Techathon is back – 18th and 19th February 2026!

A two-day Hackathon for young people, part of Norwich Science Festival.

Tickets for the two-day event cost a maximum of £15, and include lunch, snacks and refreshments on both days. Book your tickets on Eventbrite now!

-The Step into Tech Team

A fun filled event

The Techathon competition lets young people aged 8 to 18 explore the possibilities of technology in an informal and creative environment. Over the course of two days, each team takes on one of our challenges, trying out ideas, finding out what works and what doesn’t.

It’s a great opportunity to meet like-minded people, expert mentors and even potential future employers. It’s a fun-packed event with the opportunity to learn new skills, make friends and even win prizes. Find out more in our FAQs (below), or check out the images from our last event. For any additional queries email hello@stepintotech.org.

Prizes

There are four prizes: Idea, Teamwork, Awesomeness and Implementation.

What is the Techathon?

A two day competition event where young people have fun exploring tech and taking on tech challenges. To give you more of a flavour check out the images from our last Techathon.

Who is the Techathon for?

Young people aged 8-18 who are not yet at university and are interested in tech.

Does my child need to know how to program or have any technology experience?

No, the Techathon is for anyone, from complete beginners to tech wizards. The challenges are designed to let everyone take part and approach them in their own way – whether that’s thinking about ways to tackle a problem, designing a possible solution, building something in Scratch or taking on some advanced coding. There will be friendly, professional mentors on hand to help.

What will my child get out of attending the Techathon?

They can find out about different technologies, and learn from each other and from mentors who are already working in the tech industry. It’s not just about programming / coding – there’s the opportunity to develop other skills like understanding how to approach a challenge and work in a team. It’s also a chance to make friends and have fun.

Does my child need to be part of a team?

Participants can tackle challenges on their own or as part of a team of up to four people. You can come with your friends as a ready-made team, or we can help put you into a team with other young people. Please let us know if you need help teaming up, contact us.

Do parents / guardians need to be there?

• If your child is 12 or under, they must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at the Techathon. If you really cannot attend, please let us know before booking, and we’ll do our best to arrange DBS-checked supervision for your child (email: hello@stepintotech.org).
• Participants aged 13 and over are welcome to attend on their own, as long as we have emergency contact details.
• Parents and guardians are encouraged to join the introductory session and the final show-and-tell/prize-giving.

How much will attending the Techathon cost?

A two day ticket costs £15, which includes lunch / snacks / refreshments for the young person. If cost is a problem for you, please contact us – we can provide a free ticket thanks to the support of our sponsors. You can get tickets online.

A fun filled event

There will be prizes for the best creative solutions – the competition isn’t just about coding, but also being creative, designing, inventing and working well as a team. Come with an open mind to learn more and don’t expect everything to go right first time – some of the best learning comes from making mistakes and overcoming setbacks!

Award Ceremony

Work on the challenges must end by 2pm on the second day. Parents / guardians are very welcome to join us to see what everyone has made. This will then be followed by the Award Ceremony where the winning teams will receive their prizes.

Day 1 – 18th February

09:00 Registration at Daynes Sports Centre
The event starts at Daynes Sport Centre. Signage will be available to help you find us.

09:30 Introduction to Techathon and challenge presentations from our sponsors
Our hosts will welcome you to the Techathon and explain what to expect from the two days. Following the welcome, reps from our sponsors will present their challenges for you to pick from

10:40 Techathon begins

12:30 Lunch will be available

16:00 Doors close (although you can still continue creating at home if you wish!)

Day 2 – 19th February

09:00 Registration at Daynes Sport Centre
Techathon continues

12:00 Lunch will be available

14:00 Non-staying parents/guardians are invited to see what everyone has made
If you have not stayed at the Techathon, this is your chance to come along and see what you child has been creating over the last 2 days. This will be at the Daynes Sport Centre, Norwich School, St Faiths Lane, Norwich, NR1 4DL. Signage will be available to help you find us.

15:00 Awards ceremony in The Daynes Centre Sports Hall
Parents or guardians are encouraged to join us for the Awards ceremony where prizes are given out for Teamwork, Awesomeness, Idea and Implementation.

16:00 Event closes