OpenContest
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Where open source gets its next breakthrough.

OpenContest is an accelerator for open-source projects. Submit yours for review. Selected projects receive resources, mentorship, exposure, and support to attract contributors and grow.

Submissions closed

View next seasonExplore Projects
Submissions
1
Cohorts
2
GitHub stars
0
Sponsors
1
Partners
0
Reviewers
4

Live program totals. GitHub stars refresh periodically.

Four project stages rising from code submission to growth
How it works

Submit. Get selected. Grow.

More than a competition: a launchpad for promising open-source projects, with review and selection before acceleration.

  1. Submit

    Share your open-source repository, the problem it solves, and where you want to take it.

  2. Review

    OpenContest reviews your project's usefulness, technical foundation, and maintainer commitment.

  3. Selection

    Promising projects are selected for their potential to grow and serve their community.

  4. Accelerate

    Selected projects receive resources, mentorship, exposure, and help attracting contributors.

Next season

Two windows per year.

Plan ahead. The next batch is opening soon. Join early to be first in line.

View next season

Next window

Not scheduled yet

Exact dates will be announced. Follow for updates.

For selected projects

Support for your next breakthrough

Resources to build, people to learn from, and opportunities to reach more users.

Planned benefits are placeholders. Final offers and eligibility will be confirmed with each cohort.

Infrastructure

  • Hosting credits
  • Domains for your project

Tools

  • LLM / AI subscriptions and credits
  • Developer tools and software subscriptions

Guidance

  • Mentorship from experienced builders
  • Project growth and distribution support

Community

  • Exposure to the developer community
  • Help attracting contributors

Opportunities

  • Sponsorship opportunities
  • Connections with potential project supporters

Recognition

  • OpenContest selection certificate
  • Swag and goodies

Eligibility

Built for active maintainers

OpenContest is for people building public tools, libraries, platforms, applications, and infrastructure with a real commitment to open source.

Read common questions →
  • A public source-code repository
  • A recognized open-source license
  • A clear problem and intended users
  • An applicant who actively maintains the project
  • Availability throughout the cohort

Cohort preview

[Test] Season 1 V1

Closed

Applications are currently closed. The next window will appear here when it is configured.

Status
Closed
Opens
Sep 21, 2026
Closes
Sep 24, 2026
Selected projects
To be confirmed
Review eligibilityExplore planned benefits

Selection

Transparent by design

Every application is reviewed against the same practical signals. Repository stars provide context, but popularity never decides the outcome on its own.

Problem clarityUsefulnessTechnical foundationMaintainer commitmentCommunity potential

Partners supporting OpenContest

Explore planned benefits

Questions

Before you apply

Is OpenContest just a competition?

No. OpenContest is a launchpad and accelerator for promising open-source projects. Review and selection are the starting point; the goal is to help selected projects grow, reach more users, and build a stronger contributor community.

What does 'YC for open source' mean?

Think Y Combinator's accelerator model, built around open-source maintainers: submit a project, go through review and selection, then receive support to grow. The comparison describes the model, not a Y Combinator partnership.

Does every submitted project receive support?

Support is intended for selected projects. Submitting starts the review process; it does not guarantee selection, credits, sponsorship, or other benefits.

What benefits are planned for selected projects?

Planned support includes hosting and domain resources, AI and developer-tool credits, mentorship, community exposure, contributor support, sponsorship opportunities, and selection recognition. These are placeholders for the planned program; confirmed offers, eligibility, and availability will be announced before the cohort begins.

Does my project need existing users?

Not necessarily. Early evidence of a real problem, active development, and a committed maintainer matter more than a large user count.

Can early-stage projects apply?

Yes. OpenContest is designed for early-stage and growing open-source projects with a public repository, a clear problem, and an active maintainer.

When can I submit my project?

Submission dates and the application form are not available yet. The cohort details on this page are placeholders and will be updated when the program is ready to accept projects.

Your next step

Your project could be next.

Submit your open-source project for review. If selected, get support to reach more users, attract contributors, and build for the long term.

View next seasonReview requirements

Submissions are closed. The next opening date will appear here when configured.