Two weekends ago, the atmosphere at London Business School shifted. The usual quiet of Nuffield Hall in the North Building was replaced by the frantic energy of 48-hour sprints, late-night coding, and the unmistakable buzz of people building something from nothing.
This was my third time attending HackLBS, the flagship hackathon-style event hosted by the LBS Entrepreneurship Club and Institute of Entrepreneurship and Private Capital (IEPC). I can say without hesitation: it was easily the best one yet.
What made this year different wasn’t just the quality of the ideas, which were exceptional, but the sheer energy injected into the format. As Co-President of the Entrepreneurship Club, seeing the Hack team reinvent an event that has been an LBS staple for years was a masterclass in community-led innovation.
From Introvert to Game Show Host
One of the most unexpected highlights for me was watching my co-president and classmate, Gary, in a completely new light. Normally known for his relatively introverted nature, Gary underwent a total metamorphosis. Under the bright lights of the stage, he evolved into a charismatic game show host.
The Hack Team introduced a new elimination format this year, which made the final rounds feel less like a dry pitching session and more like a high-stakes reality game show. Audience and participants alike waited with bated breath for their favourite pitches – something reminiscent of an episode of Britain’s Got Talent. Gary leaned into the role perfectly, joking about being the “bad guy” for the sake of entertainment as he made teams stand on stage during the elimination moments. It was frantic, exciting, and exactly the kind of “theatre” that a high-paced hackathon needs.
Resilience Beyond the Pitch
While the event was filled with high-energy moments, there were also reminders of the incredible personal resilience LBS students carry. I want to acknowledge Zara Mogadasi.
Zara was preparing her final pitch during the height of the recent conflict in Iran. While navigating the pressure of the competition, she was simultaneously facing a complete communication blackout, unable to contact her parents or family back home. To see her stand on that stage and deliver a winning performance under that kind of emotional weight was nothing short of humbling.
This Year’s Winners
The diversity of problems solved over the weekend was a testament to the talent in the room.
The Grand Prize (£5,000): TradeMate Team: Zara Mogadasi, Midhat Fatima, Diego Sarasua, Cristina Hurtado TradeMate is an AI agent designed to tackle the worker shortage in the UK trades sector (£215BN market) by making existing workers more productive. By handling calls, bookings, and invoices with zero data entry, they are building for the workforce that keeps Britain on track for its Net Zero targets.
“Winning the Grand Prize was an amazing validation… The prize funding gives us the opportunity to turn this weekend project into a real solution,” the team (all MBA2025 alumni) shared.
The Impact Award (£3,000): Iris Founder: Liam Bakker (MFA2026) Iris is a revolutionary accessibility tool that turns a standard webcam into a mouse and keyboard using eye-tracking. Built for people with ALS and motor disabilities, it allows users to move, click, and type entirely by sight.
Liam noted: “HackLBS was an opportunity that allowed us to challenge and uplift each other and ultimately grow closer through the process.”
The Audience Choice Award (£1,000): Moda Team: Lavanya Saberwal, Maya Stolle, Sekere Pepa, Yuqin Xiao (Shaw) Moda is redefining the lingerie category with a modular, sustainable bra system that adapts to women’s changing bodies, reducing waste and cost while prioritizing wellness.
A Growing Ecosystem
Entrepreneurship at LBS doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It was a pleasure to welcome students from other universities and business schools. The Business Society from Queen Mary University joined us to work on a career advice app. This cross-pollination of ideas is what makes the London startup scene so vibrant.
We also owe a massive thanks to Aion.xyz for the financial support, Replit for the AI credits and essential merch, and FIX8 for keeping us hydrated and focused with their kombucha.
Reflections on the Journey
As I wrap up my second year at LBS, I feel an immense sense of pride in what our club has achieved. Pulling off an event of this scale is no small feat. Seeing the Hack team inject so much enthusiasm and new life into this tradition has been one of the highlights of my co-presidency of the Entrepreneurship Club.
I’m walking away from this weekend inspired by the ideas that surfaced and the bonds that were formed. Will I be back next year? Most definitely. I’ll be back as a participant again and who knows, maybe it’ll be fourth time lucky!