Ready to build a career-defining portfolio piece? Join us for a high-impact, two-day cross-disciplinary hackathon designed specifically for Business, Design, and Engineering students.

This is not a classic coding competition. It's an intense, collaborative experience focused on designing and prototyping a human-centered digital solution (e.g., a high-fidelity mock-up, interactive prototype, and a comprehensive pitch deck).

You will tackle real-world challenges in career development, networking, and mentorship that matter to current students, regardless of whether they aspire to join a startup or a global corporation.

This is your chance to build a portfolio piece demonstrating the vital merger of strategic thinking, design feasibility, and technical possibility, and gain visibility and direct access to industry mentors and practitioners from the startup ecosystem.

In collaboration with the Temple University Japan Computer Science department, this hackathon welcomes both Japanese and international students from any university. Join us and transform your ambition into tangible results!

Designing the Future of Work – Creating Meaningful Career Solutions

You will be addressing real-world challenges in career development, networking, and mentorship that are relevant to current students, whether they aim for a startup or a global corporation.

Your focus should be on issues you have personally encountered or on identifying necessary tools and resources that could better assist students in designing their careers and preparing for the job market. You are expected to dive beneath the surface to uncover the root problem.

For example, while international students often see the Japanese language requirement as the primary barrier to securing a desirable job, is the language truly the fundamental issue? Japan has many talented non-Japanese speakers, including those studying here. In this hypothetical scenario, you are challenged to identify the core problem and develop actionable solutions that will genuinely help future students.

Therefore, you must go beyond the initial, surface-level observation and probe 2-3 steps deeper to identify the root cause of the problem.

Junko Fujiwara, Director of Customer Success, Microsoft Japan

Director in Microsoft’s Success Unit, leading Cloud Solution Architects. Former GitHub professional and Microsoft software engineering manager who developed Microsoft products and supported developers. Specializes in AI-driven DevOps, GitHub for enterprise software development, and cloud transformation. Advocate for women in STEM.

Emiko Shimono, Solution Architect, Microsoft Japan

Cloud Solution Architect at Microsoft with extensive experience in digital transformation and customer success. Specializes in data technologies, supporting organizations in building trusted partnerships, delivering innovative solutions, and achieving sustainable business impact through technology-driven strategies.

Ryo Kobiyama, Experience Designer, Slalom

A designer fascinated by what makes people move or change. Through UX, service design, and behavioral insight, I help teams rethink problems, design better systems, and create solutions that shift perspectives and drive meaningful impact.

Congqin Chen, Founder, alliz

A purpose-driven founder dedicated to bridging the academic and professional worlds. Bringing 10+ years in Business Intelligence (global tech and consulting) and diverse experience in startup business and product development, Congqin helps students build confidence, identify strengths, and turn weaknesses into career advantages.

Jet Son Tan, CEO & Founder, TrendRider

Entrepreneur, mentor, angel investor, and product leader. Built startups across APAC, launched Apple’s Siri for Southeast Asia, and scaled AI products globally. Passionate about helping innovators shape ideas into prototypes and supporting emerging talent in building meaningful and impactful careers.

Snehal Shinde, Director, Product Engineering, Mercari

Snehal is the Engineering Director at Mercari, where she leads cross-functional collaborations and drives a culture of innovation. She guides product engineering teams to develop effective solutions. Snehal enjoys mentoring and promoting growth.

Diogo Almeida, Product Designer, Google Maps, Google

Diogo is a product designer at Google Maps, creating AI experiences for billions of users, and a CRO consultant. His interests lie in the intersection of behavioral economics, design and data analytics. Outside of work, Diogo enjoys Aikido and Snowboarding.

Yan Fan, Co-Founder, Code Chrysalis

Yan Fan is the co-founder of Code Chrysalis, a Tokyo-based corporate software engineering training company. Yan began her career in commodities trading in Singapore before transitioning into software engineering at a Silicon Valley startup. She later co-founded a coding bootcamp in Jordan that was created to support refugees.

