We enable Hackers to work on important ideas
Civilisation is not the product of rational design, but 'the accumulated hard-earned result of trial and error'.
- Friedrich Hayek
Who We Are
Colosseum is in an initiative under the ETH Entrepreneur Club which is one of Europe's most active student-run entrepreneurship societies.
We host events that encourage critical thought and discourse while connecting industry and academia. Through debates with field experts, hackathons and conferences from innovators, founders, enthusiasts and experts we realize our initiative.
Upcoming Events
Past Events

DeepFake Hackathon - Mini Hackathon
This 5-hour hackathon at ETH Zurich challenged participants to tackle one of the most pressing questions of the digital age: detecting AI-generated content. Across technical and business tracks, teams built solutions to distinguish human from machine, supported by Aurigin.ai’s engineers and founders.

Swiss A.I. Hackathon 2025
This 24-hour hackathon brought together Switzerland’s brightest students from leading technical and business universities for an all-vs-all vibe-coding showdown, to build real, functional products faster than ever before. Guided by experienced mentors and inspired by founder talks, teams built with Lovable and competed for CHF 10,000 in cash prizes to turn their ideas into reality.

Afternoon-Hackathon with Optiver
This hands-on mini-hackathon at ETH Zurich invited participants to build Python-based trading algorithms that competed in real time on Optiver’s simulated exchange, Optibook. Designed for beginners and advanced coders alike, the event offered a practical introduction to algorithmic trading and insights into life at a leading global trading firm.

Zurich Hackathon, Swiss {ai} weeks
Co-organized with Kickstart Innovation and the ETH AI Center, this two-day hackathon at Kraftwerk Zurich brought together participants to tackle 18+ real-world challenges around GenAI, Swiss AI models, and applied AI innovation. Supported by partners from industry, government, and finance, teams worked on solutions spanning legal tech, humanitarian aid, logistics, climate resilience, and insurance.

Cross Disciplinary AI Hackathon with START GLOBAL
In partnership with START Global, this AI hackathon brought together ambitious builders to tackle cutting-edge challenges presented by leading AI innovators, Hoshii and ETH AI Center. Participants competed for the chance to qualify for RAISE Summit in Paris, Europe’s largest AI hackathon, and connect with top leaders shaping the future of artificial intelligence.

Optiver Coding Challenge - Afternoon-Hackathon
Together with Optiver, this afternoon hackathon at ETH Zurich challenged participants to build Python-based trading algorithms that competed in real time on Optiver’s simulated exchange. The event offered a hands-on introduction to algorithmic trading, giving students direct insights into Optiver’s core business.

Save the stranded ARIStronaut - Space Hackathon
In collaboration with ARIS, Switzerland’s largest rocketry initiative, this 21-hour Space Hackathon challenged participants to solve survival scenarios for a stranded astronaut on Mars. Alongside hands-on problem-solving, attendees connected with space-industry professionals through career talks and networking sessions.

Technical Co-Founder - Mini Hackathon
This exclusive 6-hour mini-hackathon connected ambitious builders with a Zurich-based startup generating CHF 3M in annual revenue, aiming to build the world’s first AI-powered marketplaces. Participants worked directly with founders Thibault and Maxime Junak, showcasing their technical skills for the opportunity to become a technical co-founder.
