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Get ready, together.
Register interest now. Before the event, prepare your profile, form or join a team, and select a problem. Team-matching access will be announced.
AIBI + PHOENIX FORWARD PRESENT
AI BUILD-A-THON.
Learn. Build. Launch. Create something real.
An AI-building experience presented by AI Builders Institute + Phoenix Forward, planned during AZ Tech Week. Surround yourself with other AI builders. Go from idea to working project to your next step.
$250,000in prizesProposed prize pool · amount and mix to be confirmed
PLANNED EVENT WINDOWTuesday–Thursday · March 2–4, 2027
LOCATIONVenue to be announced
DURING
Free participation. Register interest now; final dates, details, and official AZ Tech Week listing are to be confirmed.
YOUR STARTING POINT, YOUR PATH
What kind of
builder are you?
Find a useful next step before the event. No fixed tracks, no coding requirement, and no second-class participants. Everyone can build and compete.
How comfortable are you using AI?
How much experience do you have building with AI?
Do you have an idea you’d like to build with AI?
Three quick answers. One useful next step. Every path leads to a place in the competition.
HOW IT WORKS
Bring your curiosity.
Leave with something real.
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Build something useful.
Arrive ready to build. Work with your team, test your assumptions, and learn from the people around you.
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Share your next step.
Submit your project digitally, take part in the showcase, and connect with collaborators who can help you keep going.
A PROPOSED THREE-DAY BUILD
Prepare before.
Build here.
Team formation, problem selection, and optional paid preparation courses happen before the event. Tuesday through Thursday is for making and sharing.
Proposed Tuesday–Thursday · March 2–4, 2027BEFORE THE EVENT
BEFOREArrive ready to build.
Plan your profile, find or form your team, and choose a problem. Optional paid AIBI Essentials or Foundations courses can help you prepare before the event.
PREPARE · CONNECTDAY 1 · PROPOSED
TUECheck in. Kick off. Build.
Meet the community, get oriented, and get straight into building with your team and a clear problem.
KICKOFF · BUILDDAY 2 · PROPOSED
WEDMake it work.
Build, test, and improve your project. Exchange feedback with other builders and turn your idea into something people can use.
BUILD · ITERATEDAY 3 · PROPOSED
THUShow what you made.
Finish your submission, share your project at the expo, and cheer on the finalists at the main-stage demos and awards.
EXPO · FINALEExact dates, daily hours, venue, team-size rules, and preparation sessions are not yet finalized.
HOW JUDGING WORKS
Every project gets a look.
A few take the stage.
A digital submission and an expo-style showcase make room for more builders, more conversations, and fewer hours of sequential stage demos.
Build
Turn a worthwhile problem into a working project.
Submit
Share your title, description, team, problem, demo video, and live or repository links where applicable.
Preliminary review
Submissions are reviewed against a rubric. The rubric and any use of AI assistance remain to be confirmed.
Expo / showcase
Qualifying teams demonstrate at project tables. Explore other teams’ work, make connections, and contribute community feedback.
Finalists
A small group advances. Finalist count and the role of community voting are still being finalized.
Main-stage demos
Finalists deliver short live demos to the judges and community.
Awards
Judges select winners. Prize distribution and final rules will be announced before the competition.
Rubric, community-vote weighting, and any AI-assisted preliminary review are still being defined. Vote limits and finalist count remain TBD.
PROBLEMS WORTH SOLVING
Your idea.
Our next challenge.
Choose a problem, not a fixed competitive track. Individual builders, company teams, founders, and technical builders are all welcome.
Bring your own idea
Build something you care about. A real problem is a great place to start.
Community challenges
Explore problems shared by the community as they become available.
Sponsor challenges
Confirmed sponsor-backed challenges will appear here. None have been announced yet.
GET INVOLVED
Help great ideas
get their start.
Support the people building what comes next.
Sponsor
Help create an experience where builders can thrive.
Volunteer
Share your time, experience, or enthusiasm. Roles are still taking shape.
Submit an idea
Share an idea for AI builders to bring to life.
SPONSOR THE NEXT BIG BUILD
Support builders.
Be part of what’s next.
Build visibility, share your expertise, introduce your technology and connect with innovators. These are proposed sponsorship packages, not confirmed commitments. Final contributions, benefits and availability are subject to agreement.
PROPOSED PACKAGE
Platinum
$30,000+Premier sponsor recognition, largest logo placement, a featured speaking opportunity, a branded innovation challenge, judging participation, featured social promotion, VIP networking and product showcase opportunities. Includes all Gold benefits.
