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RevenueCat Shipaton mobile hackathon is back with $1 million worth of prizes

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Why This Matters

RevenueCat’s Shipaton mobile hackathon is reigniting innovation in the app industry by encouraging both novice and experienced developers to create new apps using AI tools and RevenueCat's SDK. With over $1 million in prizes and global exposure opportunities, it offers a significant platform for emerging app creators to showcase their ideas and gain industry recognition. This initiative highlights the growing democratization of app development and the increasing role of AI in lowering entry barriers for entrepreneurs.

Key Takeaways

RevenueCat’s annual Shipaton mobile hackathon is officially back, running August 1-September 30 with major prizes available for winning apps. Here are the details.

Shipaton 2026 is happening now through September 30, with big prizes offered for winning apps

Have you ever had an idea for an app? Until very recently, building an app felt like a massive undertaking reserved for skilled coders. But with the rise of AI coding tools, now anyone can build and ship a great app with no prior experience required.

To encourage and cultivate a new wave of apps, RevenueCat has just kicked off its annual Shipaton competition, the world’s largest mobile hackathon.

The rules are simple: to qualify, you need to launch a brand new app anytime from August 1-September 30 and use the RevenueCat SDK for monetization.

Cash prizes alone equal over $700,000, with a total prize value of over $1 million. There are 20 categories you can compete in, including a dedicated ‘student award.’

Winners can also have their app displayed on a billboard in New York City’s Times Square. They’ll also be invited to accept their trophy on-stage at a red carpet event in New York.

You can register here to join this year’s Shipaton.

All participants will receive a ‘Ship Kit’ after registering. It contains coupons, discounts, and credits to help them ship and grow their apps.

Additionally, twice-a-week livestreams with RevenueCat employees and industry experts will help participants learn how to build and grow mobile app businesses.

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