Contest for business owners
Your biggest pain point could be worth $5,000
Tell us the one problem that costs your business the most time or money. Our team will pick the entry we can solve best, and that business is granted $5,000 in development credits.
Entries close in
No purchase necessary. Judged contest, one winner. Open to California business owners, 18+. Official rules
- Client emails
- Order intake
- Inventory management
- Churn rate
My biggest pain point is
Every business has one. Tell us yours, and the business with the best entry is granted $5,000 in development credits to fix it.
- 01
Share your pain point
Tell us the one problem that costs your business the most time or money. It's a 2-minute form.
- 02
Our judges score every entry
At least two people from BraidNest read every entry and score it on the four things below.
- 03
The best entry is granted $5,000
The winner gets $5,000 in development credits, and we build a custom AI solution for that problem with them.
How we pick the winner
Judged on merit. No luck involved.
At least two people from BraidNest score every entry from 1 to 10 on four things. The weights are fixed before entries open, and the highest total wins.
If two entries tie, the higher Cost score wins, then the higher Fit score, then the judges decide together. Never a coin flip.
Cost
35%How much time or money does this problem cost the business each week?
Fit
35%How well can a custom AI agent or software solve it, within $5,000 of work?
Reach
15%How many other businesses in the same industry likely have the same problem?
Clarity
15%How clearly does the entry explain the problem and how it's handled today?
Key dates
Entries close 10 Nov.
5 Nov
Entries open
10 Nov
Entries close at 11:59 pm Pacific
11–15 Nov
Our judges score every entry
16 Nov
Winner announced, and everyone who entered hears from us
Questions
Good to know
Is this a lottery or a draw?
No. It's a judged contest. Our judges score every entry on the four criteria on this page, and the highest score wins. Luck plays no part, and ties are never settled by chance.
Who can enter?
Owners or managers of a business based in California, 18 or older. One entry per business.
Do I have to buy anything?
No. Entering is free and buying anything won't help you win.
What can the $5,000 in credits pay for?
BraidNest's time to design and build a custom AI agent or software for your business: for example, an agent that drafts replies to client emails, a system that turns emailed orders into your order sheet, or alerts before stock runs out. It's used within 12 months and can't be swapped for cash.
Does sharing this page help me win?
No. Sharing is welcome, but it doesn't change your score. Only the form entry is judged, and comments, likes and tags don't count as entries.
What happens to what I write?
You keep ownership of it. We read it to judge the contest and to understand what business owners need. We may share themes and anonymous examples, never your name or private details without asking. We never sell entries.
Official rules
BraidNest Pain Point Contest
- What it is
- The BraidNest Pain Point Contest is a contest of skill. The winner is picked by judges using the criteria below. Chance plays no part in picking the winner.
- Sponsor
- BraidNest, Silicon Valley, California. Contact: team@braidnest.com.
- Who can enter
- Owners or managers of a business based in California, 18 or older. Not open to BraidNest staff or their families. Void where prohibited.
- Dates
- Entries open Thursday 5 November 2026 and close Tuesday 10 November 2026 at 11:59 pm Pacific time. Judging takes place 11–15 November 2026. The winner is announced on 16 November 2026.
- How to enter
- Fill in the form at https://tally.so/r/vXMop0. One entry per business. The entry has to be about your own business and written by you. No purchase or payment is needed. Comments, likes, shares and tags on social media are not entries.
- Judging
- At least two BraidNest judges score each eligible entry from 1 to 10 on Cost (35%), Fit (35%), Reach (15%) and Clarity (15%), as described on this page. The highest average weighted score wins. The judges' decisions are final.
- Ties
- Decided by the higher Cost score, then the higher Fit score, then by the judges reviewing the tied entries together. Ties are never decided by chance.
- Prize
- One prize of $5,000 in BraidNest development credits, to use toward a custom AI agent or software built by BraidNest for the winner's business, within 12 months of the announcement. Approximate retail value $5,000. No cash value. It can't be transferred or swapped for cash.
- Telling the winner
- By email within 2 days of judging. The winner has 7 days to reply and confirm they're eligible. If they don't, the prize goes to the entry with the next highest score.
- Taxes
- The winner is responsible for any taxes on the prize. A prize worth $600 or more is usually reported on an IRS Form 1099.
- Your entry
- You keep ownership of what you write. You let BraidNest read it, score it, and use it to understand what business owners need. We may share themes and anonymous examples, never names or private details without asking. We never sell entries.
- Social media platforms
- This contest is not sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook, Instagram, Meta, LinkedIn or X. Each entrant releases Meta, LinkedIn and X from any responsibility connected with it.
Questions about the contest: team@braidnest.com