> Unofficial AI-assisted summary, provided "as is" with no warranty. The [Official Rules](https://cerebralvalley.ai/e/meta-ai-developer-hackathon/waiver) govern; read [DISCLAIMER.md](../DISCLAIMER.md). As of 2026-10-26.

# Eligibility

Only accepted applicants take part. Applications closed on Oct 25 at 11:59 PM ET, and participation is virtual only.

## Who can take part

| Requirement | In our words |
|---|---|
| Age | At least 18, and the age of majority where you live |
| Location | Not in a country where local law forbids taking part or receiving a prize; void where prohibited |
| Sanctions | Not a target of US, EU, UN or UK sanctions or export controls, and not acting for one |
| Excluded places | Belarus, China, Russia, Ukraine and Syria, and comprehensively sanctioned regions: Crimea, Donetsk and Luhansk, Cuba, North Korea and Iran |
| Excluded people | Employees, contractors and interns of Meta and Cerebral Valley; government-affiliated individuals; their immediate families and members of their households |
| Teams | The Representative must meet every individual requirement |
| Startups | The Representative must be an active employee authorized to act and receive prizes for the startup |

## Other conditions

- No purchase is necessary, and buying anything doesn't improve your chances.
- Duplicate applications, false identity information or spam can lead to disqualification.
- Winners are verified before they count as winners; the organizers' decisions are final.
- The $150 credit has its own geography rule: you must live in a country on Meta's Geographic Use Policy list.
  See [10-credits.md](10-credits.md) and [13-acceptable-use-and-data.md](13-acceptable-use-and-data.md).

Sources: event page and Official Rules (eligibility, verification), checked 2026-10-26.