For this theme, the central product question is: who is the paying or decision-making user, how painful is their problem, and what action proves demand. A strong team will be able to answer this in one sentence and then prove the answer with a working result. The most appropriate type of final artifact is: a working narrow product scenario, interviews or demand signals, a clear value model, pilot economics, and a validation roadmap. This is an editorial recommendation derived from the theme; the official mandatory format must be taken only from the event website.

Participation of a team from Kazakhstan

In the card, eligibility is marked as Yes — according to the rules. The recorded basis is: KZ is not included in the sanction exceptions of the rules.. These two lines must be read together. The phrasing "Kazakhstan is not excluded" is weaker than a direct invitation to participants from all over the world, and the word "international" by itself does not always mean the absence of restrictions on citizenship, residency, place of study, age, or sanctions compliance. If the value contains "conditionally", if the proof is indirect, or if the legal rules have not yet been published, it is worth getting a written response from the organizer before spending time.

The recommended inquiry to the organizer should state the country of residence and citizenship, the proposed team composition, age or student status, the method of receiving the prize, and the chosen format of participation. It is best to save the response along with a snapshot of the rules version. Separately check whether the platform applies its own restrictions, whether a Kazakhstani bank can receive the payout, whether a tax form is required, and whether participation on behalf of a company is allowed. These are not additional rules of this hackathon, but a standard risk check for an international application.

Who is it suitable for and how to assemble a team

Target audience: Individuals, teams, companies up to 25 employees. Fixed criteria: Adults. Team composition info: Solo / team / small organization. Before registration, each participant must independently confirm compliance with age, student status, residency, and other personal conditions. If permission for solo participation is not explicitly stated, it should not be assumed as allowed. If the maximum team size is unknown, do not register extra people until the organizer responds.

For a task in the 'startups and new product creation' area, a rational distribution of roles looks like this: product/founder lead, engineer, UX or growth researcher, and a person responsible for economics and presentation. One person can combine several functions, but there must be clear owners of the product, technical result, quality assurance, and final submission. It is useful to agree in writing beforehand on the contribution, the right to represent the project, access to the repository, use of the result after the event, and distribution of the potential prize. Such an internal agreement is a recommendation and does not replace the platform's terms.

The working language is specified as EN. Even if the team communicates in Russian or Kazakh, prepare a single glossary of terms in advance and a person who can confidently answer the jury's questions in the required language. For English submissions, it is better to use short sentences, captions on diagrams, and subtitles for the demonstration. The goal is accuracy, not a complex style.

Format, calendar, and logistics

Fixed format — Online, location — Online. Start: 19.05.2026; end: 17.08.2026; deadline: 17.08.2026. Transport information: Not required. Presence of online component on the card: yes; signs of mandatory in-person presence: no. These signs are obtained only from the text fields and do not override event-specific rules.

For the online format, it is important for a team from Kazakhstan to convert the deadline to their time zone, check the time of mandatory sessions, the upload speed of large videos, and the availability of all APIs. Create a technical buffer of at least a few hours and do not leave registration until the submission moment. For an in-person or hybrid format, first calculate the full budget: visa, flight, accommodation, insurance, public transport, meals, and refundable deposits. The phrase 'travel support' does not mean automatic coverage of all costs. The fixed value for this event: Not required.

Fee, prizes, and real value

Participation cost is recorded as No mandatory purchase; cloud overages possible. Prize information: $2,000,000 cash pool; grand prize $500,000. Before making a decision, separate cash payouts, grants, cloud platform credits, subscriptions, equipment, mentorship, and marketing statements about aggregate value. Clarify the number of winning teams, currency, deadlines, taxes, restrictions on receipt, and the need to attend the ceremony. If TBA, page discrepancy, or a re-check requirement is found in the field, the amount cannot be used as guaranteed income.

Even without a cash prize, the event can be useful if it provides a strong case study, public demonstration, feedback, or access to the community. However, paid services, travel, and several weeks of work have an opportunity cost. The decision to participate is best made based on three questions: can the mandatory requirements be met; can a convincing result be assembled on time; will the created artifact be useful after the winners are announced?

Recommended project strategy

For this direction, the following sequence is useful:

This strategy is not an official evaluation criterion. Its goal is to help turn the broad topic Working AI-operated business on Gemini/Google Cloud. KZ is not included in the sanction exclusions of the rules. into an honest, verifiable, and complete prototype.

Known risks and gaps

Recorded risk: High competition; judging dates on the pages differ by 2 days.. Next recommended step: Create a working business MVP and submit by 17.08 13:00 PT.

The basic fields of the card are filled in, but before registering, you still need to check the exact hours, the current version of the rules, and any changes after the data collection date.

Practical go/no-go criterion: it is worth submitting if the team documentarily meets eligibility, has access to the required stack, has time to complete the verifiable scenario, and accepts financial and logistical risks. Participation should be paused if Kazakhstan's eligibility, submission rights, mandatory in-person presence, the cost of critical services, or the procedure for paying a significant prize are unclear.

Sources and level of reliability