about this event
MantisGrid AI Hackathon & Summit: Build the Future of AI Reliability, September 17, 2026 in Palo Alto, California.
Powerful AI requires more than advanced models—it depends on infrastructure that is reliable, observable, fast, and efficient. Spend one day building practical tools for mining infrastructure data, intelligent model routing, or AI reliability. Compete for a share of our $10,000 cash prize pool. Choose one challenge track or combine ideas across multiple tracks. We'll provide APIs, $25 inference credits for every participant, public infrastructure datasets, a starter notebook and a community of builders to support you throughout the hackathon.
After the competition, join the AI Reliability Summit, featuring industry leaders, founders, and investors discussing the future of AI infrastructure and reliability. Wrap up the day with an evening networking reception providing food, beer, and non-alcoholic beverages.
Timeline: 8:00 AM — Doors Open, Breakfast & Networking; 9:00 AM — Welcome Keynote; 9:30 AM — Hackathon begins; 12:00 PM — Lunch; 3:30 PM — Project Submissions Close; 3:50 PM — Finalist Demos; 4:30 PM — Keynote; 5:00 PM — Awards & Ceremony; 5:30 PM — The Future of AI Infrastructure Panel; 5:50 PM — AI Reliability Beyond the Model Panel; 6:10 PM — Beer & Wine Service Begins; 6:30 PM — Networking Reception; 8:00 PM — Event Concludes.
Prizes & Opportunities: Compete across multiple award categories for a $10,000 cash prize pool: Best Overall Solution, Most Innovative, Highest Business Impact, Best Use of MantisGrid AI.
Speakers — Panel: The Future of AI Infrastructure: Boris Scholl, VP & Architect, Cloud & AI Engineering at Microsoft; Vijay Vusirikala, Distinguished Lead - AI Systems & Networks at Arista. Panel: AI Reliability Beyond the Model: Vijay Krishnan, Founder & CTO of Turing.com; Mahesh Ram, Ex-CXO of Zoom; Jared Quincy Davis, Founder & CEO of Mithril. Featured Keynote: Muckai Girish, Co-founder & CEO of Rockfish Data; William Vambenepe, VP of Product at Mithril.
Good to know — Who should join: University students, researchers, developers, founders, and industry professionals. Team format: Teams up to 5. What to bring: Laptop and charger. Food and drinks: Lunch and dinner provided, non-alcoholic options available, beer and wine available for guests 21+ with valid ID. Registration: Free to attend.
when
Doors Open, Breakfast & Networking
Doors open with breakfast and networking.
◍ Mitchell Park Community CenterWelcome Keynote
Welcome keynote session.
◍ Mitchell Park Community CenterHackathon begins
Hackathon building session begins.
◍ Mitchell Park Community CenterLunch
Lunch break.
◍ Mitchell Park Community CenterProject Submissions Close
Hackathon submissions close.
◍ Mitchell Park Community CenterFinalist Demos
Finalists present their demos.
◍ Mitchell Park Community CenterKeynote
Featured keynote presentation.
◍ Mitchell Park Community CenterAwards & Ceremony
Awards ceremony for the winners.
◍ Mitchell Park Community CenterThe Future of AI Infrastructure Panel
Panel discussion with industry leaders on the future of AI infrastructure.
◍ Mitchell Park Community CenterAI Reliability Beyond the Model Panel
Panel discussion on AI reliability beyond the model.
◍ Mitchell Park Community CenterNetworking Reception
Evening networking reception with food, beer, and non-alcoholic beverages. Beer & wine service begins at 6:10 PM.
◍ Mitchell Park Community Centertickets
| tickets | price | Fee | Status | description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Registration | Free | None | Available | Free to attend |
prizes
| # | PRIZE | price |
|---|---|---|
| Best Overall Solution | Cash prize pool | $10,000 |
| Most Innovative | Cash prize pool | Part of $10,000 pool |
| Highest Business Impact | Cash prize pool | Part of $10,000 pool |
| Best Use of MantisGrid AI | Cash prize pool | Part of $10,000 pool |