AlgoTrade Hackathon 206 (Zagreb, Croatia)
Major quant firms like Jane Street and Citadel sponsor a 24-hour algorithmic trading competition for 300 students.
The AlgoTrade 2026 hackathon, set for May in Zagreb, Croatia, is positioning itself as a premier gateway for students into the competitive world of quantitative finance. Organized as a 24-hour intensive competition, it will host approximately 300 participants—a mix of 200 international and 100 Croatian students—at the Mozaik Event Center. The event is distinguished by its heavyweight sponsorship roster, featuring elite trading firms like Jane Street, IMC, Citadel Securities, Susquehanna, and Jump Trading, offering unparalleled networking and recruitment access.
Participants, aged 18-26 and applying as teams of 3-4 or individually, will tackle a non-trivial problem within a custom-built simulated market environment. The schedule includes an educational phase from May 4-7 with industry lectures, followed by opening networking on May 8 and the core 24-hour hackathon on May 9-10. As a significant incentive, 100 international participants will receive free accommodation based on application merit, and all vie for a shared €10,000 prize pool. Applications are open until April 1, 2026.
- Sponsored by top quant firms including Jane Street, Citadel, and Jump Trading, offering direct industry exposure.
- Features a 24-hour competition in a custom simulated market for 300 students with a €10,000 total prize pool.
- Provides free accommodation for 100 selected international applicants and includes several days of educational lectures.
Why It Matters
This event is a direct talent pipeline for quant finance, giving students rare access to top firms and real-world strategy testing.