This Time, We Build in Antwerp

What to Expect from the Nova Hackathon

Next week, the Nova development team will gather in Antwerp for something we don’t often do:

We pause the roadmap.

Not because we’ve run out of ideas — but because we want to create space for the ones that haven’t made it onto the roadmap yet.

We’re hosting our internal Nova Hackathon: a focused, two-day sprint where our product designers, engineers and AI specialists step away from the regular backlog to experiment, explore and build. It’s a time to challenge assumptions, rethink flows and develop new ideas without constraint.

This time, we’re not just improving what works — we’re looking for what’s missing.

🔧  What will we work on?

Here are some of the topics our teams will tackle:

• Replace ChatGPT with an alternative model
  Exploring if (and when) other LLMs might outperform GPT for specific Nova tasks.
• Inject live website context into conversations
  Can Nova tailor responses based on real-time dealer website content?
• Security: jailbreak testing and guardrails
  Putting Nova to the test — identifying weaknesses and strengthening protections.
• Voice capabilities: where do we stand?
  Reviewing the current state of Nova Voice and preparing a first live demo.
• Nova Companion as a Chrome extension
  Bringing our internal assistant directly into the browser.
• Channel handover logic: WhatsApp ↔ Web
  Seamless transitions between channels, depending on customer behaviour.
• Market scan: orchestration tools for AI conversations
  Identifying the strengths and gaps in existing conversation builders.
• Flow evaluation framework
  Creating a scoring system for flow quality: is it smart, human, and helpful?

Each topic touches a core part of Nova’s vision: a responsive, context-aware, and channel-flexible virtual workforce.

🌍  Why Antwerp?

We chose Antwerp for a simple reason: it’s home.

Our headquarters are based in Brasschaat, just outside the city. It’s where Nova was first imagined — and where we continue to shape the future of AI in automotive retail.

Antwerp itself is the perfect setting: rooted in history, connected to the world, and constantly evolving. That’s the mindset we’re bringing into this hackathon.

📅  What’s next?

We’ll share a follow-up blog next Friday with the outcomes, prototypes and unexpected wins.

Until then, follow our LinkedIn page for sneak previews and updates from the ground.

Because sometimes, the best way to move forward… is to stop planning and start building.