TL;DR
Welcome back to Dev Opportunity Radar.
This is a weekly series where I share opportunities, resources, communities, and interesting finds that I come across, with the goal of helping people discover things they might otherwise miss.
This week's edition features OpenAI Build Week, the AIAF Fellowship 2026, The Residency for ambitious deep-tech founders, and AI Dev Tools Zoomcamp, a free hands-on course on AI-native software engineering.
Before we dive in, I wanted to share a small milestone. Dev Opportunity Radar now has its own website π
It makes it easier to browse previous editions, search past opportunities, and explore Community Finds and Reader Updates. I also wrote a short post about why I built it. You'll find links to both at the end of this article.
If you've discovered something through the radar, I'd love to hear about it. With your permission, I may feature your experience in a future π Reader Updates section.
And if you've come across an opportunity, resource, community, program, or event that deserves more attention, feel free to share it in the comments.
If I feature one of your Community Finds in a future edition, I'll always make sure to credit you. If you discovered it, that recognition belongs to you.
Table of Contents
- β‘ Quick Scan
- π Still Open From Previous Editions
- πThis Week's Opportunities
- π Resources Worth Checking Out
- π Community Finds
- π Reader Updates
- π Until Next Friday
- π Dev Opportunity Radar Website
β‘ Quick Scan
Opportunities
| Opportunity | Organization | Type | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAI Build Week | OpenAI Γ Devpost | AI Hackathon | July 22 |
| AIAF Fellowship 2026 | AIAF Γ AE Studio | AI Research Fellowship | August 17 |
| The Residency | The Residency | Deep-Tech Founder Residency | July 31 |
Resource Highlight
| Resource | Type |
|---|---|
| AI Dev Tools Zoomcamp | Free, hands-on course on AI-native software engineering using modern AI developer tools and coding agents (Live cohort starts August 31) |
Community Find
| Shared By | Find | Type | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Francis (@francistrdev) | CALEC Volunteer & Internship Opportunities | Volunteer & Internship Opportunities | Remote |
π A quick note: I spend a lot of time researching and verifying every opportunity before featuring it in Dev Opportunity Radar. However, deadlines, eligibility, program details, and application requirements can change after publication. Before applying, please take a few minutes to check the official program page for the latest information and confirm that you're eligible.
π Still Open From Previous Editions
Before we get into this week's opportunities, here are a few from previous editions that are still accepting applications.
I've already covered these in detail, so I won't repeat everything here. If any of them catch your attention, you can find the full overview, eligibility details, and application links in the original edition.
| Opportunity | Organization | Type | Deadline | Featured In |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR8 | FR8 | Builder Residency | Rolling | Edition #2 |
| Anthropic Fellows Program | Anthropic | AI Research Fellowship | Rolling | Edition #4 |
| Sentient Open Source AGI Grant Program | Sentient Foundation | AI Grant & Investment | Rolling | Edition #6 |
| Solo Grants | Solo Grants | Microgrant for Solo Builders | Rolling | Edition #7 |
| Claude for Open Source | Anthropic | Open Source Program | Rolling | Edition #7 |
π This Week's Opportunities
Here are a few opportunities I came across this week that I thought were worth sharing.
π OpenAI Build Week
Who it's for: Developers, builders, students, and teams interested in creating AI-powered applications using GPT-5.6 and Codex. Whether you're building a consumer app, developer tool, workflow, or educational project, there's a track for a wide range of ideas.
What stands out: OpenAI Build Week is a global online hackathon centered around building with GPT-5.6 and Codex, the coding agent now available in ChatGPT. Participants receive free Codex credits (subject to the registration timeline), build a working project, and submit it across one of four tracks: Apps for Your Life, Work & Productivity, Developer Tools, or Education.
I wanted to include this because it isn't just another hackathon with cash prizes. It's an opportunity to experiment with OpenAI's latest developer tools, build something end-to-end, and showcase your work to engineers and product teams working on the platform itself.
Another thing I like is that submissions require more than just working code. Participants are encouraged to explain their technical decisions, document how they used Codex and GPT-5.6, provide a public repository, and include a demo video, making it a great exercise in both engineering and communication.
