Cursor community AI Hackathon showcases Northampton’s growing digital ambition

The team behind the scenes — our incredible volunteers who made the Cursor Northampton Evening Hackathon seamless, energetic and truly unforgettable.

placeholder image — The team behind the scenes — our incredible volunteers who made the Cursor Northampton Evening Hackathon seamless, energetic and truly unforgettable.

Northampton’s growing reputation as a centre for digital innovation was on display on 12 February 2026, when the town’s technology community gathered for a high-energy, community- led artificial intelligence hackathon.

Hosted at the University of Northampton, the Cursor Northampton Evening Hackathon brought together students, developers, founders and industry professionals for an intensive three-hour build sprint. Working in teams, participants designed, developed and demonstrated AI-powered

prototypes in an environment focused on experimentation, collaboration and practical problem-solving.

The initiative was organised by Rahulkrishnan R A, a Cursor Ambassador, alongside a team of

Cursor Ambassador Rahulkrishnan R A delivers the opening address at the Cursor Hackathon held at the University of Northampton.

volunteers and community partners. It aimed to create opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs, students and working professionals to engage directly with emerging AI technologies while strengthening connections across Northampton’s digital ecosystem.

Over the course of the evening, 18 teams built projects using modern AI tools before presenting their ideas to a judging panel. More than 55 participants took part, supported by over 25 volunteers. In total, close to 100 people attended the event.

Projects were assessed by Paweł Grzybek, founder of NN1 Dev Club; Dr Mu Mu, professor at the University of Northampton; and Darryn Frost QGM, co-founder of Own Merit CIC. The panel combined expertise from academia, community leadership and social enterprise, offering feedback on both the technical quality of the builds and their potential real-world impact.

The hackathon was supported by the University of Northampton, NN1 Dev Club, MiniMax, Barclays, MongoDB and Own Merit. Sponsors provided venue space, prizes and technical resources. Barclays said its involvement formed part of its Talent Attraction programme, which focuses on strengthening digital capability within the community and creating pathways for students and aspiring technologists to connect with industry.

Founders, developers and students in full flow — collaborating, problem-solving and building AI- powered solutions with Cursor.

A central theme of the event was a real-world challenge set by Own Merit, a Northampton-based social enterprise founded in 2021 by Darryn Frost QGM and Steve Gallant. The organisation was established to address homelessness among prison leavers through a structured, community-led housing model. During the hackathon, teams were invited to explore technology-driven solutions inspired by Own Merit’s work, highlighting how artificial intelligence could be used to support social impact initiatives.

Organisers said feedback from attendees was positive, with many calling for similar events in the future. Plans are now being discussed for a larger, full-day hackathon in June to allow more time for development and broader participation.

Mr Rahulkrishnan said the event represented more than a short coding session. He described it as a demonstration of Northampton’s potential to develop as an AI innovation hub — bringing together students, professionals and entrepreneurs to experiment with emerging technologies and build solutions with purpose.

The evening’s turnout and level of engagement, organisers said, reflect a wider ambition to position Northampton at the forefront of digital skills development, with community-led collaboration playing a central role in shaping the town’s technology future.