Buildathon: $1,000 Grand Prize | GPU.ai<br>Apply
August 22-24, 2026 · Online · Global<br>The GPU.ai<br>Buildathon<br>$1,000 grand prizeBuild AI apps on affordable GPUs.<br>Build AI apps, agents, inference APIs, and creative GPU workflows with affordable cloud GPUs from GPU.ai. Bring your idea, and we'll bring the GPUs.<br>Apply nowSee the prizes<br>Applications reviewed · only 50 teams accepted
Kickoff inApplications open<br>--Days<br>--Hours<br>--Minutes<br>--Seconds
KickoffAug 22, 2026<br>Submissions dueAug 24 · 8:00 AM PT<br>Winners announcedAug 31, 2026<br>Apply now
Kicks off<br>Aug 22, 2026
Format<br>Solo or team
Compute<br>Free GPU credits
Grand prize<br>$1,000 cash
Why we're launching thisGPUs shouldn't<br>cost so much.
GPUs are the engine behind modern AI: agents, inference APIs, image and video generation, fine-tuning, and the next generation of AI-native products. But for too many builders, access is still slow, expensive, and frustrating.<br>The best AI products are built by people who move fast, test quickly, and iterate constantly. Cloud quotas, overpriced instances, and confusing setup all get in the way of shipping.<br>We built GPU.ai to make powerful compute cheaper and easier to reach. The Buildathon is our way of putting that infrastructure directly into the hands of builders, and seeing what they create.
What you can buildUseful, creative, ambitious.<br>The Buildathon is intentionally broad. If it makes creative use of cloud GPUs, it counts. Some directions to spark ideas:
AI agents<br>Autonomous agents built on open-source models.
Inference APIs<br>vLLM-powered endpoints serving Llama, Qwen, or DeepSeek.
Image & video<br>ComfyUI, Flux, and Stable Diffusion generation workflows.
Fine-tuning<br>Fine-tuned open models for a specific domain.
Developer tools<br>Tooling that makes AI engineers faster.
Research demos<br>ML experiments and reproducible research demos.
Benchmarking<br>Model benchmarking and evaluation suites.
Deployment templates<br>Open-source GPU deployment templates for the community.
Multimodal apps<br>Voice, image, video, and multimodal applications.
You don't need to build something massive. A well-executed project with a clear demo can be just as compelling as a technically complex one.
Who should joinBuilt for anyone building with AI.<br>Solo or as a team. If you've ever wanted to build something GPU-intensive but hesitated because compute was too expensive, this is the time to start.
AI app developersML engineersStartup foundersIndie hackersOpen-source contributorsUniversity studentsAI researchersInfrastructure engineersComfyUI buildersvLLM · Llama · Qwen · DeepSeek users
Cash PrizesReal cash for the best builds.<br>A guaranteed $1,000 grand prize for the best overall project, plus $100 prizes across different categories. Winning projects also get featured by GPU.ai.
Grand Prize · Best overall<br>$1,000<br>Awarded to the single most impressive project of the Buildathon. Guaranteed: top projects win, no strings.
Community Impact Prize$100<br>Best Student Project$100<br>Best Demo$100<br>Winners featured by GPU.ai across our channels.
How it worksFour steps to ship.
01Apply<br>Fill out the application with your team, your idea, and your socials. We accept up to 50 teams.
02Get set up<br>Once you're approved, receive GPU credits, starter templates, and guidance to get running fast.
03Build<br>Use GPU.ai in a meaningful way: deploy an inference endpoint, run a fine-tune, host a workflow, or benchmark models.
04Submit<br>Ship a working demo before the deadline with a short write-up of how GPU.ai was used.
Your submission<br>What to turn in<br>A short project description<br>A demo video or live demo<br>A GitHub repo or project page, if available<br>A short explanation of how GPU.ai was used<br>Any setup or deployment instructions<br>Due Aug 24 · 8:00 AM PT
Important datesMark your calendar.
NowLive
Applications open<br>Apply and share your socials. 50 teams accepted.
Aug 22
Buildathon kickoff<br>The build period begins.
Aug 24
Submissions due<br>8:00 AM PT. No late entries.
Aug 31
Winners announced<br>After judging is complete.
FAQQuestions, answered.<br>Still curious? Register and we'll send everything you need to get started.
Who can apply?Anyone building with AI: developers, founders, researchers, students, and AI hackers. You can apply solo or as a team.<br>How many teams are accepted?We accept up to 50 teams this round. Every application is reviewed, so apply early to lock in your spot.<br>How much does it cost?Nothing to apply. Approved teams get GPU credits to build with, plus starter templates and guidance.<br>Do I have to use GPU.ai?Yes. Projects should use GPU.ai in a meaningful way. That could mean deploying an inference endpoint, running a fine-tuning job, hosting a creative workflow, benchmarking models, or building an app that depends on GPU compute.<br>What do I submit?A short description, a demo video or live demo, a GitHub repo or project page if you have one, a note on how GPU.ai was used, and any setup instructions. Submissions are due August 24 at 8:00 AM PT.<br>How do I apply?Fill out the...