Axelera® AI Project Challenge – Terms & Conditions

The Prompt Edition

These terms and conditions (the “Terms”) govern the participation in the Axelera AI project challenge described in clause 1.1 (the “Challenge”) and the access to use any project kit (the “Kit”) made available by Axelera AI B.V. (“Axelera AI”) in relation to the Challenge. By applying, participating, or submitting any content, you agree to and accept the following terms issued by Axelera AI, registered in the Netherlands and headquartered in Eindhoven.

1. Key Terms

1.1 Challenge Name

The Prompt

1.2 Timeline

• Application Period: 15–29 July 2026
• Participants Selected: early August 2026
• Build Phase: approximately one month
• Project Submission Deadline: 2 September 2026 (the same deadline for selected Participants and community-category entrants)
• Winners Announced: 9–12 September 2026

1.3 The Kit

Selected participants (“Participants”) may receive access to a Kit consisting of hardware and components (including the Dell Pro Slim Plus XE5 with a Metis PCIe card). The Kit is provided solely for Challenge participation and remains the property of Axelera AI unless and until the Participant earns the right to retain it under this clause. A Participant may retain the Kit only if they complete and submit their proposed project by the Project Submission Deadline and Axelera AI confirms that the submission meets the Challenge requirements. Axelera AI will contact Participants whose submissions are incomplete to give them an opportunity to complete them. A Participant who does not complete and submit their proposed project by the Project Submission Deadline, for any reason, must return the Kit to Axelera AI in full in accordance with clause 6.4. Community-category entrants (clause 3.4) do not receive a Kit and take part using their own hardware in accordance with clause 3.4.

1.4 Prizes

Subject to Axelera AI’s final decision, Participants could win the following prizes:

• 1st Prize: €1,000
• Runner-Up Prize: €500
• Community Category Prize: one Axelera AI Mini PC with Metis M.2 Max, awarded to the best qualifying community-category submission

2. Eligibility

2.1 Axelera AI is solely entitled to determine the eligibility of the candidates.

2.2 Participants must be at least 18 years old at the time of application. Younger applicants may be considered with written parental or legal guardian consent, at Axelera AI’s discretion. Where a Participant is under 18, the parent or legal guardian must also sign the Participant Agreement.

2.3 Individuals or teams (up to 6 people) may participate. A team must designate a single representative as the main point of contact and submission lead. A selected team receives one Kit and, if it wins, one prize for the team. The team representative signs the Participant Agreement on behalf of the team.

2.4 Team members are jointly bound by these Terms and by the Participant Agreement signed by their representative (including the Kit-return obligation) and agree to the authority of the designated team representative.

2.5 Legal entities (corporations, companies) are not eligible to participate.

2.6 The Challenge is not open to:

• Persons in countries or territories under sanctions by the UN, EU, or other authorities
• Axelera AI employees or their immediate family
• Anyone legally restricted from participating

2.7 Participation must not:

• Violate employment contracts or policies
• Require Axelera AI to obtain special permissions to engage with you
• Breach any third-party intellectual property or brand use terms

2.8 Selection as a Participant is subject to Axelera AI being able lawfully and practically to ship the Kit to, and pay prizes in, the applicant’s location. Axelera AI may take deliverability into account in selection.

3. Application & Participation

3.1 Participants must submit a complete proposal outlining their idea and how they plan to use Axelera AI hardware and Voyager Wingman.

3.2 Participants agree to:

• Build their proposed project during the build phase
• Adapt their project to technical constraints if needed
• Post progress updates in the Prompt challenge group on the Axelera AI Community at least once per week as a minimum. More frequent updates are encouraged and will strengthen an entry in the judges’ eyes. A single missed weekly update is not in itself a breach of these Terms; however, if a Participant misses two consecutive weekly updates and does not respond to contact from Axelera AI, Axelera AI may treat their participation as discontinued and require return of the Kit under clause 6.4.
• Provide, as the final submission: a full write-up; the prompts used in engaging Voyager Wingman; a working demo of the project (video is strongly preferred, and another format is acceptable only if it genuinely demonstrates the working project better); and the project’s code repository or repositories.
• Ensure the final submission contains everything a reader would need to fully recreate the working project, including, but not limited to, source code, repositories, configurations, part lists, prompts, and setup instructions.
• Use the Kit solely for Challenge development
• Follow health and safety guidance for all hardware and equipment

3.3 The Kit is provided on the express condition that the Participant builds and submits the project set out in the proposal for which they were selected. If a Participant does not complete and submit that project by the Project Submission Deadline for any reason whatsoever, including withdrawing, changing their mind, or becoming unable to participate, the Participant must return the entire Kit to Axelera AI in accordance with clause 6.4. By applying for and accepting a Kit, the Participant irrevocably agrees to this return obligation. Axelera AI may also require the return of the Kit if the Participant breaches these Terms.

3.4 Community category. In addition to the selected Participants, the Challenge includes an open community category. Anyone eligible under clause 2 may enter by building a working project with Voyager Wingman and submitting it in the Prompt challenge group on the Axelera AI Community by the Project Submission Deadline, meeting the same submission requirements as clause 3.2 (a full write-up, the prompts used, a working demo, code repository or repositories, and everything needed to fully recreate the working project). Community-category entrants use their own hardware, do not receive a Kit, and are eligible for the Community Category Prize. Community-category projects must be built with Voyager Wingman and run on an Axelera Metis device via the Voyager SDK. Entrants may submit more than one community entry. Selected Participants are not eligible to enter the community category.

3.5 Personal data provided in connection with the Challenge (such as contact and delivery details) will be processed in accordance with Axelera AI’s Privacy Policy, for the purposes of checking eligibility and deliverability, administering the Challenge, shipping Kits and prizes (including sharing delivery details with delivery providers), and announcing winners. Marketing communications are sent only with separate opt-in consent.

