Application Guidelines
1. Project Overview
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is actively disclosing data held by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and is working to enhance the convenience for Tokyo residents by collaborating with civic tech organizations and private companies to create new services. To accelerate this initiative, we are holding the "Governor's Cup Open Data Hackathon," a competition where participants develop services to solve social issues utilizing open data and private sector data.
(Note) Hackathon: A development event where engineers and planners bring their respective skills and ideas together to develop applications or other solutions in a short period, competing to produce the best results.
2. Applicants
Individuals or groups aiming to develop services that effectively leverage open data and private sector data.
* Individual participation is also welcome.
* Team participation with multiple members is recommended.
3. Application Requirements
Considering or planning to consider service proposals that contribute to solving social issues in Tokyo (in addition to themes collected from Tokyo residents, free proposals are also welcome).
Planning to utilize open data or private sector data.
The Student Award is for teams composed entirely of high school students, technical college students, vocational school students, and undergraduate university students (excluding graduate students). (*One advisor of any occupation or age is permitted to participate as an advisor.)
The following are excluded:
(1) Organized crime groups (organized crime groups as defined in Article 2, Paragraph 2 of the Tokyo Metropolitan Ordinance for Elimination of Organized Crime Groups)
(2) Corporations whose representatives, officers, employees, other workers, or members include individuals who fall under the category of organized crime group members, etc.
(3) Those engaged in businesses related to adult entertainment as defined in Article 2 of the "Act on Control and Improvement of Amusement Business, etc.," gambling businesses, betting, and other business types deemed inappropriate as support recipients according to social conventions
(4) Those engaged in business types deemed inappropriate as recipients of public funding support, such as multi-level marketing, negative option (unordered goods sales), hypnotic sales methods, fortune-telling scams, and similar practices
4. Application Period
Friday, June 12, 2026, 2:00 PM – Monday, July 27, 2026, 5:00 PM
5. Tools Provided
Starting in 2026, the following development tools, etc. will be provided to participants.
Generative AI Development Tool
OpenCode — LLM set included (granted sequentially after application)
Service Deployment Environment
Cloudflare Paid plan equivalent (granted sequentially after application)
6. Program Overview
Overview
A total of 8 awards are established, including the Governor's Cup (Grand Prize) and the Audience Award.
All teams advancing to the Final Stage will receive an open badge and Tokyo Points (500 pt per team).
Teams advancing to the Final Stage that aim for social implementation will receive support toward service implementation until the end of the fiscal year (technical advice, workshops, etc.). Additionally, in collaboration with the General Foundation GovTech Tokyo, a support channel will be available for technical verification and other guidance toward social implementation even after the service has been deployed.
Program Schedule (Tentative)
Theme Collection — June 12–22
Theme collection will be conducted via the Tokyo App and other channels.Participant Recruitment — June 12 – July 27, 5:00 PM
Entry applications accepted, Slack invitations sent, recruitment events held (2 sessions total).Theme Publication — July 10
Collected themes will be published.Kick-off Event — August 6
Kick-off event held.Kick-off Week — August 7–19
Development Environment Hands-on / Generative AI Fundamentals Hands-on / Generative AI Advanced Hands-on / Theme Workshop & Team Building (4 sessions total, hybrid format).Hackathon — August 22–23
Team building & intensive development.Work Submission Period — July 10 – August 23
Work development & submission.First Stage (Presentation Recording) — August 26–30
A 2-minute presentation video will be recorded for First Stage judging.First Stage Results Announced — Late September
First Stage results will be announced.Final Stage (Final Judging) & Award Ceremony — October 17
A presentation competition among the 24 teams selected in the First Stage. Judging determines the award recipients.Service Implementation Support — November – March
Implementation support will be provided to Final Stage teams, aiming for release by the end of the fiscal year.Demo Day (Presentation of Results) — March 27
Introduction of services developed throughout the program.
* First Stage, Final Stage, and Demo Day will be open to the public.
* Schedules are subject to change depending on circumstances.
7. Judging Criteria
Judging Criteria
The judging criteria for the First Stage and Final Stage are as follows.
Data Utilization:
Is open data or private sector data being effectively utilized in the service?Originality & Innovation:
Are the approach and ideas for addressing Tokyo residents' challenges and aspirations excellent, and does the proposal function as a viable service?Technical Excellence:
Is the service technically sophisticated, with a rational technical architecture (including AI, etc.), and at a high level of completion?Social Impact:
Does the service have high feasibility and social impact that contributes to improving the QOL of Tokyo residents, such as increasing their available time?Service Design:
Is the service designed to sustainably deliver value from the Tokyo residents' perspective, including convenience and satisfaction?
Judging Process
First Stage
Submissions will be evaluated by judges based on 2-minute presentation videos and other submitted materials, and 24 teams will be selected to advance to the Final Stage.Final Stage
Entries will be evaluated based on the judging criteria through judges' assessments and audience voting.
8. Awards
Governor's Cup (Grand Prize)
Data Utilization Award
Idea Award
Technology Award
Social Impact Award
Service Design Award
Student Award
Audience Award
9. Submission Requirements
Please submit all of the following when submitting your work.
Entry items 1–6 (entered via submission form; approximately 300 characters each)
Presentation materials (slide format)
Approximately 2-minute presentation video (you will reserve a time slot for pre-recording)
Demo URL or 1-minute operation video (*optional)
Hardware-based works must include a maximum 60-second unedited operation video (mandatory).
Entry Items
Team Information
* Team registration detailsService Overview
* Identified issue and background / Service detailsProduct & Technical Details
* Reasons for technology choices / Use of generative AI, etc. / Demo URLTeam Capability
* Member composition and rolesOpen Data Usage
* Representative open data used or planned to be used (up to 10 items)Presentation Materials
* 2-minute presentation slides (PowerPoint or PDF format) / Screen captures (up to 3 images)
10. Application Process
Governor's Cup Open Data Hackathon Application Form
Notification of Results
Submitted applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and all applicants will be notified of results via email by around Thursday, July 31, 2026.
11. Notes
Please apply only after agreeing to all of the following terms.
Must meet all the application requirements specified in "3. Application Requirements."
The following cases will be excluded from the review process:
* The application is incomplete.
* The applicant provides false information in the application.The application information, including personal information provided during the application process, will be used and shared by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the organizing office for the purpose of implementing or publicizing this project and to the extent necessary for this project. (The team name and number of members will be disclosed.)
Inquiries regarding the progress or results of the evaluation will not be answered.
If the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the organizing office determine that participation in this project is inappropriate, you may be asked to withdraw midway through the project.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the organizing office do not guarantee any performance or quality of services, etc. completed through the hackathon.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the organizing office will not endorse, publish, or distribute services, etc. completed through the hackathon as official services.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the organizing office bear no responsibility for any damages arising from the submission of works. Furthermore, the intellectual property rights of the submitted works belong to the applicants.
The ownership of photographs, videos, records, and other materials taken during the event belongs to the organizer and may be published on internet sites, SNS, printed materials, and other materials.
Submitted prototypes and ideas may be featured on the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's website and other platforms, as well as in reports and promotional materials.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government may conduct a questionnaire survey about the service provision status, etc., even after the project ends.
There is the possibility that the Tokyo Metropolitan Government will refuse participation if it determines that support is inappropriate (e.g., a service idea that is undesirable according to social convention).
Participation in this program and winning awards such as the Governor's Cup do not entail any financial support from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.
Participation in this program is free of charge.
* However, participants are responsible for their own expenses, such as transportation costs to the event location and communication costs for online participation.Participation from overseas is possible. However, participants must bear all expenses related to participation.
