IKU is a cross-university hackathon catered towards female and non-binary students, bringing together participants from King's College London (KCL), Imperial College London, and UCL. Organized by the KCL Womxn in STEM, Imperial Women in SET, and UCL Women in STEM societies, IKU offers a weekend of code, community, and confidence designed to address the underrepresentation of womxn in traditional hackathon environments.
Held at Bush House on King's College London's Strand Campus, the event provides a supportive space for gender-minority students in tech. Whether it is your very first build or your tenth, IKU ensures a beginner-friendly atmosphere with workshops and mentors available from your first line of code to your final demo. The event fosters a cross-university community where students can meet and build with peers from three of London's leading universities.
Participants compete for prizes, gain networking opportunities with sponsors, and walk away with a project for their CV. The hackathon runs under the MLH and Hackathons UK codes of conduct, ensuring a safe and inclusive environment for everyone who identifies as womxn or non-binary. Students from non-CS backgrounds are strongly encouraged to join; a dedicated "Best Beginner" side track is available for those where at least 50% of the team comes from a non-CS adjacent background.
The event takes place over a weekend (October 17th–18th) featuring 24 hours of dedicated hacking time. Teams typically consist of 2–4 people, though solo attendees are welcome to form teams on the day. Participants may choose to stay overnight in dedicated sleeping spaces or head home. The event is completely free to attend, including meals, snacks, and swag.
Venue
London, United Kingdom