The Aiven Free Tier Competition: Build, Share, and Win $1,000!

At Aiven, we believe that the best way to learn is by doing. That’s why we have free tiers for the most popular open-source data technologies: PostgreSQL®, Apache Kafka®, MySQL, and Valkey™. No credit cards, no expiring trials, just real, managed instances to help you get your project off the ground.

We’re launching a competition to see what you can build when you have the power of the entire Aiven ecosystem at your fingertips.

The Prize

The most compelling project will win $1,000 USD!

How to Enter

We want to see your journey, not just your code. To enter:

1. Build something cool using at least one of Aiven’s free tier services (PostgreSQL, Kafka, MySQL, or Valkey).
2. Post about it on LinkedIn, X, Discord, Reddit, or your personal blog. Show us a screenshot, a video demo, or a technical write-up of how you built it.
3. Use the hashtag: You must include #AivenFreeTier in your post.
4. Submit the form: To ensure our judges don’t miss your entry, fill out this Google Form with a link to your post and project.

What are we looking for?

Our panel of judges will evaluate entries based on two equal criteria:

• The Build (50%): Quality, creativity, and technical execution. We love seeing how different services (like Kafka and Postgres) work together, but a brilliant standalone project is just as welcome!
• The Story (50%): How you document your process. Tell us about the "why" behind your project, the challenges you faced, and how the Aiven free tier helped you move faster.
  Bonus points: We love seeing "work-in-progress" updates! Share your milestones along the way using the hashtag.

What’s in the Aiven Free Tier?

You can use any combination of these services for your entry:

• Aiven for Apache Kafka®: Streaming data with 5 topics and 3-day retention.
• Aiven for PostgreSQL®: The world's most advanced open-source database.
• Aiven for MySQL: The reliable classic for web applications.
• Aiven for Valkey™: High-performance, in-memory data storage (the open-source successor to Redis).

Timeline

• Competition Starts: Today!
• Submissions Close: March 31, 2026
• Winner Announced: Apr 6, 2026

Ready to get started?

1. Sign up for a free Aiven account.
2. Spin up your free tier services in seconds.
3. Start building!