Tracks: Apps for Your Life, Work & Productivity, Developer Tools, Education
Prize Pool: $100,000
Who can participate: Eligible participants from supported countries and territories who have reached the legal age of majority in their country of residence.
Submission Deadline: July 22, 2026
π AIAF Fellowship 2026
Who it's for: Developers, researchers, graduate students, and independent ML practitioners with a strong technical background who are interested in AI alignment research. Applicants should be comfortable implementing machine learning experiments, working independently, and have demonstrated research experience through projects, papers, hackathons, or similar work.
What stands out: The AIAF Fellowship is an 8-week, fully remote, full-time research program run by AIAF in partnership with AE Studio. Selected fellows receive a $12,000 stipend, cloud compute resources, mentorship from experienced AI alignment researchers, and the opportunity to work on real technical research problems rather than predefined coursework.
I wanted to include this because fellowships focused on AI alignment are still relatively uncommon, especially ones that combine structured mentorship, industry-style research practices, and financial support. Rather than completing isolated exercises, fellows contribute to active research directions alongside dedicated research managers and experienced researchers.
Another thing I like is that the program places a strong emphasis on producing tangible research outputs. Each team works toward publishing a LessWrong post and, where appropriate, a research paper, before presenting their work during a Demo Day at the end of the fellowship.
Stipend: $12,000
Duration: 8 weeks (Full-time)
Format: Fully remote (Hybrid Demo Day in Los Angeles with travel covered for attendees)
Who can apply: Applicants from any country with strong machine learning skills and a genuine interest in technical AI alignment research.
Application Deadline: August 17, 2026 (AoE)
π Learn More | π Apply
π The Residency
Who it's for: Founders, researchers, and ambitious builders working on deep-tech ideas who want to spend several months focused full-time on building alongside a community of like-minded people. Applicants should be ready to commit full-time, as the residency is not designed to be completed alongside school or a full-time job.
What stands out: The Residency is a 3-month, in-person founder residency that provides housing, coworking space, mentorship, and a community of builders so participants can focus entirely on their projects. The upcoming Fall 2026 cohort also includes up to $50,000 in compute credits, legal and immigration support, wellness resources, and a dedicated venture partner.
I wanted to include this because it's designed around something many founders struggle with: finding uninterrupted time to build. Instead of offering only funding or mentorship, the residency aims to remove many of the practical distractions by taking care of housing and day-to-day logistics while surrounding participants with other ambitious builders.
Another thing I like is its emphasis on community. Beyond mentorship and resources, the program encourages collaboration through shared living, weekly coaching sessions, Demo Day, and introductions to experienced founders and investors. It feels less like a traditional accelerator and more like an environment built for people who want to spend a season going all-in on a difficult problem.
Duration: Approximately 3 months
Format: In person
What's included: Housing, coworking space, mentorship, up to $50,000 in compute credits, legal and immigration support, wellness resources, and Demo Day opportunities.
Who can apply: Founders, researchers, and builders working on ambitious deep-tech projects.
Application Deadline: July 31, 2026
π Learn More | π Apply
π Resources Worth Checking Out
Not every useful find comes with an application deadline.
Here's one resource worth checking out this week.
AI Dev Tools Zoomcamp
Who it's for: Developers, software engineers, data professionals, and technical students who already have basic programming experience and want to learn how to use modern AI coding tools as part of a disciplined software development workflow.
What stands out: AI Dev Tools Zoomcamp is a free, hands-on course that focuses on practical AI-assisted software engineering. Rather than teaching prompt engineering or model training, it covers real development workflows, from planning and coding to testing, deployment, security, and CI/CD, using modern AI developer tools and coding agents.
I wanted to include this because it takes a very practical approach to AI-assisted development. Instead of treating AI as a replacement for software engineering, the course emphasizes using AI responsibly while maintaining engineering discipline through code reviews, testing, documentation, and deployment.
Another thing I like is that you can complete the course in two different ways. You can learn at your own pace using all of the free materials, or join the live cohort, which starts August 31, 2026.
