Day Zero is an open-ended hackathon for people who actually want to ship. No forced themes, no arbitrary categories, and no sponsors forcing you to use their APIs. If you have an idea and the conviction to build it, we are giving you the space to make it happen.

Whether it’s a consumer app, an AI tool, a developer platform, or something that doesn't have a label yet it belongs here. You are completely free to use AI tools, existing frameworks, and any language you prefer. Experience doesn't matter; execution does. We want to see how fast you can turn a raw concept into a working prototype.

Our objective isn't to hand out a prize and send you home. We are looking for ambitious builders. We want to identify strong projects and help them take the next step beyond the hackathon. We are here to support the ideas that have the potential to grow into real startups.

Cut the noise. Ignore the trends. Sit down and ship.

Requirements

Submission Requirements

1. A Working Prototype (No Vaporware) We want to see real execution. You cannot submit just a Figma mockup, a slide deck, or a business plan. Whether it’s deployed live on the web, available via TestFlight, or running locally on localhost, the code must run, and the core feature must work.

2. A 2-Minute Demo Video (Show, Don't Tell) Pitching is a distraction; demonstrating is proof. Submit a video (strictly under 2-3 minutes) showing your product in action. Don't spend a minute talking about the market size—spend the time showing us exactly how your software works and what problem it solves.

3. Code Repository Provide a link to your public or private repo (GitHub, GitLab, etc.). We don't care if your code is messy or if you leaned heavily on AI to write it—we just want proof that you actually built what you are demonstrating. Include a clear README.md with instructions on how to run it.

4. The "Day 1" Roadmap Since our goal is to help projects grow into startups, we need to know where you are going. Include a short, bulleted outline (max 150 words) of what you would build in the next 30 days if you kept working on this.

5. Tech Stack & Tooling A simple list of the languages, frameworks, APIs, and AI tools you used to ship the project. Transparency is key.

The Golden Rule: If you used AI to generate the bulk of your code, that is perfectly fine—but you are responsible for the output. Broken, unedited, or non-functional AI-generated features will be scored as non-functional. Ship something that actually works.

Hackathon Sponsors

Prizes

4 non-cash prizes
The Day Zero Award (Overall Winner)
1 winner

The ultimate proving ground winner. You don't get a giant novelty check; you get a launch team. We will sit down with you to strategize your official Product Hunt launch, help draft your copy, and leverage our community network to amplify your product. Plus, we will do bi-weekly accountability syncs with your team for the next month to ensure you keep shipping.

The Execution Award (Best Engineering)
1 winner

Awarded to the team that built the most stable, functional, and impressive tech stack without relying on broken AI slop. You win a 1-on-1 architecture teardown with our core engineers. We will review your codebase, help you optimize your stack for scale, and roadmap the next 30 days of your MVP.

The Outlier Award (Most Ambitious/Unconventional)
1 winner

Awarded to the project that took the biggest swing. Maybe it's a weird AI agent, maybe it's hardware. You get a permanent spotlight in our "Hall of Fame" across all our social channels, stamping you as a top-tier builder in our community. You also get priority placement in any future events or incubators we run.

The "Keep Shipping" Commitment (Honorable Mentions)
1 winner

For projects that didn't win but showed massive potential. We will grant you exclusive access to our private builder group. No lurkers allowed—just a tight-knit community of developers holding each other accountable to launch their next iterations.

Devpost Achievements

Submitting to this hackathon could earn you:

Judges

Haresh

Haresh
full stack developer - curriculo

Judging Criteria

  • Execution & Functionality (40%)
    The most critical aspect is whether it actually works. We do not want slide decks or mockups. Judges will test your live deployment. A single working feature always scores much higher than ten broken ones. Prove you can ship real code.
  • Real-World Potential
    We want to back projects that outlive this hackathon. Does this solve a real, painful problem for actual users? Show us that your product has actual utility and could serve as the genuine foundation for a real, legitimate startup.
  • Technical Polish & Craft
    Use AI to move fast, but quality matters. Submitting unedited, broken AI slop will tank your score. You must understand your code. Judges will evaluate how well you integrated tools and polished the final build. Build with intention.
  • Usability & User Experience (UX)
    Your project doesn't need award-winning design, but it must make sense. Judges should intuitively understand your core feature without needing a manual. Clean design, simple navigation, and a frictionless user journey are essential here.

Questions? Email the hackathon manager

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