OpenAI Build Week — Global AI Hackathon with ₹92L Prize Pool — Frequently Asked Questions

It is a week-long virtual hackathon organised by OpenAI. Participants build applications using OpenAI's platform, work remotely, and submit their projects through Devpost. The event runs from July 13 to July 21, 2026 and carries a prize pool of $100,000 for the best entries.

The total prize pool is $100,000, which works out to roughly ₹92,00,000 — that is where the ₹92L figure comes from. How that pool is divided between ranks is not detailed in the available information, so check the official Devpost listing for the final prize breakdown.

The deadline is July 21, 2026 — the same day the event ends. The build window itself opens on July 13, 2026 and runs through to that closing date, so both registration and project submission need to be completed by July 21, 2026.

Participation is open globally, with no geographic restrictions, so Indian teams and individuals can take part on the same footing as anyone else. Individual developers, teams and startups are all in scope, and no team-size limit is stated. There is no stage, revenue or sector filter either.

No. DPIIT recognition and MSME registration are not part of the stated eligibility for this hackathon, and there is no requirement to be an Indian registered entity. It is a global competition, so the entry conditions are the same for participants in India as for those elsewhere.

No. This is a competition with cash prizes rather than an investment, so no equity changes hands and founders are not diluted by taking part. There is no accelerator intake or investment relationship attached to the prizes.

The hackathon is aimed at participants building with OpenAI's platform, and it suits developers, entrepreneurs and creators working in AI, machine learning and productivity tools. Entrants build an application during the event and submit it through Devpost.

The judging criteria described for the event are innovation, technical execution and impact. The organisers direct participants to the official Devpost page for the exact format and the fuller details of how judging is carried out.

Registration happens through the official Devpost page for the event at https://openai.devpost.com/. You sign up there, build during the hackathon window, and submit your project on the same platform before the deadline of July 21, 2026.

It is entirely virtual. The event runs online from July 13 to July 21, 2026, participants work remotely from wherever they are based, and projects are submitted via Devpost.