VMware Explore 2026 | Hackathon

August 23, 2026 • by Dale Hassinger

VMware Explore 2026: Why I’m Returning as a Hackathon Team Captain 🥼

One of my favorite parts of VMware Explore isn’t a breakout session or a hands-on lab. It’s the VMware {code} Hackathon.

I’ve been a Hackathon Team Captain for the past three years. My teams have finished second place twice and first place last year. Those were great accomplishments, but for me, the real win has always been the people.

The Hackathon brings together people with different backgrounds, skill levels, and ideas. You get a few hours to meet new people, learn from each other, experiment, and see what you can build as a team.

If you’re coming to VMware Explore 2026 and have a free Monday evening, come join us. The Hackathon kicks off Monday, August 31 at 7:00 p.m.

This year, I’m especially excited about starting with a clean slate. We’ll bring the ideas, use AI to help turn those ideas into working code, and see what we can build in just a few hours.

And you do not need to be a coding expert to participate. That’s part of what makes the Hackathon fun. You’ll learn from the people around you, contribute what you know, and probably leave knowing a few things you didn’t when you walked in.

Come with an idea. Come ready to learn. Or just come ready to be part of a team.

See you Monday night at the Hackathon!

2026 Hackathon Idea 💡

This year, my team is taking on a fun challenge, building a modern, cross-platform alternative to RVTools. We want something that runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, with a Linux service exposing a web interface you can hit from any browser.

Our wish list includes:

multi-vCenter support
easy spreadsheet exports
a built-in scheduler for automatic runs
integration with VMware VCF Fleet Manager for automatic VMware vCenter discovery
Impact Analyst, show what is affected if a specific host would not be available
more...

Do you have ideas for this Hackathon project? Bring them to the Hackathon Monday night of VMware Explore 2026 and let’s make them happen.

Will we get all of that done in one evening? Probably not. But that's the fun. It's about seeing what's possible when you mix a good idea with AI and a few hours of focused teamwork.

This event is where I learn new approaches to automation, pick up prompting tricks, and meet people who think differently than I do. And that's what keeps me coming back. I hope to see you there.