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  •   12 months ago

Will the Prizes for Google Maps Platform Awards be Updated?

I'm interested in participating in the Google Maps Platform Awards, but I noticed that the current prizes listed are all non-cash rewards (trophies, promotion, virtual coffee with team members, and swag).

Looking at previous Google Maps hackathons, I see they all included substantial cash prizes:
- Google Photorealistic 3D Maps Challenge (2024): $26,000 in cash prizes
- Google's Immersive Geospatial Challenge (2023): $71,000 in cash prizes
- Google Maps Platform Hackathon (2022): $24,000 in cash prizes

Is there a plan to update the prizes for the Google Maps Platform Awards to include cash rewards similar to previous hackathons? Since this is a celebration of 20 years of Google Maps Platform and showcasing innovative projects, I believe cash prizes would better acknowledge the effort and innovation that participants bring to the competition.

Thank you!!

  • 2 comments

  • Manager   •   12 months ago

    Thanks for the great feedback and for your interest in the Google Maps Platform Awards!

    You're right, some of our past hackathons have had cash prizes. For this special 20th Anniversary Awards, we're focusing on a different set of rewards like the trophy, unique promotional opportunities, and a chance to meet the team.

    To be transparent, we don't have any plans to change the current prizes for this event. We're really excited about the unique value they offer.

    We hope you'll still consider participating and sharing your awesome project with us!

  •   •   12 months ago

    Thank you for your response, Michelle.

    I noticed that previous Google Maps competitions shared some similar rewards like the virtual coffee with team members and project promotion. However, those events also included substantial cash prizes (up to $7000 for top winners).

    While I appreciate the new physical trophy and Google Maps Platform swag being offered, I'm curious about the decision to remove the monetary component. Could you share more insight into how these physical items were determined to be equivalent alternatives to the cash prizes offered in previous years?

    I'm genuinely interested in understanding the thinking behind this change for the 20th Anniversary event.

    Thank you!

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