AI Build-Off - Holiday Hackathon Submission
About the Event
Stop showing slides or “some code.” Show off your coding craftsmanship.
This isn’t a conventional hackathon you thought. Most events reward the best story; we reward the builder who demonstrates real making of a craft.
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In the age of AI, generating code is easy. What stands out is knowing how to use AI well: turning a vague idea into a sharp plan, guiding the build with clear intent, and making smart tradeoffs without losing control.
The Format
You have under 3 hours to go from zero to a working, deployed app. No fluff, no “vision” statements—just:
• strong framing + smart scope
• effective AI-assisted iteration
• crisp decisions under pressure
• a coherent, reliable, polished build
Who It’s For
• Full-stack AI builders who take pride in how they ship.
The Stakes
• All Build-Off events contribute to the Global AI Builder Leaderboard.
Why Join? (Judges & Perks) 🚀
We have assembled a high-caliber lineup of judges to review your work, offer career opportunities, and scout for potential investments.
Meet the Judges:
Investors: VCs and Angels looking for the next breakout AI projects.
YC Advisors: Get your product strategy reviewed by experts who guide top startups.
Funded Startup Founders: Demo your work to founders from the experience founders
Hiring Managers: Direct exposure to startups currently hiring engineering and AI talent.
The Perks:
InsForge — agent‑native backend platform for AI coding agents to manage auth, databases, storage, and functions in seconds, plus a year of free Pro and cash rewards.
OpenAgents — open‑source framework for building and connecting AI agent networks, plus tutorials and a dedicated participant badge.
Zeabur — free credits for a month so you can deploy without worrying about infra.
Tinkerland — free hosting and instant sharing for interactive AI mini-apps, so creators can ship, share, and get feedback without infra or cost.
The Prizes:
Top Prize: Up to $1,000 Cash 💵
Prize Pool: $5,000+ in Credits (Cloud, API, and Tooling).
In-Person Show case: Winners qualifies for next round in-person hackathon in SF and Seattle.
Career Access: Direct Job Referrals to hiring companies in our community for top performers.
Global Ranking: All events contribute to the Global AI Builder Leaderboard.
How It Works
Join our event Discord
Get access to a 3-hour timed build window with unlimited AI credits inside the PeakMojo Sandbox
Build your AI app
Submit your project link and brief description via submission page.
AI + human judges review your process + final product
What You Get
Unlimited AI credits inside the Sandbox during the build
Access to partner tools (Insforge, Zeabur, OpenAgent, Digital Ocean)
Office hours and mentorship
Entry into the Global AI Builder Leaderboard
Build-Off Timeline
Dec 15
Registration open
Discord opens
Dec 22 – Jan 4
Build window open
Participants complete their timed session anytime during this period
Office hours are available throughout
Mid-week leaderboard updates
Jan 5 – Jan 8
Final judging
Winner announcements
Leaderboard published
What You Get
Unlimited AI credits inside the Sandbox
Access to partner tools (Insforge, Zeabur, OpenAgent)
Office hours and mentorship
Entry into the Global AI Builder Leaderboard
Prizes
Cash prizes for the top 3 projects
Track-specific awards (partner-determined)
Spotlight features and community recognition
Partner Tracks
Insforge Track — Viral AI App Generation: Build a high-distribution, shareable AI app using Insforge.
Zeabur Track — Template-Based AI App Development: Start with any Zeabur template and ship a complete app.
OpenAgent Track — Multi-Agent Application: Build advanced multi-agent systems with the OpenAgent framework.
Freestyle Track - Any AI-powered application is welcome.
Judging Criteria
We evaluate both the process and the final product.
AI Building Capability
Prompt quality and clarity
Effective use of AI tools and agents
Iteration speed and decision-making
Ability to guide, correct, and refine AI output
Product/GTM Viability - Assessed by product and GTM experts.
Clear problem and target user
Sharp, realistic scope for 3 hours
Immediate usefulness and clarity
Final Product Quality - Usefulness, clarity, functionality, UX.
Core functionality works end-to-end
Clean UX and logical architecture
Reliability over flashiness
Partner Platform Usage - Technical review from Insforge, Zeabur, and OpenAgent teams.
Meaningful, correct integration
Uses the platform’s real strengths