About this hackathon
π GDG Stanford Γ Red Bull Basement Hackathon
Fuel up and build with Gemini and Google AI Studio. Win up to $5M in seed funding* π
May 31 | 10 AMβ6 PM PT
Join GDG Stanford for an elite hackathon where you'll build cutting-edge projects with codegen tools and earn 30-minute VC pitch meetings with top-tier investors.
π The Prize
Top teams will be judged by representatives from Stanford, Google, and multiple venture capital funds. Winners earn direct pitch access to VCs writing $500Kβ$5M seed checks.
*Investment not guaranteed. Prize is pitch access only. Winning teams gain meeting access but must earn investment through their pitch and business fundamentals.
β Judges & Investors You'll pitch to a lineup of operators and investors from leading funds:
Ursheet Parikh β MayfieldAndrew Parambath MD MBA β Pear VCTessa Osborne β Plug and Play Tech CenterDerick En'Wezoh, MD, MBA β Susa VenturesLena Stocker β DTCPVikram Venkat β Cota CapitalKevin Bernal β Mighty CapitalKavon Badie β Mighty CapitalZenetta Burger β Giant VenturesNeda Emami β Bay AngelsMatt Goldman β J2 VenturesMagne Jul Pedersen β Exponential VenturesZhen Xia β INCE CapitalAnitha Vadavatha β AB Plus VenturesProf. Nikesh Kotecha β Stanford HealthJoana Carrasqueira β DeepMindDebojyoti (Debo) Dutta β NutanixDenis Belyavsky β 12 Scrappy FoundersTasha Rose β RedBullRemi Kaito β Arcade AIPhilippe Mallette β Investor, Flourish VenturesNicole Seah β Investor, Costanoa VenturesBenjamin Gorman β Investor, F-Prime CapitalHerman Zhou β Investor, Llama VenturesPauline Tsai β Investor, BoschTracy Liu β Investor, M12 (Microsoft's Venture Fund)Raphaella Lancia β Sr. Director, ExperianRajmohan Rajagopalan β General Manager, MicrosoftChao Zhao β Researcher, OpenAINaman Goyal β Researcher, DeepMindShalin Mantri β Founder, Superlink; ex-Director, GoogleAkash Sahoo β Researcher, SamsungKarthik Ganesan β Researcher, SnowflakeVino Duraisamy β Developer Advocate, SnowflakeParth Maheshwari β Founder, Mochatrade (YC P26); ex-AdobeBin Sheng β Founder, AnyTransformer Inc.; ex-Director, Pony.ai
π
Event Schedule
10:00 AM β Registration: signup and networking with fellow builders10:30 AM β Opening Ceremony & Rules Briefing11:00β11:15 AM β Speaker Session: short talk from sponsor Red Bull Basement11:30 AM β Hacking Begins! 3-hour intensive build sprint2:30 PM β Submission Deadline (Hard Stop)3:30 PM β Semi-Finalists Announced4:00 PM β Live Finals Presentations: Top 6 teams (5 min pitch + 5 min Q&A)5:30 PM β Winners Announced6:00 PM β Event Wrap-Up
π Online Track
Can't make it to Stanford on May 31st? We've got you covered.
No live streaming or video conferencing β work on your own scheduleSubmission deadline: End of day, May 31stSame deliverables as in-person participantsJudging based on traction + playcast metrics (same as Phase 2 conditions)VC pitch access for top submissions
Build with Gemini, ship a prototype, post your demo, and let your network do the talking. Top submissions get 30-minute meetings with funds.
π Submission Requirements
Each team must submit by 2:30 PM sharp:
One-Pager β Document describing your team and ideaHosted Prototype β Working demo link (via Google AI Studio & Google Cloud Run)2-Minute Video β Team introduction and elevator pitch1-Minute Video β Prototype demo (Playcast)Code Repository β Link via Google AI Studio sharing mechanics
Data Usage & Judging Consent: By submitting your prototype playcast, you authorize organizers to use your submission in paid social ads (e.g., Facebook). Real-world performance metrics (CPM, CTR, CPC, etc.) will be collected and used as core market validation data for Phase 2 (post-event) judging. You may opt out by notifying organizers prior to submission; data sharing with sponsors and investors is a condition of participation.
βοΈ Judging Criteria
Projects will be evaluated on:
Technical Feasibility β Does it actually work?Innovation & Novelty β Is the approach creative or clever?Real-World Applicability β Would people genuinely use it?Market Potential & Fundability β Could this become venture-backable?Go-to-Market Traction β Social engagement on your demo video (likes, shares, views)
Social Engagement Component
Your demo YouTube video must be shared publicly. Engagement counts toward your score:
Phase 1: Engagement tracked during the hackathon (5 PM deadline)Phase 2: Continued tracking for 2 weeks post-event (viral reach + playcast metrics)
π― Competition Format
Semi-Finals: All submissions undergo asynchronous review by the judging panel.
Finals: Top 5 teams advance to live presentations:
10 minutes per team (5 min pitch + 5 min Q&A)Present on stage to the full panel of VCs and special guestsWinners announced at 5:30 PM
π₯ Who Should Attend
This hackathon is perfect for:
Builders with AI/ML experience or a passion for emerging techFounders exploring new startup ideas or validating conceptsStudents & Developers eager to learn Google Gemini's coding capabilitiesExisting Teams wanting exposure to top-tier VCsFast Shippers ready to build and demo a working prototype in 3 hours
Whether you're solo, on a team, or already building a startup (some invited participants are at Series A stage), this event offers a unique opportunity to showcase your work to decision-makers at leading venture funds.
β FAQ
Q: Can I pitch an existing startup? Absolutely! If you win, you can pitch either your hackathon project or your existing company during the 30-minute VC meetings.
Q: What's the team size limit? Up to 4 people.
Q: Can I participate solo? Yes.
Q: Can I participate remotely? Yes β the Online Track has the same deliverables, with submissions due by end of day, May 31st (Phase 2 conditions, no live streaming).
Q: When do VC meetings happen? Winners schedule their 30-minute pitch meetings with selected funds after the event.
Q: What should I bring? Laptop, charger, and your best ideas!