Microsoft Launches Agents League: A Two-Week AI Development Challenge

Microsoft is launching Agents League, a two-week AI development competition running from February 16-27 that invites developers to build AI agents using production-ready Microsoft tools while learning from live coding sessions and product teams.

The challenge features three distinct tracks designed to showcase different aspects of Microsoft's AI ecosystem:

Creative Apps Track focuses on building innovative applications with GitHub Copilot, including Chat, CLI, and SDK modes. Participants can create web apps, CLI tools, games, mobile apps, or desktop applications that demonstrate AI-assisted development capabilities.

Reasoning Agents Track leverages Microsoft Foundry and the Microsoft Agent Framework to build multi-agent systems capable of advanced reasoning. This track emphasizes agents that can plan, reason through multi-step problems, and collaborate using architecture patterns like planner-executor, critic/verifier, and self-reflection.

Enterprise Agents Track targets real-world business scenarios using the M365 Agents Toolkit or Copilot Studio. Projects must work within Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat and can earn bonus points for MCP server integration, OAuth security, Adaptive Cards UI, and multi-agent architectures.

Competition Structure

The event kicks off with live coding battles streamed on Microsoft Reactor from February 17-19. Experienced developers will compete in real-time, explaining their architectural decisions and approaches:

• February 17, 9 AM PT: Creative Apps battle
• February 18, 9 AM PT: Reasoning Agents battle
• February 19, 9 AM PT: Enterprise Agents battle

All sessions will be recorded for participants to watch on their own schedule.

Week two (February 24-26) shifts to an asynchronous format with Discord AMAs where participants can ask questions directly to Microsoft experts and product teams. This flexible schedule allows developers to work evenings, weekends, or whenever fits their availability.

Prizes and Recognition

To be eligible for prizes and digital badges, participants must register before submitting their projects. The competition offers:

• $500 prizes for winners in each of the three tracks
• GitHub Copilot Pro subscriptions for Community Favorite (voted by participants) and Product Team Picks (selected by Microsoft teams)
• Digital badges for all participants who register and submit

Beyond tangible rewards, every participant receives direct feedback from the teams who built these tools, providing valuable insights for improving AI agent development approaches.

Getting Started

The competition requires registration through aka.ms/agentsleague/register. Without registration, submissions won't qualify for awards or badges. Participants should then:

1. Choose one track and explore the corresponding starter kit
2. Watch the live battles to learn from experienced developers
3. Build their project using the two-week timeframe
4. Submit via GitHub using the project submission template
5. Join Discord for help, progress sharing, and voting

Starter kits are available at github.com/microsoft/agentsleague/starter-kits, and the Discord community can be accessed at aka.ms/agentsleague/discord.

Why This Matters

Microsoft positions this competition as more than just a contest—it's an opportunity to gain hands-on experience with production-grade AI tools that are increasingly relevant in today's job market. Participants build real projects for their portfolios, gain experience with tools like GitHub Copilot, Microsoft Foundry, and M365 Agents Toolkit, and connect with developers worldwide.

The competition addresses multiple audiences: students seeking internships, developers exploring AI, and experienced programmers wanting to showcase their skills. With AI development opportunities expanding rapidly, this two-week challenge provides structured learning while building practical, portfolio-worthy projects.

The Agents League represents Microsoft's commitment to developer education and community building around its AI ecosystem. By combining competitive elements with educational resources and direct access to product teams, the company creates an environment where learning happens through doing, with real-world applications and immediate feedback.

Published February 5, 2026

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