AMD and Hack Club Launch Stardance, a Nationwide Summer Engineering Challenge for Teen Builders

This summer, thousands of teenagers around the world won’t just consume technology. They’ll build it.

AMD is teaming up with Hack Club, NASA, and GitHub Education to launch the Stardance Challenge, a nationwide summer engineering competition designed to help students turn ambitious ideas into real-world projects.

From June 1 through September 30, 2026, students ages 13-18 can participate online by building games, AI applications, robotics systems, hardware projects, websites, simulations, and more. Whether they are experienced developers or complete beginners, they’ll spend the summer moving beyond tutorials and into hands-on creation.

A Summer Build Around Builders

Most students experience technology as something finished, apps they scroll, games they play, and tools they use. Stardance flips that relationship.

Instead of assignments or coursework, students earn recognition for shipping real projects to Hack Club. Time spent building, experimenting, and iterating translates into “coins” that can be redeemed for real-world hardware and developer tools. The goal is not completion, it is momentum.

Participants might train local AI assistants, create indie games, prototype robotics systems, build custom hardware tools, design space-data visualizations, or experiment with next-generation gaming and AI experiences.

Rewards include:

• Raspberry Pi systems
• Flipper Zero devices
• AI-powered gaming peripherals
• Game development tools
• Local LLM setups
• AMD GPU and hardware prizes

AMD technologies have powered generations of gamers, creators, and developers. Through Stardance, AMD is helping inspire the next generation of student innovators by giving young builders access to real tools, real hardware, and real opportunities to create.

Students and gaming enthusiasts can also explore more AMD powered gaming technologies and experiences at AMD Gaming. 

Powered by AMD, NASA, and Hack Club

Hack Club, the largest nonprofit network for teen coders and makers in the United States, is targeting 100,000 student signups in the US and worldwide through school outreach, online communities, partnerships, and direct engagement with high schools nationwide.

NASA is supporting the initiative by providing access to publicly available mission datasets, educational resources, and virtual sessions with subject matter experts. Students will have opportunities to explore technologies and ideas inspired by programs including Artemis and the James Webb Space Telescope.

AMD provides the compute foundation that helps students go beyond ideas and build. From AI workloads to simulation and hardware projects, AMD technology helps power the kinds of tools students will use throughout Stardance.

Together, the collaboration brings students closer to the technologies shaping the future of AI, gaming, engineering, and space exploration.

To learn more about a partnership with NASA and Github, visit here.

An In-Person Hackathon at AMD Advancing AI

One of the program’s biggest highlights is an exclusive in-person hackathon hosted during AMD Advancing AI in San Francisco from July 21–23, 2026.

Qualifying US participants will have the opportunity to showcase projects alongside fellow student builders, creators, engineers, and industry leaders attending one of the premier AI events by AMD.

The experience is designed to give students exposure not only to cutting-edge technologies, but also to the collaborative spirit that drives modern innovation.

The Future Starts with Builders

For many students, Stardance may become their first hackathon, first AI application, first hardware prototype, or first open-source contribution. More importantly, it gives young builders permission to experiment boldly, build creatively, and turn ideas into something real.

As AI, gaming, and interactive technologies continue reshaping industries, initiatives like Stardance help students move from passive technology consumers to active creators and problem-solvers.

Teenagers interested in AI, coding, hardware, game development, engineering, or creative technology can register at: stardance.hackclub.com/amd