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DrivenData · Paid competitionDrivenData competitions
Machine-learning competitions run for mission-driven organisations — over $5,004,000 in prize money paid out to date. Only a handful run at once, so the field entering any one of them is a fraction of the size of the big platforms.
Dates & timeline
Prizes
- $5,004,000+ in prize money paid out across the platform to date
- Trace the Ace: $50,000 total (write-ups required to win; extra prizes for publication)
- Lost in Transcription: $20,000 total
- DaT Parkinson's Challenge: €25,000 total — 1st €12,500, 2nd €7,500, 3rd €5,000
- Prizes are set per competition — confirm the currency and split on the competition page
- $5,004,000+ in prize money distributed
- 262,000 submissions to date
- Competitions usually run 2–3 months and only a few are open at once
Why it's worth your time
DrivenData runs online data-science competitions on behalf of mission-driven organisations — its stated purpose is using "data science & AI to help mission-driven organizations offer more impactful services." Challenges come from research bodies, foundations and public institutions rather than from a single sponsor, and the platform has paid out over $5,004,000 in prize money across 262,000 submissions.
The practical argument for a student is scarcity of competitors. Where the largest platforms run dozens of competitions attracting enormous fields, DrivenData typically has only a few open at any moment, each with a well-defined problem and a published prize table. Open competitions as of early August 2026 include Trace the Ace ($50,000, predicting learning gains from real tutoring transcripts, closing 27 August 2026), Mozilla Data Collective's Lost in Transcription ($20,000, bilingual speech recognition, closing mid-September) and the DaT Parkinson's Challenge (€25,000, closing 16 September). Note that prizes are set per competition and not all are USD — check before you commit.
How to apply
Open the competitions page and read the problem statements — pick one where the data type is something you have actually worked with.
Read that competition's official rules for eligibility and prize terms before investing time; terms are set per competition, not platform-wide.
Get a baseline submission on the leaderboard early, then iterate — the 2–3 month window rewards steady work over a last-week sprint.
Write up your method properly. Some competitions, including Trace the Ace, require a solution write-up to win a prize at all.
Frequently asked questions
Does it cost anything to enter a DrivenData competition?
No. Competition rules state "NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN THIS COMPETITION."
Can students in India take part?
The competitions are online and open to residents of any country where participating or receiving a prize is not prohibited by US or local law; specific jurisdictions can be excluded per competition, so read the official rules of the one you enter.
What can you actually win?
Prize pools are published per competition — currently $50,000 for Trace the Ace, $20,000 for Mozilla Data Collective's Lost in Transcription and €25,000 for the DaT Parkinson's Challenge. DrivenData has paid out more than $5,004,000 in total.
How is this different from the largest competition platforms?
Far fewer competitions run at once, so each field is much smaller. The problems are also socially motivated and unusual in shape, which rewards careful thinking over brute-force ensembling.
Is it realistic for a 2nd-year student?
Winning is hard, but the smaller fields make placing meaningfully more achievable than on the biggest platforms, and several competitions require a written solution report — which leaves you with a public, citable artifact whether or not you place.
Official links
US startups hiring on Tierones
Part-time, remote coding internships with funded US startups — quoted in USD per hour, open to verified 2nd- and 3rd-year students. Free for students, always.
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