KiwiHacks Nova is a constellation of three hackathons across New Zealand. Three cities, three weekends, three free 24-hour hackathons for high schoolers. A nova is a star that suddenly bursts bright, and that's the idea: light up Wellington, Christchurch, and Auckland with students building real things.

Nova is a chance to meet new people, learn new skills, and build something you're actually proud of, whether that's 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 will be around for the entire event, and beginner-friendly workshops mean you don't need any prior experience to get started. Food, drinks, and swag are all included, and everything is completely free!

We're 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 team left with a shipped project they were proud of. (Check them out here!) Plus, all 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.