Build For Good
An international hackathon by Young Founders School, where young people use AI to tackle real global challenges — from sustainability to education to inclusion.
Submit your ideation or speed run project for a chance to present at the Global Finals in Singapore.
Submit ProjectSix Countries. One Mission.
Students across 6 partner countries are running speedrunning hackathons, ideation workshops, and regional finals in parallel.
From Idea To Impact
Ideate Fast
Rapid ideation workshops surface high-potential student ideas across the challenge tracks.
Refine With Coaches
Local mentors and YFS coaches help student teams stress-test and shape their concepts.
Rapid Prototyping
Teams build working prototypes using AI tooling, supported by the YFS Studio accelerator.
Pitch Locally
Each regional hub runs a live pitch event — winners advance to the Global Finals.
Three Phases
Speedrunning Hackathons
Regional speedrunning hackathons across 6 hubs — short-form competitions that surface top teams per country.
Training & Mentorship
Shortlisted teams join the YFS Studio — a 2-month accelerator with masterclasses, mentor pairing, and prototype support.
Grand Finale at Singapore
Three champion teams fly to Singapore to pitch live at the YFS Annual Gala in front of 330+ founders, partners, and funders.
Timeline
- 1 Apr – 30 Jun
Workshops
Ideation and speedrunning workshops across all six hubs.
- 1 Apr – 30 Jun
Project Submission
Teams submit their ideas through the Build For Good portal.
- 15 Jun – 30 Jun
Judging
Expert panel scores submissions against track criteria.
- 1 Jul – 15 Aug
Mentorship
Shortlisted teams enter the 2-month YFS Studio accelerator.
- 5 September
Final Pitching
Three teams present live at the YFS Gala 2026 in Singapore.
What Will You Build?
AI for Sustainability
From climate resilience to circular economies — build AI tools that move the needle on the environment.
AI for Education
Close the global learning gap — tutor bots, accessibility tools, skill-building for underserved learners.
AI for Inclusion
Empower marginalised communities — accessibility, language, economic participation, mental health.
3 Winning Teams Fly to Singapore
The top three teams across the six countries are flown to Singapore for the Global Finals, where they compete live at the YFS Gala 2026.
- Flights and accommodation fully covered
- Live pitch on stage at YFS Gala 2026
- Exclusive masterclasses with industry leaders
- Innovation tours of Singapore's startup ecosystem
- Global networking with mentors, VCs, and corporate partners
- Crowned on stage in front of 330+ Gala attendees
Ready to Build for Good?
Submit your project, find a local speedrunning workshop, or register your school — the Road to 1 Million Students starts here.
Want to register interest in Build For Good?
Use the event form here if you want follow-up on project submission, regional workshops, or the wider competition.
Register your interest
We will use this to route you to the right Build For Good next step.