Logitech backs Sydney hackathon for high school coders

Logitech Australia supported the Horizons Crux hackathon in Sydney with demo equipment and technology prizes. The event brought together more than 30 high school students from across the Asia-Pacific region.

Hack Club, a nonprofit organisation, ran the 48-hour programme around the theme of storytelling. Participants built 10 projects over the weekend, with students travelling from across Australia and from New Zealand and the United States.

The event focused on practical software and hardware work, with teenagers collaborating in teams. Projects ranged from voice-controlled games and a custom version-control system to a hologram telling the story of the ANZACs.

Students also used Logitech G equipment during the event, including a Superstrike demo setup, a racing simulator, and personal workspace gear. The support formed part of Logitech's broader involvement in student technology initiatives in Australia and overseas.

Hackathons for school and university students have become a regular part of the technology education landscape, giving participants a chance to work intensively on ideas outside formal classroom settings. Organisers often present them as a way to build technical and collaborative skills while exposing students to tools, mentors, and peers from other regions.

In this case, the Sydney gathering focused on high school students rather than university teams. That gave younger coders an opportunity to test ideas in a competitive but community-led format while meeting others with similar interests in engineering, programming, and digital storytelling.

Organisers said about a quarter of attendees travelled internationally to take part in person. That added a cross-border element to an event otherwise rooted in a local series of Hack Club activities held in Sydney over the past year.

Ontik Reza, Head of Partnerships at Horizons Crux, described the scale of participation and the intensity of the weekend.

"The Horizons Crux hackathon was a massive success, bringing together over 30 like-minded teenagers for 48 hours of teamwork and fun," said Ontik Reza, Head of Partnerships at Horizons Crux.

"t was so amazing to watch our attendees build ambitious projects and work together on something they really care about. We were also really humbled that roughly a quarter of participants travelled internationally to take part in person – their contributions were crucial to making the event such a hit, and we hope to see them again soon."

Student focus

Support for school-age coding events has become an increasingly visible part of how technology brands engage with education. Companies provide devices, peripherals, prizes, or sponsorship, while organisers use those resources to reduce barriers for participants who may not otherwise have access to specialist equipment.

Logitech said its backing for the Sydney event reflects an interest in fostering future engineering and STEM talent. The company has previously supported student hackathons, including UNIHACK 2025, a larger university-focused event that drew 750 students and produced 135 projects over 48 hours.

The comparison underlines the difference in scale between the two events while highlighting a common model. Both are built around short, intensive project cycles in which participants form teams, develop an idea, and present a working concept within a tight deadline.

Samantha Gibson, Senior Marketing Manager ANZ at Logitech, said the company saw value in backing grassroots events for younger coders.

"It's so rewarding to support grassroots initiatives like the Horizons Crux hackathon event. Seeing the next generation of coders and STEM leaders from across the world come together to collaborate and code is exactly what Logitech represents. Investing in young talent is vital for the future of our industry and we're thrilled to play a role in empowering the next generation as they build what's next," said Samantha Gibson, Senior Marketing Manager ANZ at Logitech.

Growing network

Hack Club has built a network around student-led coding communities, with events that combine peer learning and project development. The Horizons Crux format appeared to lean heavily into that structure, with students spending two days turning ideas into working prototypes.

For participants, the attraction is often less about winning prizes than access to time, space, and like-minded collaborators. A 48-hour schedule creates pressure, but it also compresses the development process in a way that can make experimentation easier than in more formal academic settings.

Reza said the outcome of the weekend showed what attendees could achieve in a short period.

"We couldn't be more proud of what our attendees pulled off over the hackathon weekend," said Reza.

"Horizons Crux was built to give high school creators a space to push themselves, learn new skills, and connect with people who share their passion. Seeing 10 incredible projects come together in just 48 hours shows how much potential this community has when given the platform to build. Thank you also to Logitech for their product support, which played a big part in making the event special for our participants."