Important: Please read these Official Rules before entering this Program (the “Program”). By participating in this Program, you agree to be bound by these Official Rules and represent that you satisfy all eligibility requirements below.
No purchase is necessary to apply or participate.
Program void where prohibited. Subject to applicable federal, state, and local laws.
To be eligible to apply to enter the Program, you must:
(For (2) and (3) above, the list of sanctioned countries and individuals can change, so visit https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/financial-sanctions/sanctions-programs-and-country-information to find a current list of countries and more information on sanctioned individuals). In addition, your eligibility to enter the Program and/or to receive a prize for your participation in the Program may be or become restricted or prohibited by U.S. banking system, OFAC, or other sanctions, or other applicable laws, rules, regulations, or policies in place at the time of such entrance or potential provision of a prize. If your ability to receive a prize becomes so restricted or prohibited before or after your entrance into the Program, you will not be eligible to receive a prize and may, in Sponsor’s discretion, be disqualified.
Directors, officers, members, managers, and employees of Kotlin Foundation (“Sponsor”), JetBrains s.r.o., Jetbrains Expo B.V., and Google LLC, (collectively the “Foundation Members”)., or their affiliates and parent companies, affiliate companies, subsidiaries, agents, professional advisors, advertising, promotional, public relations, and fulfillment agencies, consultants, legal counsel, website providers, webmasters, and immediate family members (spouses, parent, child, sibling, grandparent, and “step” child, wherever they may live) of each are not eligible to enter the Program. To be eligible to enter the Program, entries must be completed and received by Sponsor in the manner and format designated below. If you do not meet all of these requirements or any other eligibility requirements in these Official Rules, you will not be eligible to participate in the Program or win a prize.
The Program consists of (i) an application period, (ii) a cohort mentorship period, and (iii) a completion review and prize selection period.
Sponsor’s or its designee’s computer is the official time-keeping device for the Program. All entries must be received during the Program Period unless otherwise stated in these Official Rules and meet other requirements in these Official Rules to be eligible to win a prize. Proof of entry does not constitute proof of receipt by Sponsor.
To apply during the Application Period, complete the steps below:
By submitting an application as instructed above (an “Application”), you agree that your Application conforms to the Guidelines and Restrictions below. Sponsor may choose to remove any Application or disqualify you from the Program if it believes that your Application fails to conform with the Guidelines and Restrictions. Upon completion of all required entry steps and compliance with the Guidelines and Restrictions, you will be considered an applicant to the Program (an “Applicant”). Participation is not guaranteed; selection is limited.
Limit: One entry per person during program period. Any attempt to obtain additional entries, including through multiple or duplicate accounts will result in disqualification.
All Applications must be submitted by the individual entrant. Team entries are not allowed. Bulk or automated Applications will be disqualified (including entries made using any script, macro, bot, or promotional service). Multiple participants are not permitted to share the same email for entry. Any attempt to obtain additional entries through fraud or other illegitimate means will result in disqualification, at Sponsor’s discretion.
If there is a dispute about the identity of the entrant, Applications will be declared made by the authorized account holder of the email address or social media account submitted or associated with the Application. An “authorized account holder” means the natural person who is assigned to an e-mail address by an Internet access provider, online service provider or other organization (e.g., business, educational institution, etc.) that is responsible for assigning e-mail addresses for the domain associated with the submitted e-mail address. A potential winner may be required to provide Sponsor with proof that a potential winner is the authorized account holder of the account associated with the winning Application.
On or about the Matching Date, Sponsor will review Applications, in its sole discretion, and select participants for the Program. The Program is limited in size; Sponsor expects to form approximately 10 Mentor–Mentee pairings (the “Pairs”), though Sponsor may adjust cohort size.
Sponsor will match selected Mentors and Mentees in its sole discretion based on factors such as (non-exhaustively): project fit, participant interests, time availability, expected mentorship capacity, and timezone/communication constraints. Sponsor’s decisions regarding selection and matching are final and binding.
Selected Applicants will be notified via email (or other contact method provided in the Application) and may be required to confirm participation by a specified deadline. Failure to timely confirm may result in forfeiture of the participation slot and selection of an alternate participant.
The Program’s intended outcome is that a Mentee makes at least one “Meaningful Contribution” to a Kotlin-related open-source project with Mentor support during the Cohort Period.
