Register Now

AWS Publishing & Media Innovation Hackathon

Mar

25

,

2026

|

9:00AM

-

5:00PM

EDT

Register Now

The future of publishing is being built right now — and you're invited to help shape it.
You'll build real AI-powered solutions using AWS's latest innovations — including Amazon Bedrock, Amazon AgentCore, and Anthropic Claude Code — alongside AWS partner products.

What you'll get:
- Build with the best: Team up with peers across the industry to solve real challenges, fast
- AWS experts at your side: Dedicated SMEs supporting your team from ideation to demo
- Pitch to the top: Senior publishing executives judge and award winning teams
- Plug into the ecosystem: Hands-on integrations with SaaS partners (CDP, CMS, subscription platforms)
- Network with builders: Connect with leaders shaping the future of content

What to know:
- Teams of 4–6 participants (come with a team or be matched on-site)
- Bring your laptop. AWS environments and tools will be provided
- Breakfast, lunch, and refreshments served throughout the day
- This is your chance to lead the way and invent the experiences your audience will crave next. Confirm your spot now — do not miss this opportunity!

Who should attend:
Digital, content, and technology leaders (CDOs, CTOs, CMOs, Product Owners) alongside cross-functional team members including engineers, data scientists, UX designers, content strategists, and marketing specialists. We encourage organizations to send teams with both technical and business perspectives.

Prior Experience:
No prior hackathon experience is necessary. Just bring your industry knowledge, customer insights, and creative thinking! This event is particularly valuable for teams working on digital transformation, audience engagement, content personalization, and new business models in publishing. AWS experts will be on-site to support all technical aspects.

Agenda

8:30AM - 9:00AM

Registration, breakfast, & welcome

9:00AM - 10:00AM

Opening, Industry context, and IAB

10:00AM - 10:30PM

Partner presentations

MetalToad and Progress

10:30AM - 11:30AM

AWS technology showcase

11:30AM - 3:30PM

Hackathon sprint (4 hours)

Lunch will be provided during this time.

3:30PM - 3:45PM

Demo preparation

3:45PM - 4:45PM

Team presentations

4:45PM - 5:00PM

Winner announcement & closing

5:00PM - 6:30PM

Happy hour & networking

Day 2

9:00AM - 10:00AM

Breakfast

Breakfast. registration will take place five minutes before breakfast.

10:00AM - 11:00AM

The horizon of AI

The emerging world of artificial intelligence and machine learning by Matthew Hartman and partner, Betaworks.

11:00AM - 12:00PM

Startup evangelist of the month

Welcome Mackenzie Kosut, AWS startup evangelist

Day 3

9:00AM - 10:00AM

Breakfast

Breakfast. registration will take place five minutes before breakfast.

10:00AM - 11:00AM

The horizon of AI

The emerging world of artificial intelligence and machine learning by Matthew Hartman and partner, Betaworks.

11:00AM - 12:00PM

Startup evangelist of the month

Welcome Mackenzie Kosut, AWS startup evangelist

Day 4

9:00AM - 10:00AM

Breakfast

Breakfast. registration will take place five minutes before breakfast.

10:00AM - 11:00AM

The horizon of AI

The emerging world of artificial intelligence and machine learning by Matthew Hartman and partner, Betaworks.

11:00AM - 12:00PM

Startup evangelist of the month

Welcome Mackenzie Kosut, AWS startup evangelist

Feature topics

Feature topic

Database migration

Storage

Networking

Analytics

Machine Learning

Stephanie Layser

Global Sub-Industry Leader, Publishing & Advertising, AWS

John Genovese

Enterprise Digital Media & Publishing Business Leader, AWS

Anthony Katsur

CEO, IAB Tech Lab

Hillary Slattery

Sr. Director, Programmatic, Product Management, IAB

Joaquin Lippincott

CEO, Metal Toad

Drew Wanczowski

Senior Principal Solutions Engineer, Progress

Pedram Jahangiri, PhD

Solution Architect, AWS

Dan Alvarez

Sr. Solutions Architect, AWS

Anup Patwardhan

Customer Solutions Management, AWS

Natasha Rotella

Principal Account Director, AWS

FAQ

This section is intended to display event FAQs or detailed track information. If your event has both, duplicate this block.

When is the event?

The event is scheduled for Sep 30, - Oct 1 2025 | 7:00pm - 10:00pm. We're looking forward to seeing you there!

Where is the event?

The event will be held at The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University.

Is there a fee to attend the event? If so, how can I pay?

No, this event is free to attend.

FAQ or Detailed Agenda

When is the event?

The event is scheduled for Sep 30, - Oct 1 2025 | 7:00pm - 10:00pm. We're looking forward to seeing you there!

Where is the event?

The event will be held at The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University.

Is there a fee to attend the event? If so, how can I pay?

No, this event is free to attend.

Checkin

Please arrive at the venue by 9am to check in to the conference.

Resources

A guide to agile event programs that can survive anything

Explore why the most dynamic leaders are building strategies for agile event marketing with a focus on scaling in-person and virtual events that are fast, flexible, and hyper-effective at driving meaningful connections.

Crisis mode: ideas for managing events in challenging situations

Explore why the most dynamic leaders are building strategies for agile event marketing with a focus on scaling in-person and virtual events that are fast, flexible, and hyper-effective at driving meaningful connections.

How to build a rock solid agile events program

The old way of doing event marketing—a large, inflexible investment in a small number of tentpole events—doesn't fit into a business world that demands adaptability and speed.