Google I/O

GDG LONDON HACKATHON

Build with AI

Resources & learning

Explore tools and APIs to help you build with AI — use any AI technology you prefer

Hugging Face DocsOpenAI API DocsGemini API DocsAI Studio

Need help? Have questions?

Hackathon Q&A and community support — join the Discord.

Join our Discord

Past side events are archived on Past projects.

Rules

Event Ticket Required

You need a valid ticket for the event to participate in this hackathon.

Get your ticket at Luma (I/O Watch Party + hack night) →

Eligibility

Event organisers, speakers, and volunteers cannot and will not participate in the hackathon.

Teams

  • Solo builder or Team (max 4 members)
  • Create an idea and allow others to join, or join an existing team with approval

Create or Join a Project Idea

When registering your idea, you will provide:

  • Project Title
  • Team Name
  • Solo or Group project
  • Team members (optional)
  • LinkedIn profile
  • You can also browse the Idea Gallery and join an existing project.

Avoid These Project Types

In the Action Era, if a single prompt can solve it, it's not an application.

  • Baseline RAG — Simple data retrieval is now a baseline feature
  • Prompt-Only Wrappers — System prompts in a basic UI
  • Simple Vision Analyzers — Basic object identification
  • Generic Chatbots — Standard bots for nutrition, job screening
  • Medical Advice — No diagnostic advice projects

What to Submit

Each submission must include:

1A working project
2A demo video (max 3 minutes) — Show the app in action and explain what it does.
3Project description — Explain the problem, the idea, and how the solution works.
4Code repository link (GitHub or similar). If private, provide read access to the judges.
5Optional: Screenshots, design mockups, technical documentation

Judging Criteria

  • Innovation — How original or creative is the AI idea?
  • Technical Execution & User Experience — Is the solution functional, well built, and easy to use?
  • Impact — Does the project solve a real problem or improve user workflows in a meaningful way?

Winning Prizes — Important

🎉 Prizes are handed out live on event day — be there in person to claim your glory.

Show up, win big! No mail, no exceptions. Your moment in the spotlight awaits.

Team projects — prize goes to the project leader. The prize is awarded to the project leader only. How you share it with your team is entirely up to you — organisers do not decide, influence, or get involved in prize splitting. Your team, your call.

Your Data

Your submission data is stored for 30 days after the event and is not shared outside the competition. We keep it simple: your info stays in-house for judging and event purposes only.

Submission Deadline

Friday, 19 May 2026 — 18:00