Win $50,000. Build Something Real.

Pinch Me! I Want 50K is a national hackathon brought to you by Pinch Payments and The Founders Union.

Over one weekend, teams across Australia will build and pitch innovative solutions using the Pinch Payments API, competing for a $50,000 cash prize.

Whether you're a founder, developer, designer, product thinker, creative, or someone with a great idea, this hackathon is designed for people who want to build, not just talk about building.

About the Challenge

The challenge is simple:

Use the Pinch Payments API to solve a real problem.

Teams are free to explore any use case, including:

• Billing and invoicing

• Subscription management

• Payment automation

• Marketplace payments

• Embedded payments

• Reconciliation workflows

• Any other commercially viable payment solution

Participants will have access to the Pinch Payments sandbox environment, allowing them to build and test solutions without processing real payments.

Key Dates

Registrations Close: 22 July, 11:59 PM

Launch Event:

24 July (Sydney + live-streamed nationally)

Build Weekend:

25–26 July

First Submission Deadline:

26 July

Polishing Week:

27–31 July

Final Submission Deadline:

31 July

Demo & Pitch Night:

10 August

Winner Announced:

10 August

Prize

First Place: $50,000 Cash

Outstanding teams may also be invited to explore ongoing opportunities within the Pinch Payments and The Founders Union ecosystem.

Requirements 

What to Build

Build a solution that integrates with the Pinch Payments API and addresses a real customer or business problem.
Teams can use any technology stack and are encouraged to validate real-world use cases with genuine commercial potential.

What to Submit

First Submission (Due 26 July)

• 60-second video
• Working prototype or proof of concept
• Demonstrated use of Pinch Payments technology
• Team details

Final Submission (Due 31 July)

• 2–3 minute pitch video
• Working product demonstration
• Product walkthrough
• Explanation of Pinch API integration
• GitHub repository access (if requested)

Judging Criteria

• Innovation
• Technical Execution
• User Experience
• Commercial Potential
• Problem Solving
• Effective Use of Pinch Technology
Judges

• Ben Cull, Co-founder, Pinch Payments
• Carolyn Breeze, CEO, Scalare Partners

Hackathon Sponsors

Prizes

$50,000 in prizes
$50,000 AUD Cash
$50,000 in cash
1 winner

Devpost Achievements

Submitting to this hackathon could earn you:

Judges

Ben Cull

Ben Cull
Pinch Payments

Judging Criteria

  • Overall Submission Quality
    Projects will be evaluated on their overall quality and impact, including innovation, technical execution, user experience, commercial potential, problem solving, and effective use.

Questions? Email the hackathon manager

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Hackathon sponsors

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