TAKHACK 2025: When Defence Innovation Goes Hands-On
Beaten Zone Venture Partners is proud to launch TAKHACK 2025, a tactical innovation hackathon that will bring together technologists, veterans, creatives, and industry professionals to tackle real-world challenges using the ATAK/CivTAK platform.
This is not your average hackathon. TAKHACK is mission-driven, operator-informed, and built to accelerate practical, deployable solutions supporting allied warfighters, first responders, and national security efforts.
Why TAKHACK?
The defence sector needs better ideas, executable ones created by people who understand the stakes and the systems. TAKHACK is a response to the growing gap between innovation and operational reality. Over three days, participants will co-design, prototype, and pitch functional tools that could one day shape tactical decision-making on the ground.
Our challenge statement is drawn from real-world scenarios:
“How might we use ATAK to better enable allied warfighters to deconflict offensive support assets and gain better situational awareness during the dynamic clearance of a large urban structure?”
Or, in plain terms:
Can you build a plugin or application that helps a 30-person team safely and effectively search every room in a shopping centre, stadium, or airport for threats or people needing help?
That’s the problem. Your job is to solve it.
Who’s TAKHACK For?
We’re calling on people from every part of the innovation ecosystem:
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Engineers, developers, and UI/UX designers
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Defence SMEs and dual-use startups
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Veterans and current serving ADF personnel
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Public safety professionals and first responders
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Students, researchers, and problem-solvers
If you’ve ever looked at a system and said “there has to be a better way” — this event is for you.
What Happens Across the Weekend?
Over three fast-paced days, teams will form around shared interests and skill sets. They’ll unpack the challenge, explore the ATAK ecosystem, ideate solutions, and rapidly prototype their way toward a working product or plugin.
We’ll provide mentorship from defence and innovation experts, technical walkthroughs, and plenty of support to help teams push their ideas further.
On Sunday, participants will pitch their solutions to a panel of judges from across the national security, venture, and defence innovation ecosystem.
The judges will award prizes and follow-on opportunities.
Join the Mission
Whether you’re a hands-on builder, a systems thinker, or someone who sees a critical gap in how we serve and protect people, TAKHACK is a place to make ideas real.
LOCATION: The Precinct, Fortitude Valley (Brisbane)
DATE: August 22–24, 2025
REGISTER: Register to participate.
EVENT WEBSITE: Event overview TAKHACK Info Hub