Participation is open to Rockwell Automation customers and PartnerNetwork™ member companies. Student teams will be considered if skills requirements can be met. Employees of Rockwell Automation or Rockwell Authorized Distributors are not eligible.

Can I apply if I don’t have a team?

No. Applications are for full teams of 3-4 people only. We are unable to match individuals with existing teams for the ROKathon.

How are teams selected?

Teams are selected on a first-come, first-served basis for qualifying entries. Entries must meet all qualification criteria to be considered, regardless of when they are received.

What technology/products will I work with?

Rockwell Automation product scope is subject to change but may include: FactoryTalk® Optix™, Atlas™ AI, FactoryTalk® Design Studio™ Copilot, LogixAI®, SecureOT™ Platform.

How and by whom are the solutions evaluated?

A team of Rockwell Automation portfolio engineering and solution consultants will judge the solutions and select a winning team. Full judging criteria will be shared with selected participants leading up to the event.

Recognition as a technology wizard and innovation leader in the industry Bragging rights for you and your company on your website, LinkedIn profile and beyond The opportunity to showcase your winning solution on the Expo floor Congratulatory social posts tagging you and your company on Rockwell’s social channels, reaching our more than 1 million followers Special guests at the ATOM Lunch – Advanced Training Opportunity to Mingle Networking Lunch, on Wednesday of the show week, talking about your experience and meeting others who share your passion

What about Intellectual Property considerations?

Teams retain ownership of the intellectual property they create during the event By participating, teams grant organizers the right to promote, showcase, and reference submitted projects for event marketing and reporting purposes Participants must have the legal right to use any code, content, data, models, or assets included in their submissions Any third-party content must comply with applicable licensing terms

Automation Fair

Nov 16-19, 2026

ROKathon

A group of people huddle around a computer

Tomorrow's solutions start with today’s problem solvers

Back by popular demand, the 2nd annual Automation Fair hackathon event invites teams on a journey to transform real-world industrial challenges into practical solutions through hands-on collaboration, expert guidance and emerging technology using Rockwell Automation’s Integrated Architecture.

ROKathon brings innovators, problem-solvers and technology enthusiasts together for a one-of-a-kind experience. This year, 15 selected teams of three to four people will receive exclusive training and guidance as they put their problem-solving skills to the test, make new connections and have fun.

Over several days, teams will tackle real-world problems relating to OT/IT/ET convergence, optimization, networking and cybersecurity. After presenting their solutions for judging, the winner will be announced live in the Expo and share the thinking, teamwork and technology behind their winning approach.

Meet the teams

This year’s teams represent PartnerNetwork™ system integrators from across the United States, Canada and Latin America.

Ampla Intelligence

ASQI

BW Design Group

Control Systems NW

Controlmatica SAS

E Tech Group

ECN Automation

Grantek

Gray Matter

Inflexion Point LLC

Ingelam Ingenieria S.A.S

Northwind Technical Services

Thermo Systems

TM Process & Controls Inc.

Trident Automation

Tri Tech Automation

Four men pose on stage at the Automation Fair Discovery Theater

2025 ROKathon Winner: Interstates

Inside the 2026 Challenge

When production speeds up but performance falls behind, the real challenge is finding out why. Teams will connect data across the operation, uncover hidden losses and use AI-assisted analysis to identify root causes. Drawing on technologies spanning control, visualization, data operations and cybersecurity, they’ll create a secure, scalable solution without additional capital investment.

The challenge will put teams to the test across four key areas:

Designing for AI
Autonomous optimization
AI-assisted root-cause analysis
Secure operations

The winner will be announced live Wednesday, November 18, on the Discovery Theater stage in the Expo.

ROKathon FAQs

Recognition as a technology wizard and innovation leader in the industry
Bragging rights for you and your company on your website, LinkedIn profile and beyond
The opportunity to showcase your winning solution on the Expo floor
Congratulatory social posts tagging you and your company on Rockwell’s social channels, reaching our more than 1 million followers
Special guests at the ATOM Lunch – Advanced Training Opportunity to Mingle Networking Lunch, on Wednesday of the show week, talking about your experience and meeting others who share your passion

Teams retain ownership of the intellectual property they create during the event
By participating, teams grant organizers the right to promote, showcase, and reference submitted projects for event marketing and reporting purposes
Participants must have the legal right to use any code, content, data, models, or assets included in their submissions
Any third-party content must comply with applicable licensing terms

Automation Fair is a registered trademark of Rockwell Automation.