Name That LLM Kaggle Competition
By Google
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Quick Answer
Google's Kaggle competition to identify which AI model wrote a text. US$50,000 in prizes: US$5,000 (about ₹4.75 lakh) each for the top ten.
- Funding amount
- Varies
- Funding type
- Competition
- Provider
- Application deadline
- 68d — 14 Jan 2027
- Location
- International
About this competition
Name That LLM – Identify the Model Behind the Text is an online Kaggle competition sponsored by Google LLC. The task is to identify which large language model produced a given piece of text, and submissions are ranked on the competition's evaluation metric. The prize pool is US$50,000 (about ₹47.5 lakh), each of the top ten places wins US$5,000 (about ₹4.75 lakh), and final submissions close on 13 January 2027 at 11:59 PM UTC, which is 5:29 AM IST on 14 January.
It is open worldwide to Kaggle users, and India is not on the list of excluded places. This is a skill competition, not a grant or an accelerator: you win by ranking well, not by pitching a business plan.
What the program offers
The US$50,000 pool is split evenly across the top ten places on the final leaderboard: US$5,000 (about ₹4.75 lakh) each. That flat split means ranking tenth pays the same as ranking first, so a consistently strong model matters more than one lucky score.
These are competition prizes, not loans and not investments. The source summary mentions no equity or ownership being taken by the sponsor.
Winners license their solution under CC-BY 4.0, which means others may reuse it as long as they credit you.
Who can apply
Anyone with a registered Kaggle account can take part, as long as they are at least 18 (or the age of majority where they live, if that is higher) and do not live in an excluded place. Residents of Crimea, the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics, Cuba, Iran and North Korea, and anyone under US export controls or sanctions, are excluded. You may enter alone or in a team of up to five people, and each person may hold only one Kaggle account.
For an Indian founder or team this means you can enter from India. Employees, interns, contractors, officers and directors of Google, Kaggle and their affiliates can take part but cannot win prizes. Prizes cannot go to residents of a country where they cannot be awarded.
This suits machine-learning engineers, NLP researchers and AI-safety or content-authenticity teams who already work on detecting machine-written text. It is a poor fit if you want funding to run a company, since the reward is a prize for ranking well, not support for a business.
How to apply
There is no application form or business plan. You join through the competition page on Kaggle, accept the rules, and submit solutions that are scored automatically. The competition started on 14 October 2026 and final submissions close on 13 January 2027 at 11:59 PM UTC (5:29 AM IST on 14 January). The page we hold does not yet show a separate entry or team merger date, so accept the rules and form your team well before the final date.
You can make up to five submissions a day and select up to two final submissions to be scored at the end. A practical tip: read the full rules tab before you start, because it is the binding document and this page is only a summary of it.
How applications are judged and what happens next
Each submission is scored automatically on the competition's evaluation metric, and prizes go to the best-ranked teams on the final leaderboard. Potential winners must hand over their code and documentation, license the winning solution as the rules require, and return prize acceptance documents within two weeks of being asked. Prizes are paid about 30 days after those documents are received; team prizes are split evenly unless the team agrees otherwise.
About the sponsor
The sponsor of this competition is Google LLC, and the competition is hosted on Kaggle, an online platform where teams compete on data and machine-learning problems. The source does not give further background on the sponsor.
Things to check before you apply
- The source summary does not give a separate entry or team merger date, so check the competition page and do not wait for the last week to form a team.
- Prize-eligible winners must deliver code and documentation, license the solution as the rules require, and return acceptance documents within two weeks of being asked.
- Prizes are paid in US dollars. An Indian winner should check tax and foreign-exchange treatment with an adviser; the source does not give those rules.
- A practical tip: if you are a startup founder, treat this as a way to build credibility and test your technical team, and do not budget the prize money as funding, since only the top places are paid.
Eligibility
See if you're eligible
Full eligibility criteria — entity type, stage, sector, founder profile and registration requirements — plus your fit for this program. Sign up to view.
Organizers
Google for Startups runs accelerators, a Google Cloud credits scheme, training and events for startups. Its India programmes are aimed at Indian startups and students, and its regional accelerators run as cohorts across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and Asia…
Learn morePrizes & Awards
What You Get
Prizes add up to US$50,000 (about ₹47.5 lakh), split equally: each of the top ten places wins US$5,000 (about ₹4.75 lakh). Winners hand over their code and documentation, license the solution under CC-BY 4.0, and are paid about 30 days after returning the prize documents.
- Disbursement
- Lump Sum
- Bootstrap friendly
- Yes
Timelines & Process
Selection Process
Each submission is scored automatically on the competition's evaluation metric, and prizes go to the best-ranked teams on the final leaderboard. Potential winners must hand over their code and documentation, license the winning solution as the rules require, and return prize acceptance documents within two weeks of being asked. Prizes are paid about 30 days after those documents are received; team prizes are split evenly unless the team agrees otherwise.
Application Process
- 1
Join on Kaggle
Sign in to Kaggle and accept the competition rules before the competition closes.
You - 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
How to apply
Four steps from draft to disbursement — one action each.
- 1
Submit on the official portal
Use the official application link and verify all details before final submission.
- 2
Follow up
Reach out 5–7 days after submitting to confirm receipt and ask about the review timeline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can enter Name That LLM Kaggle Competition?
Any Kaggle user aged 18 or older (or the age of majority where they live, if higher) can enter, alone or in a team of up to five. Residents of Crimea, the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics, Cuba, Iran and North Korea, and anyone under US export controls or sanctions, cannot take part. Each person may have only one Kaggle account.
Can Indian startups and founders apply for Name That LLM Kaggle Competition?
Yes. The rules exclude only the places named above, and India is not among them, so people in India can enter. Prizes are paid in US dollars and cannot go to people living in a country where prizes cannot be awarded. The source does not give Indian tax rules, so check with an adviser if you win.
How much can I win in Name That LLM Kaggle Competition?
Each of the top ten places wins US$5,000 (about ₹4.75 lakh), and the total pool is US$50,000 (about ₹47.5 lakh). The source describes no other prizes.
How is the prize money paid?
Potential winners must return prize acceptance documents within two weeks of being asked. Prizes are paid about 30 days after those documents are received, and team prizes are split evenly unless the team agrees otherwise. The source summary does not name the payment method.
What is the deadline for Name That LLM Kaggle Competition, and what if it has passed?
Final submissions close on 13 January 2027 at 11:59 PM UTC, which is 5:29 AM IST on 14 January. The page we hold does not show a separate entry date, so accept the rules and form your team well before then. The source does not say whether the competition will run again.
Is Name That LLM Kaggle Competition a grant or equity?
It is a competition prize. You win money by ranking well, and the source summary describes no equity or ownership being taken. Winners must release or license their solution as the rules require, so check the licence before you enter.
What documents or materials do I need?
You need a Kaggle account and a working solution submitted through Kaggle. Winners are later asked for code, documentation and signed prize acceptance documents.
Do I have to travel anywhere?
The competition itself is online. The source summary mentions no travel requirement.
Is it free to enter Name That LLM Kaggle Competition?
The source summary does not state an entry fee, and joining a Kaggle competition is done through a free Kaggle account. Check the competition page to confirm before you submit.
When are the results of Name That LLM Kaggle Competition announced?
The source summary does not give a results date. The final leaderboard is set after final submissions close on 13 January 2027, and winners are then asked for their code and acceptance documents.
Sources
Data on this page is compiled from official program and provider references.
