You are invited to be a part of ANZ HackNow 2026!
Where top practitioners from across the ANZ partner ecosystem come together to build real AI solutions on the ServiceNow platform.
This year we're doing something special. Under our "Education & Future Workforce" theme, your team will collaborate with university students and the Digital Transformation Agency (DTA) to build AI Agents - bridging industry expertise with fresh academic thinking. And for the first time, we're going fully immersive with a 2-day on-site format, designed to maximise collaboration, energy, and impact.
It all culminates in a Grand Finale in Sydney on 29 July - the day before World Forum.

Why participate?
Build AI Agent skills that matter
AI Agents are redefining how organisations work — and you'll build one. Get hands-on with the NOW Platform's most in-demand capability, applied to a real-world government challenge that goes beyond the hypothetical.
Expand influence and network
Your team is paired with university students — you bring platform expertise, they bring fresh thinking. The new 2-day on-site format means real mentorship from ServiceNow experts. And finally, your solution lands in front of customer executives at the Finale.
Win Big!
Prizes and giveaways for winners and participants — bigger than ever before. Watch this space!
About Digital Transformation Agency
The Digital Transformation Agency (DTA) is the Australian government body driving responsible AI adoption across the public sector. This year, DTA has co-designed the HackNow challenge brief and will have executives on the judging panel at the Grand Finale.
Learn more about the Digital Transformation Agency and their purpose!
What you need to know
From registration through to the live event in Sydney - check out all the details, mark the dates and stay on track.
Theme: Education & Future Workforce
Industry, education, and government collaborating to build the AI-ready workforce Australia needs. This year's theme is set and endorsed by the Digital Transformation Agency (DTA) — the Australian government body driving responsible AI adoption across the public sector.
Challenges
Participants can choose one of two challenges to tackle:

Your timeline to the Grand Finale

Team Criteria

Mandatory Course
All team members must mandatorily complete the AI Agents Delivery Accreditation by July 10 to be eligible for next steps of the HackNow.
Technology Criteria
All solutions must be built on the ServiceNow platform using the following mandatory capabilities. Solutions not meeting both requirements are ineligible for judging.
Capabillity |
Description |
Requirement |
|---|---|---|
AI Agent Studio |
Primary tool to build, test and deploy autonomous AI Agents that execute multi-step workflows |
Mandatory |
Now Assist |
Conversational front-end |
Mandatory |
The following capabilities are not mandatory but are encouraged — and their use is rewarded in scoring:
Capabillity |
Description |
Requirement |
|---|---|---|
AI Control Tower |
Centralized governance, monitoring and policy enforcement for all AI Agents |
Recommended |
Context Engine |
Connects enterprise relationships, policy and design history to ground agent decisions |
Recommended |
MCP Integrations |
Governance layer for AI Agent connections via Model Context Protocal |
Recommended |
Workflow Data Fabric |
Connects data across siloed systems into a unified layer for AI consumption |
Recommended |
Judging takes place in 2 stages:
Stage 1: Mentor technical evaluation
ServiceNow Solution Consultants, embedded as mentors during the hacking phase, assess each team's build in real-time across July 28–29. Based on their evaluation, 3–5 teams are selected to present to the customer panel.
Criterion |
Description |
Weightage |
|---|---|---|
Technical Execution |
Depth and quality of agentic AI design; quality and integrity of the build |
40% |
Use of additional platform capabilities |
Intentional use of capabilities beyond the mandatory baseline |
30% |
Innovation & Creativity |
Originality of concept and approach |
30% |
Stage 2: Exec Judging Panel
Shortlisted teams present their solution to a panel that includes executives from the Digital Transformation Agency (DTA) & ServiceNow leadership. The panel evaluates on impact and communication rather than technical depth.
Criterion |
Description |
Weightage |
|---|---|---|
Presentation & Demo |
Clarity, storytelling, and demo quality |
40% |
Real World Impact |
Practicality and deployability of the solution |
30% |
Innovation & Creativity |
Originality of concept and approach (scored fresh) |
30% |


