In the heart of San Francisco’s tech scene, Rene Turcios is turning the coding world upside down – and he doesn’t even know how to code.

At 29, Turcios has become a hackathon legend by leveraging AI to create complex software projects in record time. His journey from professional Yu-Gi-Oh! player to tech innovator is anything but conventional. Growing up with parents who worked in an international circus, Turcios developed an unconventional approach to problem-solving that would later define his tech career.

Since 2023, he’s attended over 200 hackathon events, winning cash prizes and challenging traditional software engineering norms. His secret weapon? “Vibe coding” – using AI tools like ChatGPT to translate natural language into functional code. What started as an experimental approach has now become a widespread technique in Silicon Valley.

Turcios’ breakthrough came during his first hackathon, where he created a lo-fi song converter using nothing more than AI prompts. When he won second place, he realized he could compete with professional engineers without a traditional tech background.

Now, businesses seek him out for rapid project development. What would take software teams weeks, Turcios can complete in hours. He’s even started running workshops teaching both non-technical individuals and experienced engineers how to maximize AI’s coding potential.

Currently, Turcios is building his own AI agents startup as a solo founder, continuing to prove that technology is becoming increasingly accessible. His approach embodies a new era of innovation where creativity and strategic thinking matter more than traditional coding skills.

From reselling Labubu collectibles in his Tenderloin apartment to revolutionizing how software gets developed, Turcios represents a new generation of tech entrepreneurs who aren’t afraid to challenge the status quo.