RADIOTHON
WINTER 2026
Beyond Demos: Engineering Systems That Matter
24-Hour Hackathon • Career Fair Postponed (See FAQ)
Featuring Partners & Participants from Elite Institutions
IMPORTANT UPDATE: CAREER FAIR POSTPONED
The Career Fair originally scheduled for January 26, 2026 has been postponed to a later date.
→ Hackathon proceeds as scheduled: January 23-24, 2026 (NYC + India)
→ Career Fair: New date to be announced — check your email for updates
See FAQ section below for full details • All registered participants will be notified via email
"Radiothon isn't about shipping code. It's about demonstrating senior-level engineering judgment under constraint."
24 HOURS // REAL SYSTEMS // ELITE TALENT ONLY
TRACKS
| 01 | AI SYSTEMS & INFRASTRUCTURE |
| 02 | AI-NATIVE PRODUCTS AND PLATFORMS |
| 03 | APPLIED ML FOR SCIENCE AND HIGH-STAKES DOMAINS |
| 04 | MARKETS, FINANCE & DECISION SYSTEMS |
| 05 | FOUNDATIONAL SYSTEMS & NOVEL ALGORITHMS |
CALIBRATION EXAMPLES
IMPORTANT: These are calibration anchors, not suggested projects.
They exist to illustrate the level of depth, rigor, and clarity we value — not the specific domains or solutions.
You will NOT be judged on topic choice. You will be judged on depth, reasoning, tradeoffs, and execution of your solution.
*Do not use any of these examples verbatim for your hackathon submission.
If you're unsure whether your idea is "deep enough," ask yourself:
→ Would a senior engineer disagree with parts of my design?
If the answer is no — it's probably too shallow.
If you think in systems, not features—this is your arena.
We optimize for signal, not volume.
JUDGING PANEL
Industry leaders evaluating your systems thinking, technical depth, and engineering judgment.
CAREER FAIR (POSTPONED)
This is not a resume dump. This is a curated matching environment for serious engineers and serious employers.
FOR CANDIDATES
Who Gets Access
Priority Tier: Hackathon participants who passed the Pre-Qualification Challenge. Winners get paid for & earliest scheduling and private sessions with top employers.
General Tier: Screened candidates can purchase tickets (subject to capacity). Must pass technical screening. Access to general sessions with employers.
Format
- → Curated 1:1 or small group conversations (15-20 min)
- → Architecture poster sessions (show your system design)
- → Deep-dive technical discussions
- → Network and showcase
What You Get
- → Real technical conversations with hiring managers
- → Pre-matched to companies based on your work
- → Your Talent Signal Card already shared with employers
FOR EMPLOYERS
Who This Serves
Designed for companies with active engineering roles to fill. This is a hiring-focused event that maximizes ROI for teams seeking high-caliber technical talent.
What You Receive Before the Fair
- → Talent Signal Cards for all qualified candidates
- → Scores, code quality metrics, and behavioral insights
- → Pre-matched candidates based on your hiring needs
- → Access to hackathon projects and architecture designs
Event Format
- → Curated 1:1 sessions with pre-scheduled candidates
- → Techincal deep-dive assessment
- → Small group discussions for culture and team fit
- → All candidate data provided in advance—focus on conversation
→ NYC Location • NEW DATE TBA — Originally planned following the hackathon
All registered participants will receive email updates with the new date and details.
EVENT SCHEDULE
24-hour synchronized hackathon across NYC and India timezones. All times are local to each venue.
| NYC TIME (EST) | INDIA TIME (IST) | VENUE | EVENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7:30 PM | 6:00 AM | NYC | Registration & Check-In |
| 8:30 PM | 7:00 AM | NYC | Opening Ceremony |
| 9:00 PM | 7:30 AM | NYC | Hacking Begins (T+0) |
| 10:30 PM | 9:00 AM | INDIA | Registration & Check-In |
| 11:00 PM | 9:30 AM | INDIA | Opening Ceremony |
| 11:30 PM | 10:00 AM | INDIA | Hacking Begins (T+0) |
| 8:00 AM | 6:30 PM | NYC | Breakfast Service |
| 1:00 PM | 11:30 PM | NYC | Lunch Service |
| 2:45 PM | 1:15 AM | NYC | Final Submission Warning |
| 3:00 PM | 1:30 AM | NYC | Submission Deadline |
| 4:45 PM | 3:15 AM | INDIA | Final Submission Warning |
| 5:00 PM | 3:30 AM | INDIA | Submission Deadline |
| 5:00 PM | 3:30 AM | NYC | Finalist Demonstrations |
| 6:15 PM | 4:45 AM | INDIA | Finalist Demonstrations |
| 7:45 PM | 6:15 AM | BOTH | Winner Announcement (Live Broadcast) |
| 7:55 PM | 6:25 AM | BOTH | Awards & Prize Distribution |
| 8:10 PM | 6:40 AM | BOTH | Closing Keynote Address |
| 8:25 PM | 6:55 AM | BOTH | Event Conclusion |
| 8:30 PM | 7:00 AM | BOTH | Venue Closure |
→ Participants must be present at their registered venue for behavioral evaluation and real-time updates.
Overnight absence permitted (midnight–8AM) but presence required Friday evening and all day Saturday.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Everything you need to know about participating in Radiothon Winter 2026.
→ More detailed instructions will be provided at kickoff on January 23-24, 2026.
Questions? Contact us at mail@radion.build
THINK YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES?
Application Closed
Applications closed // mail@radion.build