Sea, OpenAI bring regional AI hackathon to Vietnam

Singapore-based technology company Sea Limited and OpenAI will hold the Vietnam edition of the Sea x OpenAI Regional Codex Hackathon Series on Oct. 31.

Vietnam will be the third stop in the Asia-Pacific series, following editions in Singapore and Taiwan.

The hackathon will give developers, students, startups and other technology builders hands-on experience with AI tools, including Codex and GPT-6 Astra, and opportunities to develop solutions for real-world needs.

"The Vietnam edition of the Sea x OpenAI Regional Codex Hackathon reflects our growing collaboration with OpenAI to support AI talent, connect technology communities, and encourage meaningful innovation across the Asia-Pacific region," said David Chen, co-founder of Sea and chief product officer at Shopee.

"Vietnam has a vibrant and growing technology ecosystem, and we hope the hackathon will provide a platform for local builders to exchange ideas, strengthen their skills, and explore how AI can help address real-world needs for businesses and communities."

Chen said the initiative could also support Vietnam's National Strategy for artificial intelligence research, development, and application through 2030 by promoting AI talent and innovation.

The Sea x OpenAI Codex Hackathon will take place in Vietnam on Oct. 31, with registration open until Sept. 26. Photo courtesy of Sea

Participants will work in teams of three or four to develop practical AI applications for businesses and communities. Projects will be evaluated on creativity, practical applicability and growth potential by technology industry representatives, including Son Le, OpenAI Codex Ambassador in Vietnam, and Kyle Tran, Country Product Manager at Shopee Vietnam.

OpenAI experts will provide onsite guidance. Winning teams will receive up to $30,000 in OpenAI API credits, while members of the top five teams will receive prizes including ChatGPT Pro subscriptions.

The event will focus on Codex, OpenAI's coding solution, and how AI can accelerate experimentation, improve development workflows and turn ideas into practical applications.

"Bringing our regional hackathon series to Vietnam allows us to deepen our engagement with local developers and support them as they build with Codex and our latest model, GPT-6 Astra, learn from one another and tackle real-world challenges," said Sidharth Sharma, Head of GTM, ASEAN, at OpenAI.

The regional series will continue in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.

The Vietnam hackathon will run from 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Oct. 31 at Shopee's office in Sai Gon Ward, Ho Chi Minh City. Registration closes at 11:59 p.m. on Sept. 26.