PROPOSED PACKAGE
Gold
$20,000+Prominent logo placement, a branded challenge or workshop, judging or mentoring opportunities, a featured sponsor spotlight, promotional mentions and an event showcase opportunity. Includes all Silver benefits.
PROPOSED PACKAGE
Silver
$10,000+Medium logo placement, a sponsor profile with website link, social acknowledgment, mentoring opportunities and recognition during opening and closing ceremonies. Includes all Bronze benefits.
PROPOSED PACKAGE
Bronze
$5,000+Company logo and link on the sponsor page, inclusion in sponsor recognition materials, a shared social thank-you and recognition in event communications.
| Benefit | Platinum | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Website logo and link | Included | Included | Included | Included |
| Social media recognition | Featured | Featured | Shared | Shared |
| Event branding | Premier | Large | Medium | Standard |
| Opening / closing recognition | Included | Included | Included | — |
| Mentor participation | Opportunity | Opportunity | Opportunity | — |
| Judging opportunity | Subject to approval | Subject to approval | — | — |
| Product demo or workshop | Opportunity | Opportunity | — | — |
| Sponsored challenge | Opportunity | Opportunity | — | — |
| Speaking opportunity | Opportunity | — | — | — |
| VIP leadership introductions | Opportunity | — | — | — |
What’s involved?
Choose a tier or tell us about an in-kind or custom partnership. Submit your interest and outline your goals, proposed contribution and how you’d like to participate. The event team will review your interest and discuss the package, timing and deliverables before any commitment or payment.
Platinum and Gold sponsors may propose real business problems for builders to explore. Challenges must be reviewed and agreed with the event team. Judging opportunities are subject to approval and conflict-of-interest rules. Participant contact information is shared only with explicit participant consent.
GOOD TO KNOW
Big questions.
Clear answers.
What’s planned, and what’s still being decided.
What is the AI Build-a-thon?
An AI-building experience presented by AI Builders Institute and Phoenix Forward during AZ Tech Week. Take an idea to a working project, share it with a community of builders, and explore your next step.
Is it free?
The Build-a-thon is free to participate in. Optional AIBI preparation courses are separate paid offerings. Joining the interest list does not reserve a place or require payment.
Do I need to know how to code?
No. Nontechnical, low-code, and experienced technical builders can all participate and compete. Projects are judged on what you build, not your background.
Do I need an idea?
Bring your own idea or explore community and sponsor challenges as they are confirmed. You can join the interest list before you have a problem in mind.
Do I need a team?
You can come with collaborators or look for a team before the event. Team-size rules and matching details are still being finalized.
How are teams formed?
Team formation and problem selection are planned for before the event, so you arrive ready to build. Profile and team-matching access will be shared when available.
How does judging work?
Teams submit digitally, followed by preliminary review, a project expo, finalist selection, short main-stage demos, and awards. Final scoring and community-voting rules are TBD.
What can I build?
Build an AI-powered solution to a real problem. Bring your own idea, choose a community challenge, or choose a confirmed sponsor challenge. There are no fixed competitive tracks based on your background.
Can my company enter?
Yes. Company builders and teams are welcome alongside individuals, founders, and technical builders. Final participation and team-size rules will be published before the event.
Can I submit an idea for someone else to build?
Yes. Use the idea form to share your idea and the problem it would solve, even if you will not participate. Submitting does not automatically create ownership, attribution, or compensation rights. Final terms remain TBD; do not include confidential information.
How do prizes work?
The working plan is $250,000 in prizes. The total, prize mix, eligibility, and distribution are not finalized. We will publish confirmed rules before the competition.
Can I volunteer?
Yes. Share your contact details and interests below. Roles and commitments will be discussed as the event takes shape.
Can my company sponsor a challenge?
Yes. Use the sponsor interest form to start a conversation. Packages and challenge areas are still being developed; no sponsors or challenges are implied until confirmed.
Who owns what I build?
Project ownership, IP, attribution, and participation terms are still being defined. Final terms will be published before the competition; this page does not grant or transfer rights.
Is this part of AZ Tech Week?
The event is planned during AZ Tech Week 2027. An official event listing or partnership has not yet been confirmed.
When and where is it?
We are planning a three-day Tuesday–Thursday experience during AZ Tech Week. Exact dates, daily hours, and venue remain to be confirmed. All announced times will use Arizona local time.
YOUR NEXT BIG BUILD STARTS HERE
Find your people.
Build your next thing.
Join the AI Build-a-thon interest list. Free participation, no payment, and no need to have it all figured out.
This is interest registration, not a ticket reservation. Final event details and participation terms will be shared when confirmed.