Build something someone wants.
Bring an idea—or discover one. Work alongside mentors and fellow builders to turn a real problem into a working product, test it with people, and explore whether someone would pay for it.
- When: October 31–November 1, 2026 (two days)
- Where: University of California, Berkeley — the event location; this Summit is organized by EdAI and is not sponsored or endorsed by the University
- Who: High school and college students · Middle schoolers welcome
- Applications: Open now · close October 24, 2026. Two steps, about 3 minutes, then payment at secure checkout.
- Cost: Early bird $449 through October 5, 2026, then $599. Includes breakfast, lunch and dinner on both days. You pay by card at secure checkout (Stripe) right after applying, and your place is confirmed once payment completes. If cost is a barrier, email aidris@edai.fun before you apply.
- Hours & format: Two full days, morning to evening on both days. Day-only — no overnight stay. Exact arrival and finish times will be sent to applicants.
- Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner are provided on both days.
- Prize pool: A $3,500 prize pool: $2,000 for first place, $1,000 for second and $500 for third. Prizes are paid as EdAI Builder Grants in two stages: 60% when the winning team signs the grant agreement and submits a one-page plan, and 40% when their product is live with at least 10 real users, within 8 weeks.
An idea is the starting point. Here's the work.
- Find a specific person and problem.
- Challenge the idea with mentors.
- Build a useful first version.
- Put it in someone's hands.
- Ask about value and price.
- 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.
Two days. A clear path from idea to evidence.
Planned experience · Detailed schedule to follow. Day 1 — Discover, challenge, and build. Day 2 — Test, improve, and demonstrate.
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
Berkeley mentor announcements coming soon. Bring your idea to people who will challenge it: better questions, a clearer problem, a smaller achievable scope, feedback on product decisions and a concrete next action.
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). Sponsors and partners of those Summits are shown on the page. The Berkeley lineup, sponsors and partners will be announced separately.
Frequently asked
- Who can apply? High school and college students; middle school students are welcome too.
- 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 happens after applying? We review applications and contact you at the email provided about next steps. An application is not a confirmed seat.
Questions: aidris@edai.fun