Eligibility and Country Restrictions

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I joined Start or enabled Developer Access after September 24, 2026. Can I still enter? Yes. As long as your Developer Access is enabled and you meet all other eligibility requirements by the time you submit, you can participate.
What are the requirements to participate in the Competition? Participants must be at least 18 years old (and the age of majority in their jurisdiction), have an active Meta account with Developer Access enabled, and they or a member of their team must be a member in good standing of the Meta VR Start Program, and be based in an eligible country. See rules for full details on eligibility.
Do I have to have a headset to compete in the competition? No, you are not required to own a Meta Quest headset to compete in the Meta VR Start Developer Competition.
Are there any regional restrictions on the use of specific development tools or features? All development tools, SDKs, and features used must be available to the general public and/or Meta VR Start Program members. Use of unreleased Meta tools, SDKs, or features is not permitted. There are no additional regional restrictions on tools beyond the eligibility countries listed above.
I live in an eligible country, but I am also a tax resident in an excluded country or area subject to international sanctions and/or banking and wire transfer restrictions. Am I allowed to participate? Being a tax resident in an excluded country or area does not preclude eligibility. Participants may remain eligible provided they reside in an eligible country, hold a bank account in the eligble country, complete all official documents using their address in the eligble country, and meet all other entrant / submission requirements in the Official Rules.

If selected as a winner, the entrant should be able to provide proof of their legal status in the country, such as: proof of legal entry (e.g., an entry stamp showing their visa-free stay) or a temporary or permanent residence card
Are apps currently in development with financial support from Meta eligible for the competition? No. Apps that previously received or are currently in development with financial support from Meta (such as those funded through a Request for Proposal (RFP) or similar programs) are not eligible to participate in the competition.
Are developers working with a Meta Launch Manager and/or Partner Manager eligible to participate? Yes, developers who are considered “managed” (i.e., those with published or soon-to-be published apps in the App Store and assigned to a Meta representative) are eligible to participate, as long as their submitted app is not currently in development with financial support from Meta and significant updates have been made to the app during the competition.
Can studios, companies and organizations enter the competition? Yes, studios, companies and organizations are allowed to participate. However, any sponsorship prizing will be distributed to a single designated individual on behalf of the studio, company or organization. The same rule applies to team entries: prizes will be awarded to one representative for the team.
Are past competition winners eligible to win for an update to the same project? Yes, a past winning project is eligible to win an Adapted / Significantly Updated division award, provided the project update qualifies and the entrant / submission meets all other requirements.
I am based in an excluded country, or area subject to international sanctions and/or banking and wire transfer restrictions. Am I allowed to participate?

Participants must not be residents of, or Organizations domiciled in, Brazil, Quebec, or in any area subject to comprehensive international sanctions such as Crimea, Russia, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, or any other country or individual designated by the United States Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control.

Due to current U.S. government sanctions governing cross-border monetary transactions, financial institutions are restricted from transmitting funds to certain countries. Under contest laws, it is a regulatory violation to allow individuals to enter a competition if they have no legal path to claim the prize.

See Official Rules.

Content and IP Guidelines

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Are previously published apps eligible to participate? Yes, previously published apps are eligible to participate in the Adapted/Significantly Updated Experience division if they include significant updates introduced specifically for this competition. A "significant update" must add major new features, substantially improve existing features, or integrate new technologies that meaningfully enhance the app’s functionality, user experience, or value, as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion.

