Today, we transfer funds, pay our bills, and deposit checks with a tap on the smartphone - anytime, anywhere. Most of us will will have a hard time imagining it any different. The question is; where will we be in 10 years from now? Will we still be using ‘tan codes’ or passwords to log in, will we do any banking on desktop, or will we have gotten used to new, smarter ways of tracking & spending our income?

Promising fintech companies and new innovative banks such as Number26, Kreditech, Billfront, and Betterment give us some first clues. But how is the traditional banking world adapting? What if you’d mix the bold innovations of today’s tech startups with the insights and resources of a forward-thinking banking group? Amazing things could happen, and BNP Paribas knows! This year they’re throwing their second international hackathon, with the theme ‘Making Customer Journeys Effortless’, and the aim to find solutions for people to optimise their daily money.

On the weekend of 17 - 19 June, BNP's international hackathon takes place simultaneously in 8 cities around the world; from San Francisco to Rome, from Berlin to Warsaw. Of course, in Berlin the fierce but friendly combat will be going down at betahaus. The hackathon is open to startups from different fields; not only fintech startups, but also startups working with products regarding for instance e-learning, consulting, analytics, artificial intelligence, gamification, and IoT. There are many ways in which customer journeys can be improved, especially since customer service issues exist not only in banking, but also in finance and personal insurance.

In short: APPLY here during the event, your team will be presented with real-life challenges. You'll have privileged access to external experts and a unique suite of resources to help you prototype: fresh customer insights, a sandbox API, and BNP Paribas’ top experts to guide you along the way; from marketing executives to IT architects. Sunday afternoon will be dedicated to a pitch coaching session, so make sure your solution is ready in 36 hours. Also good to know: All elements related to the hackathon remain the property of its respective author… the startup! Nonetheless, the legal representative of each team must sign up and upload the Terms & Conditions prior to the hackathon weekend. A maximum of 7 members are allowed per team.

The hackathon weekend is just the beginning of a potential partnership between your startup and BNP Paribas! If you succeed, you’ll be invited to take part in a Digital Bootcamp, where your prototype will be fed and nurtured with financial support, and you’ll have access to BNP Paribas’ international network of experts and mentors. In stage 3, you’ll fly to Paris for a Demo day. Your idea in action, flanked by BNP Paribas top management and international fintech experts. If they love it, your prototype will become reality and may be used by almost 100 million clients of one of the world’s largest banking groups.

BNP Paribas is a leading provider of banking and financial services in Europe. It's present in 75 countries, including all the main international financial markets. Their international hackathon takes place in the weekend of 17 - 19 June. Want to participate in the Berlin Hackathon? Apply by June 14! 

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And don’t forget to check our calendar for more events coming up.

Article written by Robin