Indy Init 2026 — AI Builders Hackathon & Conference

2026-11-07 · 08:00:00 · Fishers

Launch Fishers

12175 Visionary Way, Fishers, IN 46038

Indy Init 2026 brings together AI builders for a one-day hackathon and three-track technical conference at Launch Fishers on November 7, 2026.

A one-day AI builders' hackathon and conference. Build with a team, sit in on three tracks of sessions, or just come for the fun!

AI changed who can build software. It did not change what production demands — secure, scalable, observable, resilient, affordable at volume. AI-generated work usually arrives with no answer for any of them, and that's where it piles up.

Indy Init is one day of doing something about it. Teams build, sessions show what already works, and everyone ends up in the same room at the end of it. The Hackathon

Teams of 1 to 4, one day, and a blank repo. Pick your app, build the software factory that ships it, and defend the technical decisions behind it. Every team demos the machinery, not just the product. The Conference

Three tracks running alongside the build all day. Dip in and out, or come just for these. Building with AI: Agents and orchestration, context and prompting, scaling generation Building the Factory: Harnesses and conventions, testing and evals, security and observability Building an AI Career: Résumés and hiring, roles and team shape, founding and freelancing Hosted by Indy Hackers, presented by E-gineering

Sponsored by Entegrata

Full details at indyinit.com

Founder brief

Who should attend

Founders building AI-native products, engineering leaders, and developers will gain value from the technical focus. It serves builders who care about production-readiness, security, and scalability rather than superficial AI wrappers, as well as technologists exploring AI careers and early ventures.

What happens

Participants check in over coffee before opening remarks introduce the build challenge. Teams spend the day developing an application and its underlying delivery pipeline, while conference sessions run continuously across three tracks. Live architectural demos and judging conclude the afternoon, followed by an evening community social.

Who's in the room

Software engineers, startup creators, and technical mentors gather alongside the Indy Hackers community. Presenting partner E-gineering and sponsor Entegrata participate, creating a practical room focused on agents, evaluation frameworks, system observability, and engineering team development.

How to prepare

Form a team of up to four builders in advance or prepare to ship independently from a blank repository. Since the final live demonstration requires defending technical decisions, testing rigs, and system architecture rather than merely showcasing UI, configure development environments and evaluation tooling before arriving.

Organizer: Indy Hackers

Register

At a glance

Tickets
Free
Refunds
Refunds up to 7 days before event
Sectors
Ai ml

Agenda

  1. 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM · Doors Open & Check-In — Coffee, networking, and getting situated.
  2. 9:00 AM – 9:30 AM · Welcome Remarks — The challenge, the rules, and how the day runs.
  3. 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM · Hackathon Build — Teams work, mentors float, and the sessions run alongside. Dip in and out.
  4. 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM · Conference Sessions — Building with AI, Building the Factory, Building an AI Career. Open to every ticket.
  5. 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM · Hackathon Demos, Judging & Awards — Every team demos live and defends the architecture behind it.
  6. 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM · Social Happy Hour — Toast the builds, talk shop, and meet the people behind them. Open to the entire community.

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