Ended
Zero to Shipped
September 18, 2026 · 9:00 AM PDT – October 2, 2026 · 11:59 PM PDT
Online
Public
3812 participants
About
Connect your coding agent to AWS, build a real application, and ship it live for a chance to win $5,000 in AWS credits and an AWS Builder swag bundle.
Open to anyone with an AWS account, new or existing. Pick one of five app categories and a lane, Community or Startup. Shipping live is the whole point. Terms Apply
Who can enter: Open to builders 18 or older with a Builder Center profile. See Rules for country and employee exclusions.
How to qualify: Every submission must include:
- A coding agent connected to the AWS console, with documented proof of the connection
- A live application running on AWS, reachable by a public URL
- One of five app categories (below)
- A lane: Community or Startup
- An original application that has not been published before
- Your project shows your development process, how the coding agent helped you ship, your category and lane, and a link to the live app
The ship gate: Shipping is pass-or-fail. Your project has to be live on AWS and reachable by the judges and the AI scoring system. A project that is not live does not advance to judging, no matter how strong the idea is.
How submissions are judged: Judging runs in two rounds after the ship gate:
- Round 1, AI scoring: every qualifying submission is scored on creativity and storytelling, technical innovation, community and market impact, and communication quality. The top submissions advance.
- Round 2, human judging: a panel of AWS experts reviews the shortlist and selects five winners across the categories.
App categories: Every project fits one of five categories:
- Workplace efficiency: Apps that help people and teams get more done: task automation, team dashboards, workflow engines.
- Daily life enhancement: Apps that make everyday life easier: smart home controls, personal assistants, habit trackers.
- Commercial potential: Apps built with a business in mind: SaaS tools, marketplace apps, vertical solutions.
- Personal expression: Apps that help people create and share: art generators, music tools, content platforms.
- Social good: Measurable improvements for underserved populations across three focus areas: Education (quality learning, skill-building, workforce development), Health (better health outcomes, access to quality food and health services), and Climate resilience (adapting to and withstanding climate-related challenges).
Community or Startups lane: On top of your category, you pick one lane. The lane is about intent and audience, not the technology you use. Any category project can run in either lane.
- Startups: A project pushed toward becoming a product, with a story about where it is headed. Best for builders thinking about product-market fit, a first user base, or a path to a real business.
- Community: A project that helps a group the builder belongs to, such as a class, a local meetup, or an open-source project. Best for builders solving a problem for people around them.
Social Good category and AWS Social Impact Credits: Builder Center and Zero to Shipped is partnering with the AWS Skilling and Social Impact team to develop the Social Good category criteria so that participating organizations can be eligible for AWS Social Impact Credits . Projects that deliver measurable impact and meet the eligibility requirements may qualify to apply for these credits, which provide access to AI and cloud resources.
How to tag your submission: Tags your project to the right category and lane for scoring. Every submission must carry two tags: one app category tag and one lane tag. Add them on your project in Builder Center before the deadline.
- App category tag (pick one): #workplace-efficiency, #daily-life-enhancement, #commercial-potential, #social-good, or #personal-expression.
- Lane tag (pick one): #startups or #community.
Prizes: Five winning projects will be selected. Each winning project receives $5,000 in AWS credits, and one AWS Builder swag bundle worth about $600 (jacket, backpack, and keyboard). Each winning project team participant will also receive an official winner's certificate, and a custom digital badge. Total prize pool: $28,000.
Timeline
| Hackathon Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Launch | September 18 |
| Projects due by | October 2 |
| Gate 1 (AI and human scoring) | Week of October 5 |
| Gate 2 (human judging) | Week of October 12 |
| Winners Announced | Week of October 19 |
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.
Awards
1 winner receives $5,000 in AWS credits and ~$600 exclusive swag bundle
$5600
1 winner receives $5,000 in AWS credits and ~$600 exclusive swag bundle
$5600
1 winner receives $5,000 in AWS credits and ~$600 exclusive swag bundle
$5600
1 winner receives $5,000 in AWS credits and ~$600 exclusive swag bundle
$5600
1 winner receives $5,000 in AWS credits and ~$600 exclusive swag bundle
$5600
