10,000+ builders across 140 cities powering the world’s largest hackathon
Bolt.new
Big ideas, small meetups, one giant hackathon.
Launched on River: May 20, 2025
Bolt.new is the engine behind The World’s Largest Hackathon—an open, community-led initiative offering over $1M in prizes, hundreds of thousands of participants, and zero barriers to entry. With River, Bolt.new brought this global movement to life through local, on-the-ground energy. This global initiative brought builders together through over 195 IRL events and 55 online sessions across 140+ cities, hosted by more than 170 community organizers.
From a kickoff meetup to help hackers pitch ideas, find teammates, and form teams, to collaborative build sessions where creators worked side-by-side in their cities, Bolt.new used the River platform to spark momentum every step of the way. The journey culminates in an IRL Awards Ceremony Watch Party—a global simulcast that lets local communities celebrate together in sync, wherever they are in the world.
With a simple platform for hosting and discovery, River made it easy for organizers to run events and for hackers to jump in. Whether online or in person, participants could connect, collaborate, and build something meaningful together.
"We wanted this hackathon to feel both massive and personal, and we didn’t have to do the work to make that happen. The community stepped up, and the River platform orchestrated everything. It was a truly global experience that still felt local and connected in every city."
Eric Simons
CEO at Bolt
"What made this hackathon special wasn’t just the scale, it was how personal it felt. River gave our community the tools to lead IRL meetups and they showed up in a big way. From Tokyo to New York, builders brought their cities to life and the River platform made it easy for builders to connect, organize, and celebrate together."
Mallory Loar
Head of Brand Marketing at Bolt
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