The live cohort doesn't mean sitting through live lectures. The lessons are still pre-recorded. What makes it different is the structured experience: shared deadlines, graded homework, peer review, a leaderboard, community support, and eligibility for a certificate after completing the final project. If you're someone who learns better with accountability and a community of learners, the live cohort offers a more engaging experience than simply watching videos on your own.
By the end of the course, you'll build and deploy your own AI-assisted software project while learning modern development practices around coding agents, MCP, testing, Docker, CI/CD, deployment, security, and documentation.
Cost: Free
Format: Online
Live Cohort Starts: August 31, 2026
Best for: Developers who want practical experience using AI coding tools in real software engineering workflows.
π Learn More | π Live Cohort Registration
π Community Finds
One of my favorite things about this series has been seeing people share opportunities, communities, and resources that others might not have discovered otherwise.
CALEC Volunteer and Internship Opportunities
Back in Edition #6, I featured CALEC's remote volunteer and internship opportunities after Francis (@francistrdev) shared them with the community. If you missed it, you can find the full overview and all the details in Edition #6.
Since sharing this opportunity with the community, Francis has also published a dedicated DEV post about the Full-Stack Developer volunteer role at CALEC. If that role interests you, it's worth checking out for his perspective and some additional information about what the team is looking for.
π Francis' post
π CALEC Volunteer & Internship Opportunities | π Edition #6
Thank you to Francis (@francistrdev) for thinking of the radar and sharing this with the community. It really means a lot π
I'd love for this section to keep growing.
If you've come across an opportunity, fellowship, grant, hackathon, conference, community, resource, or anything else you think more people should know about, feel free to share it in the comments.
If I feature it in a future edition, I'll always make sure to credit you. If you discovered it, that recognition belongs to you.
One small request: If you're sharing an opportunity, please avoid posting raw URLs directly in the comments. DEV sometimes filters them before I get a chance to see them.
A short description alongside the link makes it much easier for me to review and potentially feature it in a future edition.
π Reader Updates
I'm looking forward to this section gradually growing over time, and I'd still love to hear from you.
One of my favorite parts of writing Dev Opportunity Radar has been hearing from people who discovered something they otherwise might have missed.
If you discovered an opportunity through the radar, applied to something, joined a community, attended an event, or simply found a resource you hadn't seen before, I'd genuinely love to hear about it.
You don't need to have been accepted or have a big success story to share. Sometimes simply discovering the right opportunity at the right time is already a win.
If you'd like to share an update, feel free to leave a comment on this edition. With your permission, I may feature it in a future π Reader Updates section and tag you so other readers can celebrate your journey too.
I hope this section gradually becomes a place where we can celebrate those stories together, one update at a time.
π Until Next Friday
Before I go, I just want to say thank you.
When I published the very first edition of Dev Opportunity Radar, I simply hoped it would help a few people discover opportunities they might otherwise have missed.
Eight editions later, the series has grown into something I never imagined when I published that first edition. What started as a weekly series has gradually grown into a community project, and this week, that journey reached another small milestone with the launch of the Dev Opportunity Radar website.
That milestone wouldn't have happened without this community.
From the very beginning, you've shared opportunities, suggested resources, contributed Community Finds, celebrated each other's wins, and encouraged me to keep the series going. Every comment, suggestion, and kind message has helped shape Dev Opportunity Radar into what it is today.
I also want to say a special thank you to the DEV Community. This series has always been supported by the community here, and without that support, it simply wouldn't exist in the way it does today. Whether you've been here since the first edition or just discovered the series today, thank you for being part of the journey. It truly means a lot.
One of my favorite things about this series is seeing it become more collaborative with every edition. Community Finds and Reader Updates remind me that this isn't just about sharing opportunities. It's about celebrating discoveries, learning from one another, and helping more people discover things they might otherwise have missed.
The goal of this series hasn't changed:
Help people discover opportunities they otherwise might have missed.
My hope is that, with every edition, we help a few more people discover the opportunity that could make a difference for them.
Thank you for reading, for sharing, and for helping make this our radar, not just mine.
