Fig AI Design Makeathon 2026
Oct 14–16 · Fully Online
Selected Winners Demo · Oct 22 · San Francisco
AI is creating new products, behaviors, workflows, and interaction patterns faster than traditional design practices can keep up.
Join our 3-day online competition for design students to tackle emerging design challenges created by AI — and turn their ideas into functional prototypes.
This is not another design exercise.
You’ll form a team, get to learn a real-world challenge, build with AI-enabled tools, get support along the way, and submit a working prototype for judging.
What You’ll Do
Over three days, participants will move through the full build journey:
Register → Meet Teammates → Design & Build → Checkpoint → Submit → Judging
The full competition experience — from registration and team matching to project submission and judging — will run through the Fig Hackathon Platform.
You’ll have opportunities to:
Tackle real-world AI design challenges
Meet and form teams with other student designers and builders
Turn an idea into a functional prototype
Learn emerging AI prototyping and building tools
Get technical and product support during the build
Submit your work to a cross-functional judging panel
Showcase standout projects to the broader community
The Theme
Real-World AI Problems
Each challenge will focus on a design problem created or transformed by emerging AI products and workflows.
We’re interested in questions such as:
How should humans interact with multiple AI agents?
How do we design AI systems people can understand and trust?
What new interfaces are needed when software becomes increasingly autonomous?
Final challenge brief(s):
Challenge topics and requirements will be announced before the event. Registered participants will receive the final brief once confirmed.
Who Should Join
This makeathon is primarily designed for:
Design students
Students interested in AI products and emerging interfaces
You do not need to be an expert engineer.
The focus is on using emerging tools to go beyond static design concepts and create something people can actually experience.
Individual participation and team participation details: 2-5 people per team or solo.
How the Makeathon Works
01 — Kickoff + Tool Workshop
We’ll kick off with the challenge brief, competition rules, judging criteria, and a practical tool workshop focused on turning design ideas into functional prototypes.
02 — Team Formation
Participants will use the Fig Hackathon Platform to discover other participants, form teams, and officially register their team for the competition.
03 — Build
Teams will spend the main portion of the event developing their solution and functional prototype.
Participants may use AI prototyping, coding, and development tools appropriate for their project.
Specific sponsored tools, participant access, or credits: TBD
04 — Midpoint Build Checkpoint
During the competition, teams will submit a lightweight progress checkpoint through the platform.
The goal is simple:
Show us where you are. Tell us what’s blocking you from shipping.
Teams will share:
Current prototype
1–2 screenshots
What is already working
Biggest blocker
Type of support needed
Checkpoint submissions may be used to route teams toward relevant technical support, group clinics, mentor sessions, or resources.
Mentor availability and live support slots will be limited and are subject to confirmation. Completing a checkpoint does not guarantee a 1:1 mentor session.
05 — Final Submission
Teams will submit their final project through the Fig Hackathon Platform.
Expected submission materials may include:
Project title and description
Functional prototype
Key screens / project visuals
Short demo video
Team information
Tools used
06 — Judging
Projects will be reviewed by a cross-functional judging panel.
We are aiming to include both design and non-design perspectives across project reviews.
Hao Wang — Chief Strategy and Business Growth Officer @ NetMind.AI; Stanford GSB
Lewis Liu — Product @ Microsoft, building agents & knowledge systems; ex-Google (Gemini); startup advisor; Stanford GSB
Fred McHale — Executive Director of Product Design @ Academy of Art University & ex-design manager @ Cisco
Final judging criteria, judge lineup, and judging format: TBD
Workshops & Mentor Support
We are currently speaking with potential tool and technology partners about supporting participants through:
Practical kickoff workshops
Participant tool access / credits
Technical specialists
Product / tool office hours
Midpoint support clinics
Judges and mentors
Prizes & Participant Rewards
We’re working with potential partners on rewards that may include:
Tool credits
Product access
Partner-sponsored prizes
Swag
Project showcases
Community features
Other opportunities for standout teams
Tentative Schedule
October 14 — Kickoff
Challenge reveal
Competition briefing
Tool workshop
Team formation
Build begins
October 15 — Build
Team building time
Midpoint checkpoint
Technical / partner support
October 16 — Submit + Judge Workshop
Final build period
Workshop Session
Final Submission
Winner Demo + Mixer — San Francisco
Selected winning teams will be invited to present their projects in person at the AWS Builder Loft in San Francisco on October 22.
The event will bring together selected teams, judges, mentors, partners, and members of the AI and design community for:
Winner project demos
Awards and recognition
Conversations with judges and partners
Networking and community mixer
Participation in the San Francisco event is limited to selected teams and invited guests.
Travel and accommodation are not currently provided unless otherwise announced. Additional event details and eligibility requirements will be shared with selected teams.
Exact times and session availability are TBD. The schedule may change based on partner and mentor availability.
Hosted by Fig Studio
Fig Studio is building a platform for running hackathons end to end — from registration and team matching to project submission, judging, and post-event project discovery.
This Makeathon will also serve as a live opportunity for participants to experience and help shape that platform.
Important Notes
This event is currently in active planning.
Challenge details, workshops, partners, mentors, judges, prizes, team size, submission requirements, and exact schedule are subject to change until officially confirmed.
Any company, product, or organization not explicitly listed as Confirmed should not be interpreted as an official sponsor, partner, or co-host.
Registered participants will be notified of material updates before the event.