A few days ago I joined Hackathon TalentInTech 2025 at the Azur Arena in Antibes, organized by the CCI Nice Côte d'Azur.
24 hours.
One team.
No sleep.
And yes — we won.
What I Can Say (NDA Mode On 🔒)
The challenge, subject, and code are all protected by NDA, so I can't share the specifics. I know, I know — very mysterious. Very cool of me.
What I can share is how we approached it.
We focused on two things:
- Scalability — not just a demo, but something that could actually grow.
- AI control & security — clear guardrails, controlled inputs/outputs, responsible design from day one.
Even with the clock ticking, we didn't cut corners on architecture. Fast doesn't have to mean messy.
The Real Reason I Did It
Alright, here's the honest part.
I wasn't feeling anything from my day-to-day life. Not burned out, not unhappy — just… flat. Everything was fine. Comfortable. Predictable. Wake up, code, optimize, ship, repeat. The kind of routine that looks great on paper but quietly numbs you if you let it run too long.
So I figured: if my brain won't generate excitement on its own, I'll just throw it into a situation where it has no choice.
A hackathon is basically a controlled shock to the system:
- Rapid decisions — no time to second-guess
- No overthinking — the clock literally won't let you
- No "we'll refactor later" safety net — there is no later
- Just build and commit (in both senses of the word)
It forces you to trust your instincts. And after months of feeling like I was running on autopilot, that was exactly what I needed.
The Fuel Strategy (Do Not Try This at Home)
- ☕ 5 coffees
- 🥤 7 Red Bulls
- 😴 0 hours of sleep
My heart rate was probably illegal in some countries.
At some point you enter a weird hyper-focus state.
You stop checking the time.
You just solve problems.
Your hands type things your brain hasn't fully approved yet.
Would I live like that? My cardiologist would kill me.
Was it worth it for 24 hours? Absolutely.
What I Took Away
Winning was great. Not gonna lie, that part felt pretty nice.
But mostly — I felt something again. That was the whole point. 🚀