Kotlin Blog Ksenia Shneyveys Oct 9, 2025

Kotlin Multiplatform Contest 2026

Article Summary

Students and recent grads: JetBrains is offering free trips to Munich for building Kotlin Multiplatform projects. The 2026 contest is open now, and the bar might be lower than you think.

JetBrains has launched its annual Kotlin Multiplatform Contest, inviting students and recent graduates to build cross-platform apps using KMP. Winners get an all-expenses-paid trip to KotlinConf 2026 in Munich, plus community recognition and exclusive swag. The contest runs through January 2026 with dedicated Slack support.

Key Takeaways

Critical Insight

JetBrains is sponsoring students to explore cross-platform development with a clear path from submission to conference stage in under four months.

The article includes interviews with previous winners that reveal what actually impressed the judges (hint: it wasn't just technical complexity).

About This Article

Problem

JetBrains wanted to get students and recent graduates interested in Kotlin Multiplatform development. They needed to build community participation across Android, iOS, desktop, web, and server platforms.

Solution

JetBrains set up a Slack channel for the Kotlin Multiplatform Contest. Participants can ask questions, share their progress, and connect with other developers. Kotlin experts and community members answer questions in real time.

Impact

The contest runs fast. Submissions close on January 12, 2026 and winners are announced on January 22, 2026. This four-month timeline gets community members recognized quickly and gives them visibility at KotlinConf 2026 in Munich on May 21-22.