For purposes of these Official Rules, a Meaningful Contribution means at least one change that a project maintainer (including, where applicable, the Mentor acting in that capacity) accepts as useful. This may include code (for example, a merged pull request), documentation, tutorials, examples, tooling, issue triage, or other contribution types, as determined by Sponsor in Sponsor’s discretion.
Sponsor may require reasonable evidence of completion (for example, a link to a merged pull request or accepted change, and/or a short confirmation by the Mentor).
Only Pairs that Sponsor verifies as having completed the Program in accordance with these Official Rules are eligible for (i) the completion merchandise reward, and (ii) entry into the prize drawing for the KotlinConf trip (each as described in Section 6).
On or about April 15, 2026, Sponsor (or its designee) will select one (1) Pair at random from among all eligible completed Pairs to be the potential prize winners (the “Potential Winners”). Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible completed Pairs.
Sponsor will notify the Potential Winners via email (or other contact method provided). To claim the prize, each Potential Winner must follow the instructions in the notification.
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, Sponsor may require each Potential Winner to sign and return, within seven (7) days after being notified, an affidavit of eligibility, liability and publicity release, and other legal, regulatory, or tax-related documents required in Sponsor’s discretion (the “Affidavit and Related Documents”) in order to claim a prize.
If: (i) attempted notification is returned as undeliverable; (ii) required documentation is not completed and returned within the specified timeframe; or (iii) a Potential Winner is otherwise unable to accept the prize as stated, the prize may be forfeited and awarded to an alternate Pair.
Sponsor may select up to three (3) alternate Pairs. After that, any remaining unclaimed prize may go unawarded. All determinations by Sponsor are final and binding, and are made in the Sponsor’s sole discretion.
Verification of Potential Winner: Each potential winner is subject to verification by Sponsor, whose decisions are final and binding in all matters related to the Contest. An entrant is not a prize winner unless and until entrant’s eligibility has been verified and entrant has been notified that verification is complete and no further action is needed.
Subject to these Official Rules and Sponsor verification of Program completion:
Sponsor may require shipping information and other reasonable details to fulfill the Merchandise Reward. Sponsor is not responsible for undeliverable shipments due to incorrect information provided by a Participant.
One (1) selected Pair (two individuals: one Mentor and one Mentee) will each receive (i) a flight, lodging, and ticket to attend the KotlinConf main conference Munich, Germany from May 21 - 22, 2026 (Approximate Retail Value: (“ARV”): $3,000 USD per person).
Sponsor will provide round trip (economy) coach-class airfare for the winner from an airport close to the winner’s home to Munich. Sponsor or its designee will determine which airport is closest to the winner’s home. Sponsor will provide ground transportation (1) to and from airport to winner’s home and (2) to and from destination airport to lodging of winner at the prize trip destination at a reasonable cost, of a total amount not exceeding $400 USD. Sponsor will provide winner lodging for one person for three nights at a location in Munich. Travel arrangements are subject to availability at the discretion of Sponsor. Blackout periods and other restrictions, conditions, and/or limitations may apply. Air transportation, hotel accommodations, ground transportation, and other elements of prize are determined by Sponsor or its designee and must be taken together and cannot be taken separately. Sponsor or its designee will not replace any lost or stolen tickets, travel vouchers or certificates or similar items once they are in the winner’s possession.
Any amendment fees or charges incurred due to any changes to the purchased flights are the responsibility of the winner. All costs not explicitly specified in these Official Rules are the sole responsibility of the winner, and Sponsor will not provide any compensation or reimbursement for these costs, including visa requirements, valid passports, travel insurance, spending money, meals, taxes (excluding airline and airport taxes), vaccinations, transfers, items of a personal nature, excess baggage, in-room charges, other ancillary costs, and any applicable insurance excesses. Air travel is subject to the airline’s conditions of carriage.
Prize Restrictions: Prizes are not transferable. No substitutions or exchanges of any prize (including for cash) will be permitted, except that Sponsor reserves the right to substitute a prize of comparable or greater value for any prize. Only the number of prizes stated in these Official Rules are available to be won in the Program. Limit one prize per person. Sponsor will not replace any lost or stolen prizes or prize components. Except for applicable manufacturer’s standard warranties, the prizes are awarded “AS IS” and without warranty of any kind, express or implied (including any implied warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose). Any unclaimed or unused prize (or portion of the prize package) will remain the property of Sponsor.
All federal, state and local taxes associated with the receipt or use of any prize are the sole responsibility of the winner.
