What's the challenge
Build a Databricks App on Free Edition with a Genie Agent at its core.
Build a Databricks App, create and configure your own Genie Agent, connect it to your App, and use it to power a meaningful, useful, or unexpected experience. The problem, audience, data, interface, and solution are up to you.
Build app →Configure Genie Agent →Connect →Deploy →Create a demo →Submit 👈
Key dates
Two weeks to build.
Launch
Aug 17
Submissions close
Aug 31
Winners announced
Sep 10
The theme
Genie at the Core.
Genie at the Core means the Genie Agent should be central, meaningful, and effective in your application. Your app should use Genie to power its main experience or outcome. For example, people might ask questions about data in natural language and receive answers, insights, or results through the app.
The gut check
If Genie were removed, would the main experience or outcome of your app change significantly?
If the answer is yes, you are thinking in the right direction.
Choose your track
Two ways in. Pick one.
Track A
Real-World Problem Solver
Build an app that solves a practical problem for a real audience, an internal data app that helps people explore business information, spot operational trends, or answer the questions they ask again and again.
The focus is usefulness - show how Genie moves a user from a question to a data-backed answer inside the app.
Track B
Creative Thinking
Use Genie in an imaginative or unexpected way. The idea can be unconventional, playful, or exploratory, as long as Genie plays a meaningful role and the app shows what it can do with real data.
The focus is originality - surprise us with the experience and the questions your app lets people ask.
How to participate
Five steps to enter.
1
Build a Databricks App with a Genie Agent at its core, in Free Edition.
2
Choose your track - Real-World Problem Solver or Creative Thinking.
3
Share your project story in Community Articles. For exactly what to include, see the Project story checklist below.
4
Create a demo of your app - a short video or walkthrough that shows Project in action.
5
Submit your entry through the challenge registration form.
Project story
Help the community learn from your build.
A clear explanation of your Project setup will help other builders. Make these clear in your write-up:
→ What problem, opportunity, or creative idea does your app address?
→ Who is it designed for?
→ Describe your application architecture and data flow.
→ What can users ask the Genie Agent?
→ How does Genie power the app’s main experience?
→ What did you learn while building and testing the app?
How it is judged
Scored out of 40 points.
Justice to the theme - Genie at the Core
20 pts
How central, meaningful, and effective is the Genie Agent? Does it power the main experience?
Track execution
10 pts
Track A: how effectively does the app solve a real-world problem? Track B: how creative and distinctive is the idea and its use of Genie?
App experience
10 pts
How intuitive, polished, and effective is the overall app experience?
Total 40 points
Recognition
More than a badge.
🏆 Winners
Top 4
The top four entries will be recognized as challenge winners and will get swags.
🎤 Spotlight
Top 2
The top two entries will be selected as Bricktalk speakers.
All participants will be awarded a Contributor badge in recognition of their entry.
Getting started
New to Genie or Apps? Start here.
Free, self-paced courses and the exact docs you will need to get building.
Databricks Academy
• Building Reliable Conversational Agents with Genie
• Databricks Apps
• Building Enterprise Applications with Databricks Apps
• Deploying and Monitoring Agent Applications on Databricks
Product documentation
• Add a Genie Agent resource to a Databricks App
• Get started with Databricks Apps
• Create and manage a Genie Agent
• Add resources to a Databricks App
• Curate an effective Genie Agent
Submit your entry →
Choose your track. Put Genie at the core. 🚀
Show us what you can create. Drop a 💬 in the comments with what you are thinking of building, and like the entries you love.
VIRTUAL TRAINING
Time: AMER Aug 19 – Aug 20, 2026 | 9:00 AM PT / 12:00 PM ET
🔗 Register for the Workshop
Note: Marking RSVP on this Community event does not register you for the workshop. Please use the Register button above to complete your registration on the official event page.
Accelerate your data and AI journey at the Databricks AMER Learning Festival! 🚀
Whether you’re just getting started, looking to sharpen your practical skills, or exploring what Databricks can offer, this virtual experience offers architectural guidance and best practices grounded in real customer use cases.
Join us for guided, hands-on training to gain the tools, insights, and expert advice needed to drive meaningful data and AI outcomes for your business.
💡 Why Attend?
Hands-On Practical Skills: Dive into guided training and apply real-world best practices shared by Databricks experts.
Solve Real Business Challenges: Explore deployment strategies and architectural guidance built around proven, high-impact use cases.
Connect with Experts: Chat live with Databricks specialists to get real-time answers and personalized insights.
Agenda Highlights
Day 1: Wednesday, August 19, 2026 (9:00 AM PT / 12:00 PM ET)
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM PT: Get Started with Lakebase
1:00 PM – 4:00 PM PT: Get Started with SQL Analytics and BI on Databricks
1:00 PM – 4:00 PM PT: Get Started with Databricks for Data Warehousing
Day 2: Thursday, August 20, 2026 (9:00 AM ET / 6:00 AM PT)
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM ET: Get Started with Lakebase
1:00 PM – 4:00 PM ET: Get Started with SQL Analytics and BI on Databricks
1:00 PM – 4:00 PM ET: Get Started with Databricks for Data Warehousing
Register now to secure your spot and gain real-time insights from our team of specialists!
