Valid deliverables include a public web app, downloadable app, published package, open-source release, functioning bot, API, mobile beta, or similarly usable product. A repository containing incomplete code alone does not automatically satisfy the objective.
- No purchase is necessary.
- There is no minimum age requirement to apply.
- If a participant is legally unable to enter a binding agreement or receive a particular resource in their jurisdiction, the organizers may require a parent, guardian, or other legally authorized representative to provide consent before that specific resource or arrangement is provided. This does not prevent an application or public vote based solely on age.
- Participation is void where prohibited or where the organizers cannot reasonably provide the program or support.
- One project and application is allowed per entrant or team unless organizers approve otherwise.
- Applicants represent that they own or have permission to use submitted code, assets, names, and materials.
- Plagiarism, impersonation, fraud, vote manipulation, harassment, malicious software, illegal products or services, and deceptive submissions can result in removal.
- Open-source components and third-party APIs or models are allowed when their licenses and terms permit it. Applicants remain responsible for compliance.
- Organizers and judges assess applications under the published rubric and decide which strongest contenders qualify for the public-vote shortlist. Organizer decisions on eligibility, safety, and rule enforcement are final for operating the program.
- The finalist target is configurable and defaults to eight contenders. Cohort 01 selects exactly three projects after the public vote is certified. No fixed financial commitment is promised.
- Only explicitly published finalists can receive votes, and voting is accepted only during the configured voting window. One eligible authenticated account receives one vote for one finalist in the active Cohort 01 voting window.
- Organizers may pause voting, investigate abuse, and invalidate fraudulent or otherwise ineligible votes. Voter identities and private account data are not published.
- Live vote totals are hidden while voting is open by default. Totals may be displayed only when organizers explicitly enable them; certified final results are published after voting closes and integrity review is complete.
- If projects are tied for the final qualifying position after invalid votes are removed, the original application assessment score is the first tie-breaker. If the projects remain tied, the judging panel makes and records the final tie-break decision using the published assessment criteria. Selection is never random.
- Voting results do not select or publish winners automatically when the window closes. An authorized admin must review the valid totals, resolve any remaining tie, and certify the result before the three selected statuses and public result are published.
- Selected builders retain all pre-existing and newly created intellectual property unless they independently license or assign it outside this program.
- Organizers receive only the limited permission needed to display submitted public-facing project information, screenshots, names, and Demo Day materials for operating and promoting the competition.
- There is no mandatory equity, ownership transfer, or exclusivity.
- Support may include tools, services, infrastructure, credits, reimbursements, or other resources at organizer discretion. No monetary amount is promised or guaranteed.
- Participation does not guarantee funding, investment, employment, customers, revenue, distribution, or business success.
- Builders may pivot during the program when evidence supports the change, with organizer visibility or approval where needed.
- Builders are expected to remain reasonably active and communicate. Persistent unexplained inactivity can result in removal.
- The goal is to ship a usable deliverable by Day 30, but good-faith failure is not misconduct.
- Organizers may modify timelines or operational details for safety, outages, force majeure, low participation, or other legitimate reasons, with material changes communicated publicly.
- Participants are responsible for their own taxes, registrations, licenses, and legal obligations associated with their project or any support received.
Ownership and relationship
- No equity is required.
- Participants keep full ownership of their company, code, and intellectual property.
- No exclusivity is required.
- Participation does not create an investment, employment, partnership, or agency relationship.
- Any later investment, partnership, or incubation discussion is optional and separately negotiated.
- Support is non-dilutive unless a participant later agrees to a different arrangement outside the competition.
Selected builders may receive discretionary non-dilutive support from the organizers. This can include infrastructure, software, API usage, technical resources, services, promotional support, or other build expenses where appropriate. The type and level of support, if any, is determined case by case and is not guaranteed.
Judging
Organizers and judges assess valid applications to decide which strongest contenders reach the public-vote shortlist. Judges score consistently from 1 to 10 under this weighted rubric. A conflict-of-interest recusal removes that judge's score from the aggregate.
- Execution evidence and ability to execute: 30%
- Problem value: 25%
- Meaningful scope for 30 days: 20%
- Differentiation and approach: 15%
- Community contribution and building publicly: 10%
How the Top 3 are selected
Only explicitly published finalists appear on the ballot. During the official voting window, one eligible authenticated account may cast one vote for one finalist. The public vote is the normal final selection mechanism; judges do not independently choose a different final three after voting.
When voting closes, no winner is published automatically. Organizers first review vote integrity and invalidate fraudulent votes where necessary. An authorized admin then certifies the valid result, and exactly three projects become the selected Cohort 01 projects.
The tie policy
At a tied cutoff, certification first compares each project's original aggregate under the application rubric. If the projects remain equal, the judging panel makes and records the final decision under those same published criteria. Selection is never random.
Failure and pivots
You don't have to succeed. You do have to show up.
Builders may pivot when real evidence suggests the original idea is wrong and are not penalized merely because an original concept fails. Repeated unexplained disappearance, bad-faith participation, plagiarism, or rule violations can lead to removal.
Demo Day
- About four minutes for a live product demo
- About three minutes for questions
- Show the working product, not a slide-only pitch
- Explain Day 0, what was built, evidence and learning, and what comes next
The three selected projects enter the program only after the public-vote result is reviewed and certified. Demo Day concludes their 30-day build; it is not a second selection vote.
Community participation
Furqan members are encouraged to help through testing, debugging, design feedback, code review, documentation, introductions, and other legitimate assistance. Organizers may award public Builder's Ally recognition for meaningful help.