🚀 GDG Stanford Hackathon. Win up to $5M in seed funding*
🚀 GDG Stanford × Red Bull Basement Hackathon
Fuel up and build with Gemini and Google AI Studio. Win up to $5M in seed funding* 📅 May 31 | 10 AM–6 PM PT
Join GDG Stanford for an elite hackathon where you'll build cutting-edge projects with codegen tools and earn 30-minute VC pitch meetings with top-tier investors.
🏆 The Prize
Top teams will be judged by representatives from Stanford, Google, and multiple venture capital funds. Winners earn direct pitch access to VCs writing $500K–$5M seed checks.
*Investment not guaranteed. Prize is pitch access only. Winning teams gain meeting access but must earn investment through their pitch and business fundamentals.
⭐ Judges & Investors You'll pitch to a lineup of operators and investors from leading funds:
Ursheet Parikh — Mayfield
Andrew Parambath MD MBA — Pear VC
Tessa Osborne — Plug and Play Tech Center
Derick En'Wezoh, MD, MBA — Susa Ventures
Lena Stocker — DTCP
Vikram Venkat — Cota Capital
Kevin Bernal — Mighty Capital
Kavon Badie — Mighty Capital
Zenetta Burger — Giant Ventures
Neda Emami — Bay Angels
Matt Goldman — J2 Ventures
Magne Jul Pedersen — Exponential Ventures
Zhen Xia — INCE Capital
Anitha Vadavatha — AB Plus Ventures
Prof. Nikesh Kotecha — Stanford Health
Joana Carrasqueira — DeepMind
Debojyoti (Debo) Dutta — Nutanix
Denis Belyavsky — 12 Scrappy Founders
Tasha Rose — RedBull
Remi Kaito — Arcade
📅 Event Schedule
10:00 AM — Registration: signup and networking with fellow builders
10:30 AM — Opening Ceremony & Rules Briefing
11:00–11:15 AM — Speaker Session: short talk from sponsor Red Bull Basement
11:30 AM — Hacking Begins! 3-hour intensive build sprint
2:30 PM — Submission Deadline (Hard Stop)
3:30 PM — Semi-Finalists Announced
4:00 PM — Live Finals Presentations: Top 6 teams (5 min pitch + 5 min Q&A)
5:30 PM — Winners Announced
6:00 PM — Event Wrap-Up
🌐 Online Track
Can't make it to Stanford on May 31st? We've got you covered.
No live streaming or video conferencing — work on your own schedule
Submission deadline: End of day, May 31st
Same deliverables as in-person participants
Judging based on traction + playcast metrics (same as Phase 2 conditions)
VC pitch access for top submissions
Build with Gemini, ship a prototype, post your demo, and let your network do the talking. Top submissions get 30-minute meetings with funds.
📋 Submission Requirements
Each team must submit by 2:30 PM sharp:
One-Pager — Document describing your team and idea
Hosted Prototype — Working demo link (via Google AI Studio & Google Cloud Run)
2-Minute Video — Team introduction and elevator pitch
1-Minute Video — Prototype demo (Playcast)
Code Repository — Link via Google AI Studio sharing mechanics
Data Usage & Judging Consent: By submitting your prototype playcast, you authorize organizers to use your submission in paid social ads (e.g., Facebook). Real-world performance metrics (CPM, CTR, CPC, etc.) will be collected and used as core market validation data for Phase 2 (post-event) judging. You may opt out by notifying organizers prior to submission; data sharing with sponsors and investors is a condition of participation.
⚖️ Judging Criteria
Projects will be evaluated on:
Technical Feasibility — Does it actually work?
Innovation & Novelty — Is the approach creative or clever?
Real-World Applicability — Would people genuinely use it?
Market Potential & Fundability — Could this become venture-backable?
Go-to-Market Traction — Social engagement on your demo video (likes, shares, views)
Social Engagement Component
Your demo YouTube video must be shared publicly. Engagement counts toward your score:
Phase 1: Engagement tracked during the hackathon (5 PM deadline)
Phase 2: Continued tracking for 2 weeks post-event (viral reach + playcast metrics)
🎯 Competition Format
Semi-Finals: All submissions undergo asynchronous review by the judging panel.
Finals: Top 5 teams advance to live presentations:
10 minutes per team (5 min pitch + 5 min Q&A)
Present on stage to the full panel of VCs and special guests
Winners announced at 5:30 PM
👥 Who Should Attend
This hackathon is perfect for:
Builders with AI/ML experience or a passion for emerging tech
Founders exploring new startup ideas or validating concepts
Students & Developers eager to learn Google Gemini's coding capabilities
Existing Teams wanting exposure to top-tier VCs
Fast Shippers ready to build and demo a working prototype in 3 hours
Whether you're solo, on a team, or already building a startup (some invited participants are at Series A stage), this event offers a unique opportunity to showcase your work to decision-makers at leading venture funds.
❓ FAQ
Q: Can I pitch an existing startup? Absolutely! If you win, you can pitch either your hackathon project or your existing company during the 30-minute VC meetings.
Q: What's the team size limit? Up to 4 people.
Q: Can I participate solo? Yes.
Q: Can I participate remotely? Yes — the Online Track has the same deliverables, with submissions due by end of day, May 31st (Phase 2 conditions, no live streaming).
Q: When do VC meetings happen? Winners schedule their 30-minute pitch meetings with selected funds after the event.
Q: What should I bring? Laptop, charger, and your best ideas!