking reception while judges review and score.
Awards Ceremony
CEREMONYGrand Prize. Runner-Up. Audience Favorite. Investment offers. Job offers.
Community Celebration
CELEBRATEThe builders who showed up today just changed their trajectory.
THE PANEL
Judges & Mentors.
JUDGES
MENTORS
+ MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED
SPONSORS
Thank you to our sponsors.
PRESENTING SPONSOR
PLATFORM SPONSOR
COMMUNITY SPONSOR
INTERESTED IN SPONSORING? LET'S TALK →
OUR STORY
Five years in the making.
5 Engineers, 1 Room
The first LockIn session. Five engineers meet weekly in a Tampa coworking space to build AI products.
Community Hits 25
Word spreads. Weekly build sessions grow. First pitch review. First angel investment from the network.
First Cohort Launches
The 12-week incubation program formalizes. 4 startups enter. 2 raise capital within 6 months.
$2M Deployed
LockIn Labs crosses $2M in venture deployment. Community exceeds 100 active builders across 23 cities.
8 Active Ventures
Portfolio grows to 8 companies. 3 generating revenue. 1 approaching Series A. Network reaches 150+ builders.
THE LOCKIN
The culmination. First major tournament. $45K prize pool. Investment on the table. Come get locked in.
APPLICATION
Apply to compete.
Space is limited to 100 builders. We review every application. Your project is your interview.
Come get locked in.
The question isn't if we invest. It's who — and how much.
APRIL 2026 · TAMPA, FL · 100 BUILDERS