St. John’s-based Genesis, a hub for early-stage tech startups, has announced T-Minus30, a free 30-day sprint for anyone in the province who wants to build with AI tools and demo what they make in front of people.

The event grew out of Build48, Genesis' 48-hour startup weekend held in March, where participants asked for a way to keep going and to demo what they'd built.

"Build48 showed people what they can make in a weekend," said Ed Martin, CEO of Genesis, in a statement. "What we kept hearing afterward was, how do I take this further? T-Minus30 is our answer. Thirty days, real coaching, and a night to put what you made in front of the people who can use it." 

To create T-Minus30, Genesis has partnered with groups already bringing builders together in the city, including: Get Building, Memorial University’s Student Design Hub, Make @ MUN, CTS-NL, and Unpossible NL.

Participants can make anything from a proof of concept to a product people use. Every participant receives a starter pack of AI credits and product coaching, and can join twice-weekly Open Builds.

Registration is free and open to individuals and teams in Newfoundland and Labrador. No business idea or coding experience is required.

The sprint opens October 19 with the official launch of T-Minus30 at the techNL Summit,at the St. John's Convention Centre. The launch can be attended at no cost and without a Summit pass. Registration for the sprint then stays open until 11:59 p.m. NDT on October 21.

Builds are due November 18, and unfinished projects count. On November 25, T-Minus30 Demo Night takes over the St. John's Farmers' Market from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Every builder who submits gets a table where attendees can try their work, and a handful will be invited to demo on stage. Every solo builder or team that submits also receives three months of Genesis Membership to keep working on what they started.

Demo Night is open to the public. Tickets are $20 and include food from local vendors. Sprint participants attend free.

Registration for the sprint and RSVPs for the launch can be found here. Demo Night details and tickets can be found here.