DigitalOcean Gradient™ AI Hackathon!

The DigitalOcean Gradient™ AI Hackathon challenges developers, builders, and creators to design and launch new, working AI-powered applications using DigitalOcean Gradient™ AI’s full-stack features. From model training to deployment, this hackathon is about shipping real, production-ready AI — not just prototypes.

Whether you’re exploring AI for the first time or scaling advanced machine learning workflows, this is your opportunity to build impactful applications on a developer-first cloud platform designed for speed, simplicity, and scale.

📅 Event Details

🗓️ Event Start Date: January 28, 2026 - March 18, 2026
💲 Cost: Free
📍 Location: Online

💰 $20,000 in Prizes

🥇 First Place

$8,000 USD in cash
$600 in DigitalOcean credits

🥈 Second Place

$4,000 USD in cash
$400 in DigitalOcean credits

🥉 Third Place

$2,000 USD in cash
$200 in DigitalOcean credits

🌟 Special Awards

Best AI Agent Persona — $2,000 USD
The Great Whale Prize — $2,000 USD
Best Program for the People — $2,000 USD

✨ What to expect ?

🛠️ Learn & Build: Master building and deploying full-stack AI apps with DigitalOcean Gradient™ AI.
💡 Experiment: Get hands-on with GPU-powered AI infrastructure and production-ready workflows.
🏆 Compete & Showcase: Battle for exciting cash prizes and create something truly impressive for your portfolio.

Why participate?

🔹Learn to build and deploy full-stack AI apps with DigitalOcean Gradient™ AI.
🔹Experiment with GPU-powered AI infrastructure and production-ready workflows.
🔹Compete for cash prizes and build something you can showcase.

How to Participate?

✅ Signup: for a DigitalOcean account!
📄 Documentation: Check out the DigitalOcean Gradient™ AI documentation.
🔍 Explore: DigitalOcean's general documentation.

What to Build ?

Build a new working application that uses DigitalOcean Gradient™ AI full stack features.

What to Submit

💻 Public Code Repository: Provide a URL to your public code repository. It must contain all necessary source code, assets, and instructions for the project to be functional. The repository must be open source and include an open-source license file, visible at the top of the repository page.
🎥 Demo Video: Include a video (approximately 3 minutes) demonstrating your submission. Videos must be uploaded to YouTube, Vimeo, or Facebook Video and made public.
🌐 Optional: Provide a URL to a functional demo application.
📄 Project Description: A detailed description outlining your application's usage and demonstrating your knowledge of DigitalOcean Gradient™ AI.
🆕 New Projects Only: Ensure your project is entirely new for this hackathon.

🌐 About Us

About DigitalOcean

DigitalOcean is the cloud built for developers. It offers powerful infrastructure, predictable pricing, and intuitive tools, making it easy for startups and growing teams to build, deploy, and scale applications without unnecessary complexity.

About DigitalOcean Gradient™ AI

DigitalOcean Gradient™ AI is a full-stack AI platform that simplifies the entire machine learning lifecycle. From GPU-backed compute to flexible workflows and seamless deployment, Gradient AI empowers developers to move from idea to production faster, all within DigitalOcean's unified cloud ecosystem.

In Partnership with Major League Hacking (MLH)

This hackathon is proudly supported by Major League Hacking (MLH), the global leader in developer hackathons. MLH empowers builders worldwide through inclusive, high-quality events and provides participants with access to resources, tooling, and community to help them succeed.

⚖️ Judging Criteria

Projects will be evaluated based on the following: ⚙️ Technological Implementation: Does the project demonstrate quality software development? Does it thoroughly leverage DigitalOcean Gradient™ AI?
✨ Design: Is the user experience and design of the project well-thought-out?
🌍 Potential Impact: How significant an impact could the project have on its target community?
🌟 Quality of the Idea: How creative and unique is the project?