1) Who is this event for?
This Hackathon is for companies ready to explore AI-driven innovation. Participation is team-based — each company should bring exactly 3–4 people with a mix of business and technical expertise.

2) What are the costs?
We’ve got you covered! ALSO will provide:
✔ Training sessions – completely free of charge
✔ Catering throughout the event
✔ Hotel stay from 08–09 October in Lisbon

💡 Note on taxation: The monetary value of these benefits may be subject to taxation depending on your country. Participants are responsible for checking and complying with local tax regulations. The organizer does not assume responsibility for potential tax obligations.

3) How many people from my company can join?
Each company should register 3–4 participants.

4) Can I extend my hotel stay?
If you’d like to extend your stay, you can do so at your own expense. To extend your stay, please contact the hotel directly at recepcion@ikoniklisboa.com and mention the event reference when making your request to help ensure you can keep the same room throughout your stay. 

5) Will transportation be covered?
No. Attendees are responsible for arranging their own travel to and from the event.

6) Who can I contact for more information?
Please reach out to your local Sales contact at ALSO for any additional questions.

7) How will projects be judged? 
Projects will be evaluated on their ability to deliver real business value and solve customer needs in a practical, scalable way. The best solution is not necessarily the most complex—it is the one with the greatest potential for customer adoption and business impact. Judges will assess each project based on its Business Value (25%), Innovation (20%), Technical Execution (20%), Customer Impact (15%), Feasibility & Scalability (10%), and the overall Demo & Pitch Quality (10%).

8) What are the core requirements for my Hackathon project?

• Platform: Build on Azure or Microsoft 365 (e.g., Copilot Studio, Azure AI Foundry), deployed in Copilot Chat, Teams, or as a standalone app. Any programming language is allowed.
• Agent Framework: Use an open-source framework such as LangChain, LlamaIndex, Microsoft Agent Framework, etc.
• Model: Use either a proprietary or open-source model (e.g., Mistral), hosted on Azure.
• Data: Implement a RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) architecture using Azure data services (e.g., Azure AI Search) and integrate tools/functions.
• Demonstration: Present a working agent that solves a specific problem.

9) Are my ideas and prototypes protected? 
In true Hackathon spirit, all ideas and prototypes developed remain the property of the participants. Neither Microsoft nor ALSO will claim ownership; they're here to provide the platform, collaboration opportunities, and mentorship support to help you succeed. 

10) Which language will be spoken?
All training sessions and workshops will be conducted in English. 

11) Who can I contact for more information?
Marketing, event schedule, or logistics questions: Julia Glaeser | julia.glaeser@also.com