About the competition
The AI Builders Challenge – North America, sponsored by IBM SkillsBuild and organized by BeMyApp, is a free virtual hackathon inviting college and university students across the U.S. and Canada to build AI-powered solutions using IBM Bob and compete for $15,000 in prizes!
From November 2 – December 2, 2026, students can participate individually or in teams of up to five, choosing from three challenge themes: AI for Good, AI for Business, or Wildcard.
Students from all majors and experience levels are welcome, with no prior coding experience required. Participants must be at least 18 years old and meet the eligibility requirements outlined in the Official Rules.
Throughout the competition, students will have access to free IBM SkillsBuild learning resources, opportunities to earn certificates, live webinars, IBM mentors, and technical support.
To compete, participants will build an AI-powered project using IBM Bob and submit their project details, presentation slides, and a 3-minute demo video. All team members must complete the required IBM SkillsBuild learning to be eligible for prizes.
Projects will be judged on Technical Execution, Innovation, Challenge Fit & Real-World Impact, and Feasibility & Implementation.
Submission Deadline: December 2, 2026, at 5:00 PM ET.
Registration is free!
Eligibility: Open to current college and university students aged 18 or older who are legal residents of the United States or Canada, excluding Quebec. All academic disciplines and experience levels are welcome.
Official Rules: https://res.cloudinary.com/ideation/image/upload/q_100,f_pdf,dpr_auto/id-ai-builders-ch-2b8138/k1oxs4lhvebv8a8awv7n
From November 2 – December 2, 2026, students can participate individually or in teams of up to five, choosing from three challenge themes: AI for Good, AI for Business, or Wildcard.
Students from all majors and experience levels are welcome, with no prior coding experience required. Participants must be at least 18 years old and meet the eligibility requirements outlined in the Official Rules.
Throughout the competition, students will have access to free IBM SkillsBuild learning resources, opportunities to earn certificates, live webinars, IBM mentors, and technical support.
To compete, participants will build an AI-powered project using IBM Bob and submit their project details, presentation slides, and a 3-minute demo video. All team members must complete the required IBM SkillsBuild learning to be eligible for prizes.
Projects will be judged on Technical Execution, Innovation, Challenge Fit & Real-World Impact, and Feasibility & Implementation.
Submission Deadline: December 2, 2026, at 5:00 PM ET.
Registration is free!
Eligibility: Open to current college and university students aged 18 or older who are legal residents of the United States or Canada, excluding Quebec. All academic disciplines and experience levels are welcome.
Official Rules: https://res.cloudinary.com/ideation/image/upload/q_100,f_pdf,dpr_auto/id-ai-builders-ch-2b8138/k1oxs4lhvebv8a8awv7n
Prize
Cash Prize
$15,000 USD Total Prize Pool Grand Prize: $10,000 Second Place: $3,000 Best AI for Good Project: $1,000 Best Wildcard Solution: $1,000
Deadline
December 02, 2026
1 month from now
Eligibility
Bachelor, Master, PhD
Open worldwide unless noted.
