Deadline: August 17, 2026
Applications are open for the Build with Gemini XPRIZE Hackathon 2026. The $2 million global hackathon challenges developers worldwide to use artificial intelligence tools to build solutions across five categories: Education & Human Potential, Entrepreneurship & Job Creation, Small Business Services, Money & Financial Access, and Professional Services.
The Build with Gemini XPRIZE Hackathon encourages participants to push the boundaries of AI-driven innovation, developing scalable solutions to real-world challenges that make a meaningful impact across industries and communities over 90 days.
Categories
Five categories spanning economic opportunity and professional access:
- Education & Human Potential: Transforming how we learn, grow, and achieve our best.
- Entrepreneurship & Job Creation: Fueling the tools that help new founders and economies thrive.
- Small Business Services: Powering everyday businesses with tools to compete and win.
- Money & Financial Access: Breaking down barriers to banking, capital, and financial freedom.
- Professional Services Access: Connecting everyday people with the expert guidance they need.
Prizes
- 1st place: $500,000 in cash
- 2nd place: $200,000 in cash
- 3rd place; $100,000 in cash
- 4th place: $100,000 in cash
- 5th place: $100,000 in cash
- Runner-up: $50,000 in cash
- Education & Human Potential: $50,000 in cash
- Entrepreneurship & Job Creation: $50,000 in cash
- Small Business Services: $50,000 in cash
- Money & Financial Access: $50,000 in cash
- Professional Services Access: $50,000 in cash
Eligibility
The Hackathon is open to:
- Individuals who are at least the age of majority where they reside as of the time of entry;
- Teams of Eligible Individuals; and
- Small Organizations with less than 25 employees (including corporations, not-for-profit corporations and other nonprofit organizations, limited liability companies, partnerships, and other legal entities) that exist and have been organized or incorporated at the time of entry.
Judging Criteria
- Business Viability: Teams must launch a real business during the hackathon, acquire real users, and generate real revenue. Judges assess both actual revenue achieved during the 90-day window and the sustainability of the underlying business model.
- AI-Native Operations: Teams must run their business through AI. Judges assess the extent to which AI is live in production and executes key decisions.
- Category Impact: Teams built something that meaningfully moves the needle in their chosen category — either by redefining how something works at a fundamental level, or by reaching a scale where widespread adoption is credible.
Application
For more information, visit Build with Gemini XPRIZE Hackathon.