Sponsor and any of their respective parent companies, subsidiaries, affiliates, professional advisors, consultants, contractors, legal counsel, public relations firms, advertising, fulfillment and marketing agencies, and any of their respective directors, officers, members, managers, and employees (collectively, the “Released Parties”) will not be responsible for: (a) any late, lost, misrouted, garbled or distorted or damaged transmissions or entries; (b) phone, electronic, hardware, software, network, Internet, or other computer or communications-related malfunctions or failures; (c) any Program disruptions, injuries, losses or damages caused by events beyond the reasonable control of Sponsor or the Released Parties; or (d) any printing or typographical errors in any materials associated with the Program.
By entering the Program, you agree to release Sponsor and all Released Parties from any liability whatsoever and waive any and all causes of action, whether under a theory of contract, tort (including negligence), warranty or other theory, arising out of or in connection with the Program or delivery, misdelivery, acceptance, possession, use of or inability to use any prize (including claims for costs, losses, personal injuries, death, or damages of any kind, such as damage to or destruction of property or damages related to rights of publicity or privacy, moral rights, defamation or portrayal in a false light, whether intentional or unintentional).
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, in no event will the aggregate liability of the released parties (jointly) arising out of or relating to your participation in the Program or use of or inability to use any equipment provided for use in the Program or any prize exceed $10. The limitations set forth in this section will not exclude or limit liability for personal injury or property damage caused by products purchased from the Sponsor, or for the released parties’ gross negligence, intentional misconduct, or for fraud.
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, entry into the Program constitutes permission to Sponsor and the Foundation Members to use your name, hometown, aural and visual likeness and prize information for advertising, marketing, and promotional purposes without further permission or compensation (including in a public-facing participant list). As a condition of being awarded any prize, except where prohibited by law, winner may be required to execute a written consent, confirming Sponsor’s or the Foundation Members’ right to use winner’s name, hometown, aural and visual likeness and prize information for advertising, marketing, and promotional purposes without further permission or compensation. By entering this Program, you consent to being contacted by Sponsor for any purpose in connection with this Program.
See Sponsor’s privacy policy at Mentorship Program Privacy Notice.
To request a winner list, send an email to hello@kotlinfoundation.org after April 15, 2026 and before April 15, 2027 to the address listed in Section 16 below, Attn: Kotlin Foundation Mentorship Program. To obtain a copy of these Official Rules, visit the Program rules page (as published by Sponsor) or send a stamped, self-addressed business-size envelope to the address listed in Section 16 below, Attn: Kotlin Student Coding Competition. VT residents may omit return postage.
KOTLIN is a trademark of Kotlin Foundation. The Program and all accompanying materials are copyright © 2025 by Kotlin Foundation. All rights reserved.
Any disputes arising out of or relating to the Program will first be attempted to be resolved informally and in good faith. If the dispute cannot be resolved informally, you agree that any disputes, claims, and causes of action arising out of or connected with this Program or any prize awarded will be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by the United States District Court for the District of Delaware or the appropriate State Court located in New Castle County, Delaware. These Official Rules are governed by the Laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to choice of law or conflict of laws rules. You waive any and all objections to jurisdiction and venue in these courts and hereby submit to the jurisdiction of those courts.
By participating in the Program, you agree to be bound by these Official Rules and by the decisions of Sponsor, which are final and binding in all respects. Sponsor reserves the right to change these Official Rules at any time, in its discretion, and to modify, suspend or cancel the Program or any entrant’s participation in the Program should viruses, bugs, unauthorized human intervention, pandemics, public disruptions, or other causes beyond Sponsor’s reasonable control affect the administration, security or proper play of the Program, or Sponsor otherwise becomes (in its discretion) incapable of running the Program as planned. Entrants who violate these Official Rules, violate any law, rule, or regulation in connection with participation in the Program, tamper with the operation of the Program or engage in any conduct that is detrimental or unfair to Sponsor, the Program or any other entrant (as determined in Sponsor’s discretion) are subject to disqualification from the Program. Sponsor reserves the right to lock out persons whose eligibility is in question or who have been disqualified or are otherwise ineligible to enter the Program. Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify any entries received that contain inappropriate or offensive content. Sponsor’s failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules will not constitute a waiver of that provision. Any provision of these Official Rules deemed unenforceable will be enforced to the extent permissible, and the remainder of these Official Rules will remain in effect. The use of the terms “include” or “including” in these Official Rules is illustrative and not limiting.
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