A significant update is defined as one or more of the following:
  • Addition of at least one major new feature or capability.
  • Substantial improvements to existing features that result in a demonstrable change in user interaction.
  • Integration of new technologies, platforms, or services that expand the app’s scope.
Examples of significant updates:
  • Implementing Hand Interactions as a new feature.
  • Adding multiplayer support.
  • Introducing a new mixed reality (MR) interaction mode as a new feature.
  • Releasing a new user generated content creation tool.
Examples of updates that do not qualify as significant:
  • Bug fixes or minor UI tweaks.
  • Cosmetic changes (such as a new color scheme).
  • Performance optimization without new user-facing features.
What documentation is required when submitting a previously published app? Entrants must provide a summary (1-2 paragraphs) describing the new features or capabilities added since the app’s original release. Supporting materials such as screenshots, changelogs, or demo videos are strongly encouraged.
What are the content guidelines for apps, especially concerning age ratings (e.g., 10+, 13+, 18+)? Apps must comply with Meta Developer Content Guidelines for age ratings (10+, 13+, or 18+). Content must be appropriate for the selected age group and must not include prohibited content such as obscene, offensive, hateful, or adult-oriented material. All content must comply with Meta’s developer policies and community standards.
Can I port an existing game or experience from another platform? Yes, you may port an existing game or experience, provided it is your original work or you have the necessary rights to use all included assets. The app must be built for Meta VR devices and meet all other eligibility and technical requirements. Ported experiences qualify for the Adapted/Significantly Updated Experience division of the competition, and should be submitted as such.
What are the intellectual property (IP) guidelines regarding originality and the use of third-party assets? Entries must be original to the entrant or use content that is in the public domain or provided by Meta for the contest. If using third-party tools, code, or assets, you must be authorized to use them according to their licensing terms. Entries must not infringe on any third-party rights, including copyright, trademark, or privacy rights.
How will intellectual property be handled for submitted projects? Participants retain ownership of their intellectual property. However, by submitting, you grant Meta a limited license to use your submission for judging and promotional purposes.
Can I submit a wrapper experience? Core experience should be Entrant-built. Thin wrappers around existing platforms or services (YouTube, ChatGPT, etc.) are highly discouraged.
Can I submit an app for AI Glasses? Project builds need to be playable on Meta Quest 3/3S.
The guidelines recommend “a seated, stationary experience,” what radius of space should we focus on?  This is a guideline, not a requirement. The "airplane test" is intended to be a useful mental model for how much space an average seated player might have to fully experience your app. Visualize a small playing space, around 2ft in diameter—about the amount of space you'd have to move around in an airplane or bus seat without disrupting the person sitting next to you. You are not required to build an app that fits this guideline for the competition, but if your app is a good fit for a seated-optimized, limited-space experience, it's good to keep in mind.
I recently participated in a Start Accelerator (i.e., Social VR Accelerator, Hands-First VR Accelerator). Can I submit the project I built for the accelerator?  Yes, like all projects started before September 24, 2026, projects built for previous Accelerators are eligible for the Adapted / Significantly Updated division, provided the project update qualifies and the entrant / submission meets all other requirements.
I am a Start Partner or Acclerator participant who previously utilized 1:1 mentorship support for an app that I now wish to enter into the competition in an Adapted / Significantly Updated division. Am I allowed to submit the app or do I need to start a new project? Yes, projects that received 1:1 mentorship support before September 24, 2026 are still eligible to be submitted for the competition so long as 1:1 mentorship is NOT utilized for the competition project during the competition window from September 24, 2026 through November 18, 2026.

Technical Requirements and Tools

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Am I required to use a specific build path or engine? Yes, you may use Unity, Unreal, Godot, Native/Adroid, Immersive Web SDK or another engine. This will not impact your prize eligibility. See Rules & Resources for more details.
Am I required to implement Hand Interactions? Your experience must be fully usable with hands, end-to-end. Controller support is welcome, but not required. The test is simple: can someone complete the entire experience without ever pairing a controller? See the Rules & Resources for more details.
For performance, am I required to build for Quest 2/Pro, or should my build prioritize Quest 3/3s?  Prioritize performance for Quest 3 and 3s. You may submit an app that is backward compatible to Quest 2 or Quest Pro, but it will not be judged on backward compatibility.  
Do Meta VR Glasses support face tracking for 3P apps? No. There's no camera-based face tracking available to apps on Meta VR Glasses. Face animation (aka Blendshapes) for apps is driven by Audio To Expressions, the same audio-driven approach that powers stylized avatars on Quest 3 and Quest 3S today. This method and eye movement are both provided by Movement SDK. Hologram calling does utilize camera-based face tracking on Meta VR Glasses but there is no 3P developer API. More information here: https://developers.meta.com/vr/documentation/unity/move-face-tracking/#faq
Which external 3D software and asset creation tools are supported? You may use any external 3D software or asset creation tools, as long as the resulting assets are compatible with Unity, Unreal, Immersive Web SDK, etc. Commonly used tools include Blender, Maya, and others, provided you have the proper licenses for any third-party assets used.
Do we have to use only Meta SDKs, or can we use other tools like the XR Interaction Toolkit? Part of the judging criteria is the Technical Implementation of platform tools, particularly the features that define hands-first experiences: gaze interactions (Unity/Unreal ISDK v207+), hand tracking, passthrough, spatial anchoring, and FoV-aware design. You may use any external 3D software or asset creation tools, as long as the resulting assets are compatible with your selected build path and run on Meta VR devices. See Rules & Resources for more details.
Am I allowed to use other, non-Meta SDKs like XRIT? Yes. We recommend using Meta Interaction SDK as an independent package or included as part of Meta All In One SDK package, but developers are permitted to use Unity’s XR Interaction Toolkit with XR Hands or other custom solutions that target OpenXR. 
Are there any technical restrictions on the number of assets, scripts, or other parameters? There are no explicit limits on the number of objects or scripts, but your app must meet Meta’s technical requirements and function reliably on Meta Quest devices. All apps must be packaged as APKs and uploaded to a new release channel named "Competition" in the Meta VR Developer Center or to a GitHub page link (if built with IWSDK/WebXR).
Will the judges be playing competition apps on Meta VR Glasses or Meta Quest? Judges will review apps on a Meta Quest 3 or Quest 3S.
I don’t have access to a Meta VR device. What can I use to test my project and capture real gameplay for my demonstration video? Test your app and capture demo footage without hardware by using Meta XR Simulator (Unity/Unreal), Meta Spatial Simulator, and Immersive Web Emulator. More information: https://developers.meta.com/vr/essentials/test-your-app/
I had a competition release channel from last year’s competition and am planning to submit the same app for the Adapted/Significantly Updated division. Can I use the old release channel or should I make a new one for this competition? We recommend creating a new release channel for this year’s competition over reusing a release channel from last year’s competition, even if you are submitting an updated version of the same app. 

