KiwiHacks Nova is our first national tour. Three cities, three weekends, three free 24-hour hackathons for high schoolers. A nova is a star that suddenly bursts bright, and that is the idea: light up Wellington, Christchurch, and Auckland with students building real things.

It is a chance to meet new people, learn new skills, and build something you are actually proud of, whether that is an app, a game, a website, a hardware project, or something nobody has seen before. You team up, you get 24 hours, and you ship. Mentors are around the whole time, and beginner-friendly workshops mean you do not need any experience to start. Food, drinks, and swag are all included, and it is completely free.

We are KiwiHacks, New Zealand's first high school hackathon club, built and run entirely by teenagers. At KiwiHacks ’26 earlier this year, over 100 high schoolers turned up and every single team left with a finished project. 86% of them made a new friend. Nova takes that across the country. Whatever your skill level, you are welcome. Just sign up, show up, and give it a go.