BuildWeek Jacksonville Fall ’26 is a week-long startup competition built around turning real business ideas into working products. Participants can compete individually or in teams, define the customer and problem they want to solve, plan the business, and then build during a dedicated Ship Window using software, hardware, AI, or a hybrid approach. Instead of presenting a traditional pitch deck, teams must submit proof of what they built and demonstrate the working product live during Proof Night. The competition includes separate tracks for students, working professionals, and builders who already have a project they want to advance. It is open to students, founders, engineers, designers, product professionals, indie hackers, domain experts, and first-time builders, with mentors and AI tools available to support participants along the way. Projects are evaluated on factors such as whether the product works, whether it serves a real user, whether the business idea is clearly defined, and whether the team demonstrated meaningful progress during the week.

Registration: Required
Cost: Free
Format: In person