Join the GitHub Finish‑Up‑A‑Thon Challenge – $3,000 Prize Pool for Reviving Abandoned Projects

If you’ve ever left a side‑project gathering digital dust, this is your moment to dust it off, polish it, and get paid for it. GitHub, in partnership with DEV, is running the Finish‑Up‑A‑Thon from May 21 to June 7, offering a $3,000 prize pool and a badge that will look great on any agency portfolio . Below is everything your team needs to know to turn that half‑finished prototype into a showcase piece—and maybe a $300 win for each of the ten lucky developers.

Why Finish What You Started?

• Showcase real‑world problem solving – A before‑and‑after story demonstrates your ability to iterate, refactor, and ship, which clients love more than a brand‑new idea that never leaves the whiteboard.
• Leverage GitHub Copilot – The challenge explicitly asks you to highlight how Copilot helped you bridge the gap, giving you a concrete case study for AI‑assisted development.
• Earn tangible rewards – Apart from cash, winners get a DEV++ membership and an exclusive DEV badge, while every participant receives a completion badge on their DEV profile .

The Prompt in a Nutshell

“Revive and finish a project you started but never completed. Show the before and after, and explain how GitHub Copilot helped you get there.” 

Think of a hackathon prototype, a proof‑of‑concept API, or a UI kit that never shipped. The goal is to demonstrate a clear completion arc—the transformation from “stuck” to “shipped”.

How the Competition Is Judged

Your entry will be evaluated on four pillars:

1. Use of underlying technology – Did you stick with the original stack or wisely upgrade it?
2. Usability and User Experience – Is the finished product intuitive and polished?
3. Originality and Creativity – Does the project solve a novel problem or add a clever twist?
4. Completion Arc – Is the before‑and‑after narrative obvious and compelling? 

Understanding these criteria early helps you tailor your submission to what the judges are looking for.

Prizes, Perks, and What “Winning” Looks Like

• $300 USD per winner – Ten winners share the $3,000 pool .
• DEV++ Membership – Access to premium DEV content, exclusive webinars, and a community of top‑tier developers .
• Exclusive DEV Badge – A visual token displayed on your DEV profile, signaling you’ve completed a high‑visibility challenge .

Even if you don’t make the top ten, a completion badge will be added to your DEV profile, proving you tackled the challenge and finished a project .

How to Participate (Step‑by‑Step)

1. Pick a project – Choose something you own on GitHub that has a clear “unfinished” state.
2. Revive it with Copilot – Use GitHub Copilot to fill gaps, refactor code, or generate missing documentation.
3. Document the journey – Write a DEV post using the official submission template (linked in the original challenge post). Include screenshots, code snippets, and a short narrative of how Copilot helped.
4. Submit before the deadline – Posts must be live by June 7, 11:59 PM PST .
5. Earn your badge – All valid submissions automatically receive a completion badge on your DEV profile.

The official rules, eligibility, and FAQ are linked in the challenge description; skim them to avoid disqualification .

Practical Tips for a Winning Submission

• Show before vs. after side‑by‑side – Use GIFs or short videos to make the transformation obvious.
• Highlight Copilot prompts – Capture the exact prompts you fed Copilot and the resulting code; judges love transparency.
• Focus on UX – Even a tiny UI improvement (responsive layout, accessibility tweaks) can tip the usability score.
• Keep the repo clean – Squash commits, write a concise README, and add a changelog that outlines what changed.
• Leverage DEV++ resources – If you already have a DEV++ membership, reference any premium articles you consulted; it shows you’re integrating community knowledge.

Timeline at a Glance

Mark these dates on your team calendar; the window is short, but the payoff can be big.

Final Thoughts

The Finish‑Up‑A‑Thon isn’t just a cash‑grab; it’s a structured excuse to revisit legacy code, showcase AI‑augmented development, and add a polished project to your agency’s portfolio. By aligning your submission with the judging criteria and documenting the Copilot‑driven workflow, you turn an abandoned side‑project into a marketable case study—and possibly a $300 win.

Ready to dust off that repo? Grab your favorite Copilot prompt, fire up VS Code, and start finishing up. Good luck, and happy building!