Build something someone wants.

An idea is the starting point. Here's the work.

1. Find a specific person and problem.
2. Challenge the idea with mentors.
3. Build a useful first version.
4. Put it in someone's hands.
5. Ask about value and price.
6. Show the evidence and choose the next step.

These are the goals of the two days. Progress depends on the project and the team; EdAI does not guarantee finished products, customers, revenue or investment.

Is this for you? Three ways in.

• You have an idea. Bring it and pressure-test it: mentors challenge it on day one, you build a first version the same day and test it with real people on day two.
• You don't have one yet. Most builders start here. The first part of the weekend is about finding a real problem for a specific person, with mentors beside you.
• You've already built something. Put it in people's hands, ask what they would pay, and pitch the evidence for a share of the EdAI Builder Grants.

High school and college students, graduates and anyone not in school; middle schoolers welcome. No coding experience required. Solo or with a team — your call.

What to expect: from applying to demo day, step by step.

1. Apply and pay (before). About three minutes online, then secure checkout. Your place is confirmed once payment completes.
2. Solo or team — your call (Day 1 · Sat, Oct 31). Build on your own or with others; you choose when you arrive. You don't need a team to apply.
3. Work through the EdAI workbook. A step-by-step guide from problem to pitch that structures both days; you keep it.
4. Work with mentors. Mentors move between builders through both days.
5. Choose a real problem. Start from an idea you brought, or find one with your mentors.
6. Build a first version. Use AI and no-code tools; no coding experience required.
7. Test it with real people (Day 2 · Sun, Nov 1). Put it in someone's hands, ask what they'd pay, improve it.
8. Demo and compete. Present your evidence; the top three entries win EdAI Builder Grants.

Both days start at 8:30 AM and end by 7 PM. The detailed final agenda will be sent to participants. Facilitators will announce session transitions and breaks.

The two-day agenda

Day 1 · Sat, Oct 31: Discover and build

1. Meet the builders. Welcome and starting survey, introductions, deeper conversations and BoardRoom.
2. Build with purpose. Reflect on amanah, your strengths and Islamic principles for building responsibly.
3. Find a real problem. Practice peer interviews, interview mentors, compare users and buyers, and map the current process.
4. Design the solution. Explore approaches, choose a useful first task, agree team roles and write the build plan.
5. Build and check. Create a first version step by step. End with a working link or a named blocker and a clear next action.

Day 2 · Sun, Nov 1: Test and present

1. Recommit and test. Fix the main blocker and run three independent tests with people new to the product.
2. Prepare the story. Explain the person, problem and value. Work through customer math and record a short demo.
3. Reach and improve. Contact five warm and five cold prospects. Learn, improve and retest, then contact ten new relevant people.
4. Show the evidence. Prepare two slides and a live demo. Qualifier feedback leads into the team showcase, final corrections and finalist presentations.
5. Choose the next step. Make a seven-day commitment and complete the ending survey. Keep the evidence for your next step.

Both days start at 8:30 AM and end by 7 PM. The detailed final agenda will be sent to participants. Facilitators will announce session transitions and breaks.

What you take home

• A working first version you built and tested — yours to keep building.
• Your completed EdAI workbook: problem, person, plan, test results and pitch.
• Evidence from real people: what they did, said and would pay.
• Mentor feedback on your idea, build and pitch.
• A demo you've delivered in front of a room.
• The other builders and mentors to follow up with.
• A shot at Builder Grants for the top three entries.

How far each builder gets depends on the project; EdAI does not guarantee finished products, customers, revenue or investment.

Venue & logistics

• Venue: Anna Head Alumnae Hall, University of California, Berkeley — the event location; this Summit is organized by EdAI and is not sponsored or endorsed by the University. Open in Google Maps.
• Dates: October 31–November 1, 2026 (Saturday & Sunday · two full days).
• Hours: 8:30 AM–7 PM each day. Day-only — no overnight stay. The detailed final agenda will be sent to participants.
• Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner are provided on both days.
• What to bring: Bring your laptop, charger and a water bottle.
• Dress: Participants are encouraged to dress appropriately and Islamically. Women are encouraged to wear hijab.
• Still to come: Parking and transit, prayer space, drop-off and pick-up for students under 18, and accessibility details will be sent to applicants before the event. Questions now? aidris@edai.fun

See what EdAI students have built

DecideWise, StudySnap and MentorMatch — EdAI student projects presented at previous Summits. Summer Summit 2026 recap · Seattle Summit 2026 archive

Mentors

People who will challenge your idea: better questions, a clearer problem, a smaller achievable scope, feedback on product decisions and a concrete next action.

Our mentors have worked at Apple, Google, AWS, Intel, Rivian, GEICO, PayPal and Microsoft, and several have founded companies of their own.

Berkeley mentors: Ihab Badr — Executive & Career Coach · Former Senior Director, Apple (LinkedIn); Zoya Sait — Community & Operations Director, Kinship (LinkedIn); Omar Rady — Startup Founder · Former Y Combinator founder (LinkedIn); Bashir Mohammed, PhD — Senior Gen AI Architect, AWS Frontier AI Team (LinkedIn); Almeena Shaikh — Founder & CEO, SOLUS · Applied ML at Google (LinkedIn); Asiyah Awais — Co-founder, Quantiflow · Femtech (LinkedIn); Reshma Hyder — Founder, MASRIF · Co-founder, StyleMeAI (LinkedIn); Tanveer Ali — Co-founder, Niya Venture Studio · Founder, Halal Money Forum (LinkedIn); Abraham Darwish — Founder & CEO, CarsXE · Former Staff Software Engineer, Rivian (LinkedIn); Amr Mohsen — Founder & CEO, HopeAI · Co-founder, Actel (LinkedIn); Yousuf Imran — Founder & CEO, Mangosteen Studio · Former Enterprise AE, Google Cloud (LinkedIn); Yousef Helal — Co-founder, Gradon · Former Software Engineering Intern, Apple (LinkedIn); Gulrez Khan — Staff Data Scientist, GEICO (LinkedIn); Nour Zahzah — Co-founder & CEO, Gradon (YC F26) · Former NASA Aerospace Scholar. More Berkeley mentors announced soon.

Featured at previous Summits: Nasser Chanda, Shahed Amanullah, Amany Killawi, Omar Waseem, Subhan Jahromi and Nida Ansari (EdAI Summer Summit 2026, Washington, DC); Mian Khurrum, Mohamed Ahmed, Nazar Abdelrahman, Haytham Abuelfutuh, Bilal Quadri and Usman Khan (EdAI Seattle Summit 2026). The Berkeley mentor lineup and additional sponsors and partners will be announced separately.

Frequently asked

• Applications have closed. Can I still come? Join the waitlist on this page. Before we add you, we ask you to confirm you're still interested in coming and able to attend both days. If a place opens, we'll contact you by email or text. Joining the waitlist doesn't guarantee a place.
• Who can apply? High school and college students, recent graduates and anyone not currently in school; middle school students are welcome too. You do not need to be enrolled anywhere to apply.
• Do I need an idea or a team? No. Come with an idea or discover a problem at the Summit; you can arrive on your own.
• Is coding experience required? No.
• What does it cost? $200 through October 18, 2026, $249 after; paid at secure checkout right after applying. Refund terms to be confirmed — email aidris@edai.fun if you need to cancel.
• What happens after applying? You are taken to secure checkout to pay and confirm your place, and you get a receipt by email. An unpaid application is saved but is not a confirmed seat.

More questions? aidris@edai.fun