# Kotlin Multiplatform App Development Competition

Use your Kotlin skills to compete for $30,000 prizes at RevenueCat Shipaton 2026.

- **Source:** [The JetBrains Blog](https://brifing.si/source/782eebd1-7be8-49cc-b27c-e552516691b2)
- **Published:** 2026-07-31
- **Topic:** [Software & Engineering](https://brifing.si/c/engineering)
- **Original article:** <https://blog.jetbrains.com/kotlin/2026/07/know-kotlin-ship-it-everywhere-and-win-at-shipaton-2026/>
- **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/db27bd79-6b55-4532-98f5-c20cdb0247d7

## Overview of Shipaton 2026

RevenueCat Shipaton 2026, the world's largest mobile hackathon, will run from August 1 to September 30. Developers familiar with Kotlin can use Kotlin Multiplatform and Compose Multiplatform to build apps for Android, iOS, desktop, and web from a single codebase. Participants don't need to target all platforms; judges will reward effective cross-platform development.

## Prize Details

The 'Ship Kotlin Everywhere' category offers a total prize pool of $30,000. The first-place winner receives $15,000, second place $10,000, and third place $5,000. The winning app will also be featured on a Times Square billboard, receive an invitation to the App Growth Annual conference in NYC on October 21, a custom Shippy trophy, and media spotlight.

## Grand Prize Opportunity

Kotlin Multiplatform apps entered in the competition remain eligible for the $100,000 Grand Prize and over 20 other categories from #BuildInPublic to Best Game Award, with total prizes exceeding $1 million. JetBrains is serving as a gold sponsor this year.

## Previous Winner's Experience

Chris Krueger, who won first place in the KMP category at Shipaton 2025 with his app Momental, shared: 'Building with Kotlin Multiplatform was enjoyable. Sharing one codebase for Android and iOS gave me more time for user feedback. I was amazed how quickly I could build complex UIs - even features like a full music player worked smoothly across platforms.'

## Participant Benefits

The first 1,000 builders receive 3 months of free IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate, while 200 builders ready to build in public get 2 months of access to Junie, our AI coding agent. Additional resources include a Starter Guide, AI Guide, weekly livestreams, and support from JetBrains advocates on Discord.

## Advantages of Kotlin Multiplatform

Kotlin Multiplatform enables developers to build for multiple platforms from a single codebase. This approach reduces development time while ensuring consistent user experience. Even complex features like music players work seamlessly across different platforms.

## Competition Process

Participants should review the rules on the award page, download the starter kit, and follow the timeline. Apps should demonstrate effective cross-platform capabilities. Judges will focus more on functionality than the number of platforms targeted.

## Why You Should Participate

Shipaton 2026 offers the perfect opportunity to enhance your Kotlin skills and gain cross-platform development experience. The competition can help you reach a global audience, win prizes, and gain industry recognition. The submission deadline is September 30, 2026.

## Sources covering this story

- https://blog.jetbrains.com/kotlin/2026/07/know-kotlin-ship-it-everywhere-and-win-at-shipaton-2026/ — 

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_Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._