Peter H. Diamandis
July 30, 2026
Moonshots LIVE 2026: X Prizes and Celebration of Innovation
TL;DR
Moonshots LIVE 2026 in Los Angeles will award $5 million in X Prizes across two competitions: a $3.5 million Future Vision X Prize for optimistic sci-fi films and a $2 million Build with Gemini X Prize hackathon, featuring pitches from finalists judged by industry leaders with audience voting.
Key Takeaways
- 1Two major X Prizes totaling $5 million will be awarded at Moonshots LIVE 2026 on September 25th in downtown Los Angeles
- 2Future Vision X Prize offers $3.5 million for science fiction movies depicting optimistic futures, attracting more than 25,000 contenders worldwide
- 3Build with Gemini X Prize is the world's largest hackathon with $2 million in prizes for AI-powered businesses solving real-world problems
- 4Five finalists from each X Prize will pitch live to industry legend judges, with audience members voting alongside the judging panel
- 5Notable speakers include Ben Lam (CEO of Colossal, resurrecting woolly mammoths), Astro Teller (Google X moonshots captain), and Palmer Luckey (Oculus inventor, Anduril founder)
Notable Quotes
“Optimistic entrepreneurs believe that problems are solvable and then go out and solve them.”
— Host
“Real users, real revenues, real problems.”
Chapters
1. Event Overview and Purpose
Moonshots LIVE 2026 gathers 1,200 builders, creators, and optimists on September 25th in downtown Los Angeles to celebrate problem-solving and steer humanity toward an extraordinary future.
2. Future Vision X Prize
A $3.5 million competition attracting 25,000+ contenders worldwide for science fiction movies depicting optimistic and hopeful futures.
3. Build with Gemini X Prize
The world's largest hackathon with $2 million in prizes for businesses using AI to solve real problems with genuine users and revenue.
4. Live Pitch and Voting Format
Five finalists from each X Prize pitch to a panel of industry legends, with audience members voting alongside the judges in real-time.
5. Featured Speakers and Innovators
Notable attendees include Ben Lam (Colossal CEO resurrecting woolly mammoths), Astro Teller (Google X moonshots captain), and Palmer Luckey (Oculus inventor, Anduril founder).
Key People & Entities
- Ben Lam
- CEO of Colossal, resurrecting extinct species including woolly mammoths and direwolves
- Astro Teller
- Captain of moonshots at Google X, leading moonshot innovation projects
- Palmer Luckey
- Inventor of Oculus VR headset and founder of Anduril, advanced hardware company
- Google X
- Innovation lab developing moonshot technologies
- Anduril
- Advanced hardware company founded by Palmer Luckey
Glossary
- X Prize
- A competition that awards substantial monetary prizes to incentivize innovation and solve major global challenges
- Moonshots
- Ambitious, high-risk innovation projects aimed at solving major problems or creating transformative breakthroughs
- Hackathon
- An event where developers and builders collaborate intensively over a short period to create software or solutions