Competition and Submission Process

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When are submissions due? Submissions are due by November 18, 2026, at 12:00 P.M. Pacific Time.
How are submissions judged? The judging process for the Meta VR Start Developer Competition involves two main stages: first, all submitted projects are reviewed to ensure they meet the baseline requirements, including alignment with the competition theme, their selected track and division, and proper use of required tools and features.

Projects that pass this initial check are then evaluated by a panel of expert Meta and third party judges according to four equally weighted criteria: innovation and creativity, experience design, technical implementation, and polish and presentation. Each criterion accounts for 25% of the total score, and the highest scoring entries in each category are selected as winners. In the event of a tie, the judges will vote to determine the winner. All judging decisions are final, and entries are assessed based on their state at the submission deadline, with no changes permitted after the entry period closes.
Can I submit multiple entries? No. Each Entrant is limited to submitting one Entry in this Contest.

An Entry is submitted either (i) by an individual on their own behalf, or (ii) by a Team Representative on behalf of a Team or Organization. Participation as a non-Representative Team member does not constitute submitting an Entry. An individual may not both submit an Entry as a solo entrant and serve as a Team Representative, as this would result in two Entries being attributed to that individual.
Is my Entry eligible to win more than one prize? No. Each Entry is only eligible for one prize. If in consideration for multiple prizes, you will be awarded the highest prize value.
Can I be a member of multiple teams or organizations? Yes. You can participate as a member of multiple Teams or Organizations as a non-Representative member, but you may only submit one Entry as either (i) an individual on your own behalf, or (ii) a Team Representative on behalf of a Team or Organization.
Can I work on one project with a team and another one individually? Yes, you may only submit one Entry as either (i) an individual on your own behalf, or (ii) a Team Representative on behalf of a Team or Organization, but you can participate as a member of multiple Teams or Organizations as a non-Representative member.

