The inaugural Singapore Defense Tech Hackathon (SDTH) concluded with the announcement of winners across two tracks. The event, which opened on 25 September 2026, attracted over 1,000 applicants, with 300 participants selected to compete. The competition featured a total cash prize pool exceeding SGD 50,000.
The team MAELSTROM won the three-month extended challenge for developing a micro-missile system designed to intercept drone swarms. The hackathon also awarded the Lord of the Rings Prize to groups that integrated their technologies into unified capabilities, including teams Acoustics, DomeCommand, AEGIS, SwarmBreakers, and Sentinel.
Promising participants may be selected for the NUS Defence Tech Lab (DVL) incubation program. One to three teams will receive support worth SGD 100,000, including cash, technical mentorship, and access to testbeds in Singapore and Europe. The program aims to help startups transition into companies and secure further investment.
The event was organized by NUSX in partnership with the European Defense Tech Hub and TUM Venture Labs. It was supported by various government and industry entities, including ST Engineering, Accenture, and Shield AI. Investors involved in the initiative include Cap Vista, IQT, B Capital, and OTB Ventures.
