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GENIAC-PRIZE 2026 to be Launched as an AI Contest Offering a Total Reward and Computing Resources of Approximately 1 Billion Yen

GENIAC-PRIZE 2026 to be Launched as an AI Contest Offering a Total Reward and Computing Resources of Approximately 1 Billion Yen

May 29, 2026

Joint News Release with the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO)

Manufacturing, Information, and Distribution/Service Policy

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) will be holding the GENIAC-PRIZE 2026 contest, which will provide prize money to areas where further social implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) and human resource development are needed.

Through the GENIAC-PRIZE 2026, METI aims to promote the social implementation of AI and to discover and develop the human resources that will lead this process.

1. Overview of the GENIAC-PRIZE

The GENIAC-PRIZE is part of the GENIAC (Generative AI Accelerator Challenge) project, which aims to raise the overall level of AI development capability in Japan and promote its social implementation. It is a program that broadly solicits generative AI services and technological development results based on specific needs expected to be addressed by generative AI, and awards prize money according to the results of an examination.

The GENIAC-PRIZE 2026 will promote research and development and social implementation of generative AI by focusing on two themes: reforming the work processes of essential workers, in which further AI development is needed; and fostering human resources for the development of a platform model targeting students.

2. Details on how to apply

The GENIAC-PRIZE 2026 is inviting ambitious initiatives from corporations, students, and other participants for two themes: work process reform utilizing AI to help resolve labor shortages for essential workers, and the development of an open-source platform model to foster developers for physical AI (targeting students). The total prize money is expected to reach a maximum of 630 million yen. In addition, for students developing a platform model, METI will provide computing resources worth up to 400 million yen to participants in the challenge. Combining the prize money and computing resources, the total amount will reach 1 billion yen.

Call for themes

Theme 1: Work process reform utilizing AI to help resolve labor shortages for essential workers
Theme 2: Development of open-source platform model to foster developers for physical AI (targeting students) (METI will provide computing resources worth up to 400 million yen to participants in the challenge of this theme)

Prize Money

Total amount: A maximum of 630 million yen
Theme 1: 600 million yen
Theme 2: 30 million yen

Future schedule

Application briefing session: Theme 1: Friday, June 12, 2026; Theme 2: Tuesday, June 23, 2026
Final contest and awards ceremony: March 2027
Post-award ceremony event for disseminating results: After the end of March 2027
Awarding of prize money: Scheduled for May 2027

Dedicated Website

Details regarding the prize money amounts, application information, and how to participate in the application briefing session will be posted on the dedicated website below.

Dedicated website for NEDO Challenge prize program/GENIAC-PRIZE 2026 (in Japanese)

Division in Charge

AI Industry Strategy Office, Commerce and Information Policy Bureau