Berkeley x DeepMind Hackathon: Build. Ship. Win up to $5M in Seed Funding*
Win up to $5M in Seed Funding* | September 27th, 10:00 AM–6:00 PM PT
Join us for an elite hackathon where you'll build cutting-edge projects with Google Gemini and earn 30-minute pitch meetings with top-tier VCs.
🏆 The Prize
Top teams will be judged by representatives from Google, Berkeley, Stanford, and multiple venture capital funds.
Grand Prize — VC Pitch Access: A 30-minute private pitch meeting with selected funds from our judging panel — VCs writing $500K–$5M seed checks. Pitch your hackathon project or your existing startup.
Google AI Studio Track (sponsored by DeepMind):
In-Person: share of $15K in GCP credits
Online: share of $5K in GCP credits
*Investment not guaranteed. The prize is pitch access only — winning teams gain meeting access but must earn investment through their pitch and business fundamentals.
📅 Event Schedule
10:00 AM — Registration & Breakfast: light refreshments and networking with fellow builders
10:30 AM — Opening Ceremony & Rules Briefing: official rules and competition format
11:30 AM — Hacking Begins: 3-hour build sprint
2:30 PM — Submission Deadline (hard stop): all submissions must be in
2:30 PM — Late Lunch: sandwiches, beverages, and networking
3:30 PM — Semi-Finalists Announced: top teams selected for live pitches
4:00 PM — Live Finals: top teams pitch on stage (5-min pitch + 5-min Q&A)
5:30 PM — Winners Announced
6:00 PM — Event Wrap-Up
⚖️ Meet the Judges
Google & Google DeepMind
Naman Goyal — Researcher, Google DeepMind
Jaidev Shah — Researcher, Google DeepMind
Joana Carrasqueira — Senior Manager, Google DeepMind
Min Choi — Product Manager, Google DeepMind
Zviad Kardava — Staff AI Developer Relations Engineer, Google
Ivan Leo — Developer Experience, Google DeepMind
Venture Capital & Industry
Charlotte Xia — Fusion Fund
Ben Gorman — F-Prime Capital
Tessa Osborne — Investor, Plug and Play
Pauline Tsai — Investor, Bosch Ventures
Iris Sun — 500 Global
Zee Wang — Investor, Inventive Capital
Sarah Wang — Investor, VU Venture Partners
Raphaella Lancia — Senior Director, Experian
Berkeley & Stanford
Ben Fong — Berkeley SkyDeck
Emile Shah — President, Girls into VC @ Berkeley
Rolando Perez, PhD — Senior Scientist, Stanford University
🌐 Online Track
Can't make it to campus? We've added an Online Track for remote participants:
No live streaming or video conferencing — work on your own schedule
Submission deadline: end of day, September 27
Same deliverables as in-person participants
Judging based on traction — same conditions as Phase 2 (7-day social engagement tracking)
Prize pool: $5K in GCP credits
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
All projects must use the Google Gemini model. Each team must submit the following 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
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
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 — Tracked during the hackathon (5:00 PM cutoff)
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 teams advance to live presentations — 10 minutes per team (5-min pitch + 5-min Q&A) on stage before the full panel of VCs and special guests. Winners announced at 5:30 PM.
Whether you're a solo developer, have a team, or are already building a startup (some invited participants are at Series A stage), this event is a unique opportunity to showcase your work to decision-makers at leading venture funds.
❓ FAQ
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.
What's the team size limit? Up to 5 people.
Can I participate solo? Yes.
Can I participate remotely? Yes! The Online Track has the same deliverables, with submissions due by end of day, September 27. No live streaming — judging is based on 7-day social engagement (Phase 2 conditions). The Online Track has a $5K GCP credits prize pool.
When do VC meetings happen? Winners will schedule 30-minute pitch meetings with selected funds after the event.
What should I bring? Laptop, charger, and your best ideas!
📌 Age Requirement
This event is open to participants 18 years and older. Valid ID may be required for check-in.