What could the future of financial freedom look like? This August, students will take on the challenge at a two-day Ventures and UQIES hackathon, competing for a $10,000 grand prize proudly supported by Swyftx.
Future of Financial Freedom Hackathon
28-30 August 2026 | Advanced Engineering Building, The University of Queensland
Secure your spot
Ventures and the UQ Innovation & Entrepreneurship Society (UQIES) are once again partnering to deliver the Future of Financial Freedom Hackathon, a two-day innovation challenge that invites students to tackle one of today's most important questions. Working in inter-disciplinary teams, participants will develop new ideas and solutions that reimagine how individuals and communities can achieve greater financial freedom in the future.
More on the theme
The theme asks participants to think ahead:
What would it take to make financial freedom genuinely accessible to everyone, not just those who already have wealth to invest?
“Financial freedom” means something different to everyone. For some, it’s retiring early; for others, it’s having the safety net to launch a business, or simply living without financial stress.
Historically, financial freedom has felt exclusive to people who already have wealth to invest. But true financial independence should be for everyone, and it starts with giving people the right tools to actively build and manage their own wealth.
This year, your challenge is to build products that make finance work for everyday people.
How can we use emerging tech to...
- Discover: Help people define exactly what financial freedom looks like for them?
- Achieve: Build practical, smart tools that help them reach those personal goals?
- Engage: Make the experience of building and managing wealth simple, accessible, and genuinely fun?
From emerging technologies to new ways of building and managing wealth, teams will have the freedom to dream boldly and explore the ideas that could redefine financial independence.
What to expect
Over the course of the weekend, students will:
- Form teams and turn ideas into prototypes.
- Learn from industry mentors and peers; and
- Pitch their solutions to a panel of expert judges.
You don’t need to be a coder to compete. Great teams are built on a mix of skills, so whether you’re a designer, storyteller, problem-solver, or simply passionate about shaping the future, there’s a place for you.
Incredible mentors from Swyftx
Participants will be supported by mentors from across Swyftx, bringing with them years of experience in strategy, product, technology, and client engagement.
This year’s mentors include:
- Chris Vanek - Director of Marketing
- Simon Pett - Head of Engineering
- Brooke White - Head of Product Design
- Christian Blackburn - Senior Software Engineer
- Jemma Lang - Product Manager
- Rhiannon Cooper - Product Designer
- Bhaarti Singh - Junior Financial Crime Data Engineer
- James McAuley - Graduate Software Engineer
Why join?
- Compete for a $10,000 grand prize.
- Collaborate with students from diverse disciplines.
- Gain insights from experienced mentors and industry leaders.
- Be part of Australia’s biggest student-run hackathon.