Singapore Hosts First AI Coding Hackathon Series in Asia

When one of Asia's biggest tech companies teams up with the creator of ChatGPT, something special is about to happen for developers across the region.

Sea Limited and OpenAI just announced the Sea x OpenAI Codex Hackathon, kicking off June 6 in Singapore. More than 150 developers, students, and tech builders will gather at Shopee's headquarters to tackle over 40 projects using AI-powered coding tools.

This isn't just a one-time event. After Singapore, the series will expand to Indonesia, Taiwan, and Vietnam, creating opportunities for thousands more developers to experiment with cutting-edge AI technology. It's the first regional hackathon series OpenAI has launched in Asia Pacific.

The timing couldn't be better. Southeast Asia's tech scene is exploding, and access to advanced AI tools has been limited for many developers outside major tech hubs. This initiative changes that by putting professional-grade AI coding assistance directly in the hands of local builders.

Participants will use Codex, OpenAI's AI coding solution that Sea already uses across its entire engineering team. That real-world adoption matters. Sea isn't just hosting an event; they're sharing tools they actually depend on daily.

David Chen, Chief Product Officer at Shopee, explained why this matters. "Innovation grows stronger when communities can learn, experiment, and build together," he said. The goal is helping more people across Asia gain hands-on AI experience and turn it into practical solutions for everyday problems.

OpenAI sees Singapore as the perfect launchpad. "Sea is one of our largest Codex customers in Asia," said Thibault Sottiaux, Head of Codex at OpenAI. Their shared belief that Asia will shape software development's future makes this partnership natural.

The Ripple Effect

This hackathon could spark a chain reaction across Asia's developer communities. When developers gain hands-on experience with AI tools, they bring that knowledge back to their companies, schools, and startups. The 150 participants in Singapore become 150 teachers who can mentor others.

The prizes make participation even sweeter. Winning teams receive up to $30,000 in OpenAI API credits, while the top five teams get ChatGPT Pro subscriptions. But the real prize is learning from OpenAI experts who'll provide onsite guidance throughout the day-long event.

Registration closes May 28, giving aspiring participants just two weeks to sign up. The event runs from 8:30am to 9pm, with teams showcasing their AI-driven solutions at the end.

By bridging the gap between AI's potential and practical applications, this series is nurturing the next generation of builders who will create technology that matters for their communities.