Permitted Participation Scenarios for an individual:
  1. as a solo entrant, submitting one Entry on their own behalf;
  2. as a solo entrant who submits one Entry on their own behalf and also participates as a non-Representative member of one or more Teams or Organizations (because non-Representative membership does not count as an Entry); or
  3. as a Team Representative, submitting one Entry on that Team or Organization’s behalf (and optionally also serving as a non-Representative member of other Teams or Organizations).
An individual may not both submit an Entry as a solo entrant and serve as a Team Representative, as this would result in two Entries being attributed to that individual.
Is there a maximum number of projects that a team can submit? Yes. Each Team may only submit one project. The Entry must be submitted by a Team Representative on behalf of the Team or Organization.
Is there a maximum team size? No, there is no maximum team size.
What submission information do I need to select when submitting my project? From Rules:
Project must be submitted during the Entry Period and remain available until the Winner Announcement in one of the following ways:
  1. For apps built with Unity, Unreal, Godot, Native/Android or another engine: An APK uploaded to the Meta VR Developer Dashboard under a new release channel named “Competition”.
  2. For apps built with IWSDK (WebXR): A link will be required for judges to access and test your application. See "Deploying to GitHub Pages" for additional details. You may also use your preferred hosting solution (e.g., Vercel, Digital Ocean, AWS, Azure, etc).
  3. All required items must be added to the Submission of the Project on Devpost which includes, but is not limited to:
  • Link to your Project in the Competition release channel (from the Meta VR Developer Dashboard).
  • Demonstration video of your Project that should be less than three (3) minutes and showcase footage of your Project as viewed on a Meta Quest device or via XR Simulator or another equivalent emulator. The video must be uploaded to and made publicly visible on YouTube or Vimeo and a link to the video must be provided on the submission form on the Competition website. Judges are not required to watch beyond three minutes.
  • A text description that explains your inspiration, how you built it, future plans for improvement and a target launch date, if not already published to the Meta VR Store. If your Project is an Adapted / Significantly Updated Experience, Entry should include a summary description of the new features/capabilities added to the application. Screenshots, changelogs and/or demo videos are highly recommended.
  • Select the Division you are submitting your Project into: Net New or Adapted / Significantly Updated Experience.
  • Select the Track you are submitting your Project into: Entertainment, Productivity or Gaming.
Is it mandatory to include a video of our project in the submission? Yes, a video is required as part of submission. See Rules for details.
Is there a specific format or length requirement for the project video? We recommend keeping your video concise (under 3 minutes) and clearly demonstrating your project's key features and innovations.

From Rules: The video must be uploaded to and made publicly visible on YouTube or Vimeo and a link to the video must be provided on the submission form on the Competition website. Judges are not required to watch beyond three minutes.
I have a previously published app that I've updated for the competition, but I'm having trouble creating a shareable URL from the Developer Center for my submission, or my accessible build is past the 90-day limit. Can I use my live Meta Quest Store link in my submission instead? We recommend drafting your updated app as a new project with a different name in the Developer Center and use a private Alpha Channel to upload your latest competition build.

OR if you are unable to generate an invite URL, you you may submit your app’s public Meta Quest Store link as your Entry. Please ensure your submission meets all other eligibility requirements outlined in the Official Rules. This includes ensuring your app remains available and you do not make any updates during the judging period between November 18 at 12pm PST and when winners are announced on or around December 11.
Can I edit my track or division after submitting my competition entry? Yes, you can update your project's submission form up until the competition closes at 12:00PM PST on November 18, 2026.
Can I update my game/app after submitting it for the competition (e.g. for a bug fix)? Yes, you can update your game/app up until the competition closes at 12:00PM PST on November 18, 2026. Please ensure your app remains available and you do not make any updates during the judging period between November 18 at 12:00PM PST and when winners are announced on or around December 11. See Official Rules.

Other

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Is there a difference between the Meta Horizon Start Program and the Meta VR Start Program? No, these are the same program. Meta VR Start is the updated name of the program formerly known as Meta Horizon Start.
How do I verify my Start program membership? Visit the Developer Forum: https://communityforums.atmeta.com/category/horizon-developer-forum 
 
When logged in, you should see the forum flair "Start Member" or "Start Partner" next to your name. If you submitted an application to the Start program more than 24 hours ago, meet the program qualifications, and do not see this title next to your username, please file a support ticket and our team will be happy to investigate. 
I can't open Start Member pages or event links, or my Start application shows an error. If you are experiencing issues with your Start membership, submit a case in the Meta Developer Support Center: https://developers.meta.com/vr/support/ 
Am I required to publish my application on the Meta Store, or can I submit an APK?  Publishing to the store is not required for the competition, but you are required to provide a Release Channel link (or a URL for web experiences) with your competition project submission. APKs will not be considered.
Can I apply to receive XR/VR hardware for my project? The Start program does not currently provide devkits or hardware. 
Can I use third-party non-Meta devices e.g. bluetooth accessories? Unfortunately we are only able to support testing on Meta VR devices that our large team of globally distributed judges will all have equal access to. Your experience should not require a third-party device to operate.
Need Help?  
What kind of support is available for participants during the competition? Participants can access support through our official Developer Forum, workshops and dedicated office hours, with mentors which can be found here.
I'm experiencing technical issues on Devpost, who should I contact? Please reach out to Devpost support directly at [email protected] for assistance with technical issues related to the submission form.