Google DeepMind Nano Banana 48 Hour Hackathon
Google DeepMind Nano Banana Hackathon: How to Participate and Win Generous API Credits
Google DeepMind has launched an exciting **Nano Banana Hackathon**, but it’s only open for the next 48 hours! With just two days to participate, this is a fantastic opportunity for developers and creators worldwide to win valuable prizes, including generous API credits from major platforms. Here’s a quick guide on what the hackathon is about, the prizes, and how you can get an edge to secure a top spot.
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What Is the Nano Banana Hackathon?
The hackathon centers around **Nano Banana**, also known as **Google Gemini 2.5 Flash Image Preview**. This state-of-the-art model specializes in **image editing** rather than just generation, allowing developers to build powerful AI-powered photo editing tools.
Participants can use APIs from:
- **Google Gemini 2.5 Flash Image Preview (Nano Banana)**
- **FAL (File)**
- **11 Labs**
You can choose to focus on any or all of these, depending on your project’s scope and creativity. The goal is to build an innovative app or tool using Nano Banana’s image-editing capabilities that impresses the judges enough to place in the **top 50 submissions**.
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What Are the Prizes?
The hackathon offers attractive rewards for the top 50 submissions, including:
- **$5,000 in Gemini API credits**
- **$1,000 in File API credits**
- **$2,000 worth of 11 Labs credits**
If you’re passionate about generative media content and image editing, these credits can provide excellent resources for your future projects.
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How to Build Your Entry
Google provides easy-to-use APIs with straightforward Python SDKs and sample code to get you started quickly. You can generate or edit images by sending simple text prompts and images to the API.
If you prefer not to code from scratch, Google AI Studio offers a no-code/low-code environment where you can build apps using the Gemini 2.5 Flash Image model. You can:
- Upload images
- Use editing options like retouch, crop, adjust, and filters
- Generate creative edits (for example, changing specs to “Apple Vision Pro” or morphing human faces)
Plus, you can download the app’s source code, customize it, and deploy your project publicly for the hackathon submission.
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Submission Requirements
To participate, you must submit:
1. **A demo video** (posted publicly on YouTube, Twitter, etc.)
2. **A public project link** (hosted on AI Studio, Vercel, or any accessible platform without paywalls)
3. **A brief write-up (max 200 words)** explaining what you built, how you used the API, and why your solution is innovative
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Tips to Gain an Edge and Boost Your “Wow” Factor
The judging criteria weigh heavily on **innovation and the wow factor (40%)**. Here are some tips:
- Check out **Alexander Chen’s Twitter profile**, who is Google’s Creative Director and a key creator of Nano Banana demos. His posts showcase inspiring creative use cases.
- Search Twitter for “Nano Banana” to find other creative applications and ideas.
- Use these examples as inspiration to build unique and impactful projects that stand out.
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Important Details to Remember
- The hackathon runs for 48 hours; submissions close **September 7th, 11:59 PM PT**.
- You get **100 free API requests per project per day**, so be mindful of usage.
- Multiple tracks exist, including special prizes for using 11 Labs or File APIs.
- Judging spans about 9-10 days after submission, with winners announced afterward.
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Final Thoughts
This hackathon is a golden opportunity to get hands-on with cutting-edge AI image editing technology, win valuable API credits, and showcase your creativity on a global stage. Whether you’re a developer, designer, or AI enthusiast, Nano Banana’s simple API and Google AI Studio’s tools make it accessible for all skill levels.
If you decide to join and win, feel free to share your success — it would be exciting to hear about your projects!
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Happy hacking and happy prompting!
All relevant resources and links will be provided in the video description for easy access.
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