Schedule and Team Structure

Full attendance is mandatory for participation in this two-day in-person hackathon. This hackathon will not feature dedicated instructional sessions or workshops; however, on-site mentors will be available to provide support and feedback.

Day 1 will concentrate on Ideation, Design, and Prototyping. Industry mentors representing the Business, Design, and Engineering sectors will be accessible to offer guidance. Following the structured session, teams are expected to continue their collaborative work, either in person at a location they select or remotely online. Day 2 will be dedicated to the completion of the prototype and the preparation of the final pitch presentation.

Teams will be formed on Day 1, each consisting of 4-5 students. To ensure an interdisciplinary approach, each team will include members from the Business, Design, and Engineering fields, drawing students from multiple universities.

Policy on Tools and AI Use

Teams may use any tools or frameworks agreed upon by all members. Complimentary collaborative platforms (digital tools like Figma, Miro, Canva, or physical methods like whiteboards and paper models) are permitted for quick prototyping in the ideation and design phases.

AI tools are allowed for prototyping if teams demonstrate a deliberate and effective application of AI to deliver a functional prototype or a persuasive pitch deck. AI should play an assistant role; teams may use AI to support their main work or to create a foundation that is then refined. Submitting unreviewed AI-generated outcomes as deliverables or neglecting personal understanding is unacceptable. AI can assist with execution, but the core creative intent must be yours.

Assessment Criteria

Scoring prioritizes cross-disciplinary collaboration and the potential for real-world impact. Evaluation will concentrate on the Problem Definition, Conceptual Logic, and Business Viability of the solution. Teams are encouraged to utilize any tools necessary to achieve their goals. The evaluation is based on the following three categories:

1. Problem, Innovation & Business Value: Assesses the clarity and significance of the identified user problem, the originality of the solution, the viability of the proposed business model, and the overall potential for market disruption. This category emphasizes the 'What' and 'Why' of the project.

2. Conceptual & Practical Feasibility: Evaluates the soundness and logic of the proposed solution concept and its practical application (Logic), along with the clarity of the user journey and proposed functional elements (Conceptual Design). Focus is on clarity of function and user flow, ensuring the idea can practically address the problem, rather than aesthetic design or code complexity.

3. Execution and Presentation: Examines the persuasiveness and professional quality of the pitch presentation, and provides evidence of effective Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration and clear role utilization (Business, Design, and Engineering) within the team.

Career Accelerator Prize

The winning team (ONE) will receive an exclusive prize package meticulously designed to significantly accelerate their professional careers and amplify their public profile:

• Career Accelerator Internship: An unpaid, high-impact, project-based internship (e.g., 4-12 weeks) at alliz or a startup internship sponsor, featuring invaluable one-on-one mentoring with company founders and senior executives.

• Professional Spotlight: An exclusive public speaking engagement at the annual career summit, "The Unscripted Career," in February, providing unparalleled industry visibility.

• Celebratory Reward: A custom-designed collection of alliz swags — a practical testament to your team's unity and shared achievement!

All participants are eligible for ongoing mentoring support to further develop their career solution or receive general career advice, regardless of the competition results.

Application: The hackathon is free to attend and will accommodate up to 30 students. Upon successful registration, you will then receive a calendar invitation. Register or cancel by Friday, January 23rd, 2026.

Language: The event will primarily be conducted in English. During group work and networking time, conversations in both English and Japanese are welcome.

Refreshments: Pizza and coffee will be provided for lunch. Attendees are responsible for managing their own dietary needs and any allergies.

Photography: Photos and videos may be taken during the event and could be used for promotional purposes on alliz’s website and social media. By signing up for this event, you permit us to use these photos and videos. If you do not want to be photographed but still wish to attend, please contact alliz.

Schedule: The event schedule is subject to change on the day.

Contact: For any event-related inquiries, please contact alliz via email at event@alliz.jp.

Host: alliz

alliz is a member-led career mentorship community dedicated to helping students and early-career professionals with career design and development in Japan. Through events, mentorship, and shared learning, we foster connections that inspire personal growth, skill development, and long-term success in the tech industry.