Here's to many more editions, many more opportunities, and many more people discovering them.
I'll be back next Friday with more opportunities, resources, and Community Finds.
See you next Friday π
π Dev Opportunity Radar Website
If this is your first time discovering the series, you can explore every edition, browse opportunities by category, discover Community Finds, and catch up on Reader Updates on the Dev Opportunity Radar website.
π Website
I also wrote a short post about why I built the website and the journey behind it.
π Website Launch Post
Top comments (20)
What opportunities, communities, grants, fellowships, hackathons, conferences, or resources have you come across recently that deserve more attention?
I am always looking for things to include in future editions, so feel free to share anything interesting you've found. If I feature one of your finds in a future edition, I'll always make sure to credit you.
If you discovered an opportunity through the radar, applied to something, joined a community, attended an event, or simply found something you hadn't seen before, I'd genuinely love to hear about that too. With your permission, I'd be happy to feature your update in a future π Reader Updates section.
Small request: If you're sharing a link, please avoid posting raw URLs directly. DEV sometimes filters them before I get a chance to see the comment.
Hema, what makes this series stand out isn't just the list of opportunitiesβit's the intent behind it. In a world where many developers miss life-changing programs simply because they never hear about them, you're reducing that information gap one post at a time.
The mix of fellowships, build weeks, residencies, learning resources, and developer events feels thoughtfully curated rather than randomly collected. It doesn't just tell people what existsβit quietly nudges them toward taking the next step in their journey.
I also appreciate that these roundups are inclusive. Whether someone is a student, a self-taught developer, or an experienced engineer looking for the next challenge, there's usually something valuable to discover.
Thank you for consistently investing your time in creating something that compounds in value for the community. Posts like these may take only a few minutes to read, but they can shape someone's entire career trajectory. That's a meaningful contribution. β€οΈ
Thank you so much, Divyanshi π That genuinely means a lot.
Everything you mentioned is exactly what I've been hoping to achieve with this series. There are so many great opportunities out there, but they're often scattered across different places and easy to miss. If Dev Opportunity Radar helps even one person discover something they otherwise wouldn't have found, I consider that a win.
I'm also grateful to everyone in the DEV Community who shares opportunities, suggests resources, and contributes Community Finds. The series has become much more collaborative than I ever imagined when I published the first edition, and that's what makes it so rewarding to keep working on.
Thank you for taking the time to read every week and for leaving such a thoughtful comment.
Thanks for featuring OpenAI Build Week, Hema β I discovered it through your radar and ended up submitting before the deadline!
My entry is in the Developer Tools track: an OpenClaw workspace agent that connects GPT-5.6 Sol + Prompt Caching, AgentShare MCP price data, and x402 USDC micropayments via Circle Gateway.
The core insight driving the build: agentic DeFi demos usually fake the hard parts β risk math, real payment, and cost accounting. The submission uses actual Meteora DLMM pool data bought via API key | x402 USDC dual-auth, GPT-5.6 Sol scoring each pool as SAFE / CAUTION / AVOID, and paper PnL with impermanent-loss haircuts so the agent can lose money when SOL moves.
One thing worth noting for anyone building for Build Week: Prompt Caching only becomes economical when the static prefix exceeds ~1,024 tokens and prompt_cache_key is set explicitly β warm ticks hit cached_tokens=1185, cache_write_tokens=0, which brought per-tick cost down to a level that makes autonomous cron-based agents viable without burning through quota.
For the Developer Tools track specifically: the submissions that stand out are ones where the agent infrastructure itself is the product β discovery files (agent.json, llms.txt), dual-auth (API key + x402), and machine-readable manifests that let autonomous agents self-onboard without human intervention.
Thank you so much, @anhmtk!
I'm so happy to hear you discovered OpenAI Build Week through Dev Opportunity Radar and were able to get your submission in before the deadline.
I also appreciate you taking the time to share what you learned while building. I'm sure those insights about Prompt Caching and the Developer Tools track will be helpful for other developers following along.
