XPRIZE Launches Hackathon With $2 Million Prize Pool, Backed by Google News Page | XPRIZE Foundation

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BUILD WITH GEMINI XPRIZE<br>XPRIZE Launches Hackathon With $2 Million Prize Pool, Backed by Google

LOS ANGELES, CA - May 19, 2026 — XPRIZE, the world's leader in designing and operating large-scale incentive competitions to solve humanity’s grand challenges, backed by Google, today announced the Build with Gemini XPRIZE at Google I/O. 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.

In today's world, artificial intelligence (AI) is ubiquitous. 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.

"For most of computing history, solving a problem with software required an engineering team, and that filter quietly decided which problems got solved," said Peter Diamandis, founder and executive chairman of XPRIZE. "That filter is gone. For 30 years, XPRIZE has used competition to unlock breakthroughs that expand opportunity for people everywhere. The Build with Gemini XPRIZE brings that model to the agent era, proving that nearly anyone, anywhere, can solve real problems."

"Every XPRIZE competition starts with a real problem focused on real-world impact, and a belief that a solution can come from anywhere,” said Anousheh Ansari, Chief Executive Officer, XPRIZE. “The Build with Gemini XPRIZE opens access to AI tools, so more people, especially those with lived experience, can turn ideas into action and help close gaps in financial access, legal services, and support for small business support."

The grand prize winner will receive $500,000, with second place at $200,000 and three additional awards of $100,000 each for third through fifth place. Fifteen runner-up prizes of $50,000 each are also available, alongside five category prizes of $50,000 each across Education & Human Potential, Entrepreneurship & Job Creation, Small Business Services, Money & Financial Access, and Professional Services Access. Each project is eligible for a maximum of one prize.

Powered by Google's full AI stack, including Gemini, Google AI Studio, Google Antigravity, Cloud Run, Stitch, and Flow, participants have everything they need to go from idea to production in one build window.

Registration is open now, with the build period running May 19 through Aug. 17, 2026. Submissions will be judged on three equally weighted criteria: business viability, AI-native operations, and category impact. Teams must launch a real business, acquire real users, and generate real revenue during the 90-day window — projections alone won't win.

Hacker Fund, the world's largest organizer of hackathons, will oversee screening and verification before an expert panel selects five finalists to compete live on September 25, 2026 in Los Angeles. Made possible through the support of donors including Richard Merkin, Dan Martell, and others, the Build with Gemini XPRIZE is part of the broader Moonshot Gathering event alongside the Future Vision XPRIZE, a $3.5 million global film competition.

https://www.geminixprize.com/

About XPRIZE

XPRIZE is the recognized global leader in designing and executing large-scale competitions to solve humanity's greatest challenges. For over 30 years, our unique model has democratized crowd-sourced innovation and scientifically scalable solutions that accelerate a more equitable and abundant future. Donate, learn more, and co-architect a world of abundance with us at xprize.org.

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