NYC · July 14–15, 2026

Build the future of autonomous finance.

Automata 2026 is a 2 day, in person event at Solana HQ in New York City. We are bringing together builders, researchers, designers, and anyone curious about autonomous finance to create something new.

Whether you are building LLM powered finance bots, signal generation systems, DeFi tools, portfolio optimizers, or something we have not thought of yet — if it uses AI to move capital, we want to see it.

$5,000
Prize Pool
2
Days
Register on Luma →
Solana HQ building, NYC
Team building at a hackathon
Developer coding at a hackathon
Ideas to get you started

These are just suggestions.

Anything is welcome.

01

Autonomous finance agents

AI agents that analyze markets, generate signals, and execute trades on their own. Or go in a completely different direction.

  • ·LLM powered strategy agents
  • ·Multi step reasoning execution
  • ·Risk managed autonomous portfolios
  • ·Or invent something entirely new
02

Signal and analysis bots

Bots that ingest data and surface signals. Build what you wish existed.

  • ·On chain and social sentiment analysis
  • ·Funding rate and order book monitors
  • ·Multi factor signal aggregation
  • ·Your own creative data pipeline
03

DeFi infrastructure tools

Tools that make DeFi more composable, efficient, and powerful. Build what you wish existed.

  • ·Cross chain portfolio trackers
  • ·MEV protection and intent based finance
  • ·Liquidity analysis dashboards
  • ·Developer SDKs and infra
04

Portfolio optimization

Systems that allocate capital smarter. Or skip this entirely and build your own thing.

  • ·Volatility targeted rebalancing
  • ·Multi strategy capital allocation
  • ·RL based position sizing
  • ·Anything that moves capital with AI
July 14–15, 2026

Two days of building.

DAY 01 · JULY 14
09:00
Check in & Breakfast
10:00
Opening Ceremony
10:30
Hacking Begins — Open Floor
13:00
Lunch
18:00
Dinner & Networking
19:00
Late night hacking (venue open)
DAY 02 · JULY 15
09:00
Breakfast & Morning Hacking
12:00
Lunch
14:00
Project Submission Deadline
14:30
Live demos (5 min per team)
16:30
Judging Deliberation
17:00
Winners Announced & Awards
18:00
Closing Reception
How projects are evaluated

What judges look for.

Innovation

How novel is your approach? We reward fresh ideas, creative use of AI, unconventional data sources, and original thinking about how capital can move. Surprise us with something we have not seen before.

Execution

Does it work? Judges will evaluate code quality, system architecture, reliability, and how well the pieces come together. A working demo beats a beautiful slide deck every time.

Design

How well designed is the agent system? Consider reasoning loops, tool use, memory, error handling, and adaptability. The best agents demonstrate clear decision making logic and can explain their actions.

Feasibility

Is the scope realistic and the approach grounded? Judges reward projects that are ambitious but could genuinely work in production — not just a proof of concept that collapses under real conditions.

Live demo

Teams present a 5 minute live demo to judges. Show your agent in action — making decisions, executing trades, or generating signals in real time. Prepare for Q&A from our panel of judges.

Prize pool

$5,000 total.

1st place
$3,000
Best overall project
2nd place
$1,500
Runner up
3rd place
$500
Third place
Frequently asked questions

Got questions?

Who can participate?

Anyone with a passion for building. All backgrounds and skill levels are welcome. Come solo or with a team of up to 4 people.

Is it free to attend?

Yes, the hackathon is completely free to attend. We provide meals, drinks, and a space to build for the full 2 days.

Do I need to know crypto or finance?

Not necessarily. The theme is agentic finance, but if you have a strong AI or engineering background and want to learn, you are absolutely welcome. Domain expertise helps but is not required.

What should I bring?

Your laptop, charger, and any hardware you need. We recommend setting up your dev environment beforehand to maximize hacking time.

Will there be mentors?

Yes. Industry experts in AI, finance, and Solana development will be available throughout to help unblock teams and provide guidance.

Is the prize in cash or tokens?

The $5,000 prize pool is paid in USDC on Solana directly to winning team wallets.

Venue

Solana HQ,
New York City.

Located in the heart of Manhattan. Exact address shared with registered attendees. Food, drinks, and high speed WiFi provided throughout the event.

When
July 14–15, 2026
Where
Solana HQ, NYC
Solana HQ interior — open workspace with NYC skyline view

Ready to build?

Register now. Limited spots available.
July 14–15 · Solana HQ · New York City

Register on Luma →