Overview
Build & Pitch w/ Raylu is a NYC based hackathon event designed for AI builders to showcase their projects directly to venture capitalists and investors. Held during NYC Tech Week, the demo day brings together 6 finalists who will demo live on stage to a panel of investors, with prizes and networking to follow. The event emphasizes real world applicability, business potential, and technical depth, rather than pure engineering novelty. Attendees can participate or watch the demos, and the occasion is described as a spark for founders to connect with private market investors.
Date, location and format
The gathering is scheduled for Wednesday, June 3, from 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM in New York, NY, United States. The venue is hosted by Raylu in Manhattan (venue to be announced). The event is described as an offline gathering with drinks, food, and substantial networking opportunities, targeted at AI engineers, founders, and teams of 1–4 people. The setting emphasizes face-to-face engagement with VC partners who may fund or advance projects that demonstrate commercial potential.
Schedule and tracks
- Applications open in May with a two phase build timeline culminating in a live demo day.
- Build Phase runs from mid May to late May, allowing teams to ship a project within a two week window.
- Demo Day is the highlight: six finalists showcase 5 minute demos followed by 3 minute Q&A with a panel of investors from private markets.
- Winners receive substantial prizes including a MacBook, Anthropic credits, and introductions to judges.
- Finalist and attendee networking continues after the formal program, with potential sponsor and partner interactions.
Agenda and sessions
The page highlights a multi-part agenda centered on preparation, live demonstrations, judging, and post event networking. It emphasizes the sequence of applications, build phase, and a 6 finalist live demo format. The judging criteria focus on four dimensions: real world usefulness, technical execution, novel insight, and demo quality.
Speakers and judges
Judges include notable tech leaders such as Nathan Ondracek, CTO at Raylu. The event features a combination of VC panelists and industry professionals who evaluate the demos based on market potential and technical merit. Additional speakers or mentors may be announced closer to the event.
Who should attend
The event is aimed at AI engineers building practical tools, founders with a project needing VC eyes, and teams seeking to showcase their best work to private investors. Solo builders are welcome, and tracks emphasize investor oriented outcomes as well as opportunities for early product validation and networking with potential sponsors and partners.
FAQs and practical details
- Eligibility includes being of legal age where the event is held and meeting regional participation criteria.
- Submissions require a 2–3 minute demo video, a 250–500 word project description, a runnable link, and team information.
- Prizes include substantial hardware and credits, with post event opportunities for warm introductions to judges.
- The event is part of NY Tech Week, with broader tech week activities and opportunities to connect with other hackathons and projects in the region.
This description synthesizes the main details visible on the event page, including dates, location, format, agenda, and key program elements to provide a comprehensive overview for potential attendees.
Event Details
