The past year made one thing clear: AI is no longer a novelty or “something to try.” This new AI-driven world is reshaping how consumers experience brands, and it’s creating a new standard for commerce.
At Klaviyo, we believe we’re always 1% done. We strive to be insatiably curious, and we enjoy solving hard problems with a customer-first mentality. So when it comes to being an AI-first company, we don’t just want to “talk the talk.” We also want to walk the walk by turning bold ideas into reality for our industry.
We’ve made it our priority to upskill every single Klaviyo in AI in order to empower employees to keep pace with the 176,000+ customers we serve. One of the ways we encourage advancement in this area is through hackathons.
Building the future of B2C, one hackathon at a time
From the annual Ben Liang Hackathon to our Klaviyo-wide AI workshops, hackathons are part of our DNA as a company. They reflect the entrepreneurial spirit that is core to our culture, giving teams the space to experiment, learn, and innovate.
Recently, we noticed a gap. There were no dedicated spaces for developers to meet with marketers and business folks to create technology for the retail industry. We needed something more tactical than a summit, but more intimate than a conference.
When Commercetools approached us with the idea for EcomHack.AI, the first ever retail-focused AI hackathon, it was the perfect opportunity. Together with Stripe and Lovable, we helped bring EcomHack.AI to life.
“At Klaviyo, we’ve always believed that data is the foundation of creating great customer experiences, and AI is what makes those experiences smarter and more impactful,” says Giri Sreenivas, SVP of product at Klaviyo.
“We also see AI as a catalyst for upskilling, and this hackathon was one way to empower our ecosystem of builders to gain mastery in this AI-first era using data directly from Klaviyo,” Sreenivas adds.
This first-of-its-kind virtual event took place October 13–17 and brought together over 250 developers, marketers, and innovators to reimagine what’s possible for commerce. The focus was creativity and collaboration, resulting in 20 meaningful projects using real-world data and use cases.
Where ideas become impact: EcomHack.AI results
From its inception, EcomHack.AI was designed to deliver real outcomes and projects that move beyond the event itself.
The result: a culture where innovation doesn’t stop when the timer does. This year’s 3 winners will inform our thinking on where AI can create the most impact for customers. More details about the winners and highlights are below:
1st place: ShopGuard AI by Arcady Media (Klaviyo Elite Partner)
ShopGuard AI is an autonomous agent that uses AI to recover lost ecommerce revenue through intelligent, personalized interventions
2nd place: Mira by Shelf Aware
Mira is an AI-powered personal styling tool designed to help busy individuals find the perfect outfits for special occasions.
3rd place: AI Merchandising Co‑Pilot by Anton Kravchuk
This AI merchandising co-pilot turns your Commercetools product data into shoppable bundles, polished creative, and fully built Klaviyo campaigns, all with quick check-out and automated syncing across tools.
Building what’s next: Klaviyo’s commitment to the future of innovation
EcomHack.AI proved what’s possible when developers, marketers, and creatives come together to build the future of commerce. And we’re just getting started.
We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who participated in EcomHack.AI and brought their creativity, expertise, and imagination to the table. We look forward to participating in future hackathons, supporting bold ideas, and helping shape the next generation of innovation that will redefine how brands connect with their customers.
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