Hackathons

Nova AI Hackathon: Amazon Launches a $40,000 Global Challenge

Amazon is making a big splash with the launch of its Nova AI Hackathon, a global event that invites developers and AI enthusiasts to explore the frontiers of technology.

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Generative artificial intelligence is experiencing rapid evolution, and Amazon is making waves with the launch of its Nova AI Hackathon, a global event that invites developers and AI enthusiasts to explore the frontiers of technology. With a prize pool of $40,000 in cash and $55,000 in AWS credits.

The Challenge: Building the Future of AI with Amazon Nova

The Nova AI Hackathon challenges you to develop innovative generative AI applications. Participants have access to a range of cutting-edge technologies: Nova 2 Lite for fast and economical reasoning, Nova 2 Sonic for conversational voice AI, Nova Act for UI workflow automation, and Nova’s multimodal embeddings.

Five development tracks are offered, each opening unique creative perspectives:

  • Agentic AI invites you to create solutions where autonomous agents use Nova’s advanced reasoning capabilities to solve complex real-world problems.
  • Multimodal Understanding encourages the creation of rich applications capable of understanding and generating content across text, documents, speech, images, or video.
  • UI Automation allows you to build Nova Act agents that automate concrete workflows on web applications.
  • Voice AI opens the door to real-time conversational voice experiences with Nova 2 Sonic.
  • Finally, the Freestyle category welcomes all projects that think outside the box.

Expected deliverables include a text description of the project, a demo video of approximately 3 minutes with the #AmazonNova hashtag, a code repository (public or private, with shared access if necessary), and for those aiming for the bonus prize, a blog post published on builder.aws.com explaining the project’s community impact.

Practical Information & Nova AI Hackathon Schedule

The hackathon takes place entirely online, allowing worldwide participation without geographical constraints. The event runs until the submission deadline set for March 17, 2026.

Key Dates:

  • Registration opens: Now on Devpost
  • Submission deadline: March 16, 2026

Prizes & Rewards:

  • Grand Prize: $15,000 + $5,000 in AWS credits
  • Second Place: $7,000 + $5,000 in AWS credits
  • Best Agentic System: $3,000 + $5,000 in AWS credits
  • Best Multimodal Understanding: $3,000 + $5,000 in AWS credits
  • Best UI Automation: $3,000 + $5,000 in AWS credits
  • Best Voice AI: $3,000 + $5,000 in AWS credits
  • Best Student Application: $3,000 + $5,000 in AWS credits
  • Blog Post Bonus Prize: $200 in AWS credits (100 winners)
  • Feedback Prize: $50 in cash (60 winners)

Who Can Participate in This Amazon Hackathon?

The hackathon is open to participants aged 18 and over. Registration is possible as an individual (student or professional), team (student or professional), or organization. Note: certain countries and territories are excluded from participation (consult the official rules for the complete list).

No registration fee is required, and the hackathon is marked “Beginner Friendly,” meaning beginners are welcome. Accepted submission languages are not explicitly mentioned, but English is recommended to maximize your project’s visibility with the international jury.

Participants must use an Amazon Nova foundation model (Nova 2 Lite, Nova 2 Sonic, multimodal Embedding) and/or the Nova Act service as the core of their solution, but are free to use other services, frameworks (AWS Strands, LangChain), and tools (MCP) as supplements.

Evaluation Criteria & Nova AI Hackathon Rules

The jury will evaluate projects according to three main criteria:

  • Technical implementation weighs 60% of the final grade and examines code quality, solution efficiency, successful integration with Amazon Nova, and overall system architecture.
  • Business or community impact represents 20% and evaluates how the solution creates commercial value or generates significant benefits for communities.
  • Finally, creativity and innovation counts for 20%, including approach novelty and innovative use of multi-agent systems.

Specific rules regarding intellectual property, data usage, ethical considerations, or anti-plagiarism policies should be consulted in the official rules available on the hackathon’s Devpost page.

Registration: Join the hackathon on Devpost

Technical Documentation:

Support & Community:

Rules: Complete Official Rules

Why Participate in the Nova AI Hackathon?

This is a unique opportunity to innovate with next-generation AI by exploring the frontiers of generative artificial intelligence with differentiating features like advanced reasoning, tool use, multimodal understanding, and UI workflow automation.

You’ll have access to dedicated premier resources, code examples, technical documentation, virtual workshops, and office hours to support you in your development. The hackathon also allows you to develop real-impact solutions that create measurable value for businesses or generate concrete benefits for communities.
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