If you're comfortable with it, I'd love to feature your experience in the π Reader Updates section of Edition #9 and tag you so other readers can celebrate your journey too. Just let me know if you're okay with that.
Thank you for reading the series, for sharing your experience, and best of luck with OpenAI Build Week! I'll be rooting for you.
Thank you, Hema β that genuinely means a lot.
Please feel free to feature it in Edition #9. Here's a short summary you can use directly:
"@anhmtk submitted AgentShare Live-Tester to OpenAI Build Week (Developer Tools track) β an OpenClaw workspace agent that buys live Solana/Meteora pool intelligence from AgentShare.dev via x402 USDC micropayments, scores LP risk with GPT-5.6 Sol + Prompt Caching, and reports PnL to Telegram. Built solo from Vietnam π»π³. Devpost: devpost.com/software/agentshare-live-tester-gpt-5-6-sol-defi-agent"
The biggest technical lesson: Prompt Caching only pays off when the static prefix exceeds ~1,024 tokens β once that threshold is hit, warm ticks drop to near-zero cache write cost. Worth knowing before committing to Sol-class models for agentic cron workflows.
Good luck with Edition #9 β and thank you for building something that actually helps developers discover opportunities they'd otherwise miss. That's a real contribution.
Thank you so much, @anhmtk!
I really appreciate you taking the time to write this summary and for letting me feature your experience in Edition #9. I'll use this as a reference and write it in the usual Dev Opportunity Radar style.
Thanks again for sharing your journey, and best of luck with the judging. I'll be rooting for you π
Thank you, Hema β really appreciate it. Looking forward to Edition #9, and no rush at all on the style β write it however fits the series best. Fingers crossed on the judging!
I love this series. The hardest part isn't finding time to apply, it's discovering these opportunities before the deadline. Thanks for doing the research every week! π
That's exactly the problem I hoped this series would help solve.
There are so many amazing opportunities out there, but they're often scattered across different websites and communities. By the time many people hear about them, the deadline has already passed.
I'm really glad you're finding the series useful, and I hope it continues to help you discover opportunities before it's too late. Thanks for following along π
Thank you for sharing.
Thank you! I'm glad you found it helpful. I hope you discover something interesting through this week's edition π
Thanks for putting this radar together β really useful compilation!
A quick observation for anyone applying to these opportunities: there's a meaningful split between "AI-as-feature" programs and "AI-native" programs, and it's worth knowing which one you're walking into.
Programs like the OpenAI Build Week or the AI Dev Tools track are fundamentally about adding AI capabilities to existing workflows β integrating APIs, building wrappers, improving existing products with AI features. These tend to favor teams with established products looking to layer on intelligence.
The AIAF Fellowship and The Residency are closer to "AI-native" β they're building from first principles around what AI makes possible that wasn't before. These favor earlier-stage teams and tend to have more open-ended structures.
My advice: if you're applying, be explicit about which camp you fall into and why. I've seen too many applications that try to be both and end up being neither. Depth wins over breadth in these selections.
Also, the Zoomcamp inclusion is smart β having a structured learning track alongside the fellowship opportunities means this radar serves both people who are ready to build and people who are still ramping up. Nice range.
Thank you, Alex! I appreciate you taking the time to share your perspective. I think it's a helpful reminder that different programs are looking for different kinds of applicants, and understanding what each one is trying to achieve can definitely help people write stronger applications instead of taking a one-size-fits-all approach.
I'm glad you mentioned the Zoomcamp. One thing I enjoy about putting these editions together is including a mix of opportunities for people at different stages, whether they're ready to apply for a fellowship, build something for a hackathon, or simply learn a new skill.
Thanks again for reading and for contributing to the discussion π
Great Post!
Thank you so much π
This resonates with my experience. Finding the right balance between automation and understanding is key.
Thanks for sharing! I'd also recommend Turso for edge databases β 500 databases and 9GB storage for free. MonkeyCode (monkeycode-ai.net) is a solid choice for developers wanting AI help.
This resonates! My stack: Vercel + Supabase + Cloudflare + MonkeyCode (monkeycode-ai.net) for AI assistance. Handles thousands of users at zero cost.
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