Coupang and OpenAI co-hosted an overnight artificial intelligence hackathon in Singapore last weekend, bringing together 60 developers to build with OpenAI’s Codex coding model over an intensive 24 hours.
The AI Grand Prix Singapore 2026 ran from 24 to 25 October at Carousell Campus, presented by Elev8 with Carousell Group as venue partner. The 60 participants were selected from a pool of 150 applicants and worked through both individual and group challenges designed to test technical skill, creativity and problem-solving under pressure.
Three challenges built around OpenAI Codex
Unlike a conventional hackathon built around a single problem statement, the AI Grand Prix ran three distinct challenges. Game Hack asked participants to build creative AI-powered games; Spot the Mismatch required them to identify discrepancies in AI-generated product descriptions, images and prices; and Group Hack saw 14 teams develop AI-powered shopping experiences. Rankings were determined by combined performance across all three.
Kay Hng Quek topped the individual leaderboard and was named overall champion, taking home a Champion’s Builder Kit that included a Mac mini, a DJI Mic 3 and an Elgato Stream Deck Plus.
“AI Grand Prix was an incredible opportunity to push myself beyond my comfort zone and explore what’s possible with AI. The variety of challenges encouraged us to think creatively, adapt quickly and approach problems from different perspectives,” said Kay Hng Quek, overall champion of AI Grand Prix Singapore 2026.
A total of US$13,000 in OpenAI API credits was shared among the winners, with all participants also receiving OpenAI subscription benefits and unlimited Codex usage resets throughout the event. The top 10 participants are set to attend a networking dinner on 26 October with leadership and technical representatives from both companies.
Coupang’s first event with OpenAI in Singapore
The hackathon marks Coupang’s first collaboration with OpenAI, and underscores the Seattle-based e-commerce and technology company’s continued investment in AI as it leans on Singapore’s position as a regional hub for Southeast Asia’s technology ecosystem.
“Technology and innovation are at the heart of how we create better experiences for our customers, and we see tremendous potential for AI to further transform the future of commerce. Singapore is home to an exciting community of engineers and researchers, and we are thrilled to co-host this event with OpenAI to provide a platform for them to come together, experiment and innovate with AI,” said Xin Fu, VP of Engineering at Coupang.
Derrick Choi, Head of Applied AI, Codex (APAC) at OpenAI, said the event highlighted the depth of Singapore’s developer community and gave builders a chance to explore how Codex could be applied to real-world problems.
Coupang operates in more than 190 countries and territories, offering retail, food delivery, video streaming and fintech services under brands including Coupang, Eats, Play, Rocket Now and Farfetch. It is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker CPNG.