3.6 Use of Voyager Wingman and the Voyager SDK is subject to their applicable terms and licences, which apply in addition to these Terms.

3.7 If a Kit is delivered late or is defective, Axelera AI may extend the Project Submission Deadline, generally or for the affected Participant, and will replace a defective Kit where reasonably possible. Any return periods under clause 6.4 adjust accordingly.

4. Game of Skill Declaration

This is a game of skill. Winners and kit recipients are selected based on the creativity, technical merit, and clarity of their proposals and final project outcomes.

5. No Purchase Necessary

Participation is free. No purchase is required.

6. Use of the Kit

6.1 The Kit is provided “as-is”, solely for Challenge use. It remains Axelera AI’s property unless otherwise stated in writing.

6.2 Participants may not:

• Sell or redistribute Kit components while the Kit remains the property of Axelera AI
• Modify or misuse the Kit in a way that voids warranties or causes safety risks

6.3 Axelera AI makes no guarantee of the Kit’s performance outside the scope of the Challenge.

6.4 Return of the Kit. Where clause 1.3 or 3.3 requires the Kit to be returned, the Participant must return the complete Kit, with all components and in good working condition (fair wear and tear from intended use excepted), within 30 days of the Project Submission Deadline or of a request from Axelera AI, whichever is earlier. The Participant agrees to follow Axelera AI’s reasonable instructions for the return, and Axelera AI will arrange and bear the reasonable cost of return shipping. This return obligation is a condition of receiving the Kit, is binding on the Participant, and survives the end of the Challenge. If the Participant fails to return the Kit as required, Axelera AI may invoice the Participant for the replacement value of the missing or unreturned components. Axelera AI may, at its sole discretion, waive the return obligation in whole or in part.

7. Content Ownership & Licensing

7.1 Participants retain ownership of their original work and any pre-existing IP.

7.2 First offer. If a Participant decides to sell, or exclusively license, a project or intellectual property developed as part of the Challenge, they must first notify Axelera AI in writing. Axelera AI has 14 days from that notice to make an offer, which the Participant will consider in good faith. If Axelera AI makes no offer within 14 days, or the parties do not reach agreement, the Participant is free to sell or license to any third party.

7.3 Participants grant Axelera AI a worldwide, royalty-free, perpetual, non-exclusive license to:

• Use, adapt, promote, and display project materials
• Reproduce or share them in any promotional, educational, or demonstration context
• Feature them in marketing, documentation, or product showcases
• Build and display a fully working copy of the project from the submitted materials

This licence is non-exclusive: apart from the first-offer right in clause 7.2, Participants remain free to use, share, sell, or license their own work however they wish. The licence granted to Axelera AI continues to apply if a Participant later sells, transfers, or licenses a project or its IP, and the Participant will inform the acquiring party of it.

7.4 Axelera AI may sublicense these rights to its affiliates and to service providers acting on its behalf.

7.5 Participants acknowledge that all Axelera AI IP (including software, SDKs, and hardware) remains the property of Axelera AI.

7.6 Participants are granted a revocable, non-transferable licence to use such IP for the duration of the Challenge, without prejudice to any separate licence terms (such as the Voyager SDK EULA) that continue to apply to retained Kits after the Challenge.

7.7 Axelera AI is not responsible for any loss or misuse of submitted materials.

8. Permissions & Third-Party Content

8.1 Participants are responsible for:

• Obtaining permissions for third-party content (e.g. images, logos, music, people, footage)
• Ensuring no infringement of third-party IP
• Certifying they have the right to submit the project
• Avoiding any legal disputes related to submitted work
• Ensuring that prompts and other materials submitted for publication do not contain personal data or confidential information

8.2 Axelera AI assumes no liability for unauthorised use of protected content.

9. Judging & Prizes

9.1 Judging is conducted by Axelera AI staff or appointed experts.

9.2 Evaluation criteria:

• Creativity and originality
• Technical excellence
• Relevance to the Challenge theme (building on Axelera with Voyager Wingman)
• Clarity and completeness of documentation
• Overall presentation quality

9.3 All judging decisions are final. Axelera AI may withhold prizes if submissions do not meet expected standards.

9.4 Prizes are non-transferable and cannot be exchanged for cash unless stated otherwise. Winners are responsible for any taxes or reporting duties.

9.5 If entries are insufficient in number or quality, Axelera AI may select fewer Participants than announced, and may award fewer prizes than advertised, or none in a category.

10. Code of Conduct

10.1 Participants agree to:

• Maintain professionalism
• Avoid offensive, unsafe, illegal, or discriminatory content
• Interact respectfully with others

10.2 Axelera AI may disqualify participants for:

• Misconduct
• Breach of these Terms
• Plagiarism

11. Liability & Indemnity

11.1 Axelera AI accepts no liability for:

• Injury, loss, or damage arising from the Challenge
• Delays, customs issues, or losses in Kit or prize delivery
• Legal issues due to unauthorised content

11.2 Participants use all equipment and materials at their own risk.

11.3 Participants agree to indemnify Axelera AI against any claims, losses, or liabilities resulting from:

• Their actions or omissions
• Violation of these Terms
• Any third-party claims or legal issues
• Breach of laws or codes of conduct in their jurisdiction

12. Amendments & Termination

12.1 Axelera AI reserves the right to modify, cancel, or terminate the Challenge or these Terms at any time.

12.2 The most current version of these Terms will always be published in the Prompt challenge group on the Axelera AI Community. Amendments will not retroactively deprive Participants of prizes already awarded or of Kit retention rights already earned.

13. Governing Law & Dispute Resolution

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Netherlands. Any disputes will be subject to the jurisdiction of the courts in Eindhoven.