Why has our technological progress stagnated? Despite having the knowledge to build fusion reactors, and brain-computer interfaces, we remain tethered to incremental improvements rather than revolutionary breakthroughs. Our energy infrastructure—fission plants, solar arrays, hydroelectric dams—remains fundamentally unchanged for decades. We've surrendered the audacity that gave us satellites, supersonic flight, and the first computers. Where are the hyperloop networks that should connect our cities? The humanoid robots that could transform labor? The desalination infrastructure to address water scarcity? The widespread advanced 3D printing to democratize manufacturing? We possess the blueprints for a Type I civilization yet hesitate at the threshold, content with digital distractions while physical infrastructure crumbles. The Kardashev Society asks: have we lost the will to build the future we once imagined?
In 1964, Soviet astronomer Nikolai Kardashev proposed a scale to measure a civilization's technological advancement based on its ability to harness and utilize energy. A Type I civilization can use all the energy available on its planet; Type II can harness the energy of its star; Type III can command the energy of its entire galaxy. Today, humanity remains a Type 0 civilization, having not yet fully harnessed our planet's energy resources.
The Kardashev Society was founded with a singular vision: to reify humanity's technological progress through collaborative creation and innovation. We believe that the path to advancing on the Kardashev scale requires not just theoretical research, but hands-on building and making. By bringing together diverse talents in intensive build sessions, we aim to catalyze breakthroughs that might otherwise take decades to emerge.
"The future is built, not predicted. The Kardashev Society exists to build that future, one prototype at a time."
Once-Monthly Build-a-Thons
The cornerstone of the Kardashev Society is our monthly Build-a-Thon: a 53-hour intensive creation marathon that runs from Friday at 5pm to Sunday at 10pm. These events combine the energy and creativity of hackathons with the engineering depth of workshops, allowing participants to tackle ambitious projects in a collaborative environment.
Each Build-a-Thon focuses on a specific technological domain, providing specialized equipment, mentorship, and resources. Participants form teams to design and build functional prototypes that push the boundaries of what's currently possible. The emphasis is not on competition but on creation—making something that didn't exist before the weekend began.
What distinguishes our Build-a-Thons from typical hackathons is the emphasis on physical creation. While software is an essential component, our focus is on building tangible technologies that interact with the physical world. This hardware-first approach reflects our belief that advancing on the Kardashev scale requires mastery of the material universe.
Scheduled Build-a-Thons (2025-2026)
June 2025
Drone Engineering
Build custom drones optimized for specific tasks or environments. Teams will design specialized UAVs for applications ranging from precision agriculture to environmental monitoring, search and rescue, or artistic expression.
UAVs
Control Systems
Sensors
July 2025
Smart Home Automation
Develop custom hardware solutions for home automation beyond commercial products. Create integrated systems that enhance efficiency, security, and quality of life through innovative sensing and control mechanisms.
IoT
Embedded Systems
Automation
August 2025
Robotics
Build robots that can navigate environments, solve tasks, or interact with objects autonomously. Focus areas include manipulation, locomotion, perception, and human-robot interaction.
Manipulation
Perception
Autonomy
September 2025
Wearable Technology
Create technology integrated into clothing or accessories with practical applications. Develop wearables for health monitoring, augmented reality, environmental sensing, or novel human-computer interfaces.
Health Tech
Flexible Electronics
AR/VR
October 2025
Space Technology
Create satellites, rocket engines, and other space-relevant projects. Design CubeSats, propulsion systems, life support technologies, or tools for in-space manufacturing and resource utilization.
Propulsion
Life Support
Miniaturization
November 2025
Flight
Create aircraft designs, planes, drones, jet aircraft, scramjets, ramjets, rockets, and other flying objects. Explore novel propulsion systems, aerodynamic designs, and control mechanisms.
Aerodynamics
Propulsion
Materials
December 2025
3D Printing
Create 3D printable parts, projects, and designs with an AI prompt-to-product track. Develop new printing techniques, materials, or applications that expand the capabilities of additive manufacturing.
Additive Manufacturing
Materials Science
AI Design
January 2026
Structures
Design and build prototype buildings, factories, skyscrapers, megastructures, bridges, dams, canals, etc. Explore novel construction techniques, materials, and architectural approaches.
Architecture
Civil Engineering
Materials
February 2026
Vehicles
Build, design and prototype motorcycles, cars and car parts, scooters, motorbikes, trains, hyperloop, and any other motorized ground transport. Focus on efficiency, novel propulsion, autonomous capabilities.
Electric Vehicles
Autonomous Systems
Transportation
March 2026
Brain-Computer Interfaces
Build, design and prototype invasive and non-invasive BCIs. Work with fNIRS, EEG, and other sensing technologies to create new ways for humans to interact with computers and machines.
Neurotechnology
Signal Processing
Human Augmentation
April 2026
Compute
Hacks on Accelerators: FPGA, GPU, TPU, etc. Develop quantum computers, optical computers, thermal computers. Design data center construction, servers, and GPU boxes to push computational boundaries.
Hardware Acceleration
Quantum Computing
Data Centers
May 2026
Phones
Smartphone hacks, jailbreaks, mods, new designs, and custom phone creation. Reimagine mobile computing with novel interfaces, sensors, or capabilities beyond commercial offerings.
Mobile Computing
UI/UX
Sensors
June 2026
Shipping
Build, design, and prototype submarines, boats, carriers, destroyers, cruise ships, and yachts. Explore autonomous navigation, novel propulsion, or specialized maritime applications.
Maritime Engineering
Hydrodynamics
Navigation
July 2026
Energy
Build, design and prototype fission and fusion reactors, solar panels, geothermal plants, and batteries. Develop new approaches to energy generation, storage, and distribution.
Renewable Energy
Nuclear
Energy Storage
August 2026
Integrated Systems
For our culminating event, teams will integrate technologies developed in previous Build-a-Thons to create complex systems that address major challenges.
Systems Engineering
Integration
Grand Challenges
Beyond Building: The Path to Kardashev Type I
The Kardashev Society recognizes that technological advancement alone is insufficient to progress on the Kardashev scale. True advancement requires not just creating new technologies, but integrating them into our civilization in ways that enhance our collective capabilities while ensuring sustainability and equity.
The path to becoming a Kardashev Type I civilization—one that can harness all the energy available on Earth—requires not just technological innovation but social innovation: new models of collaboration, resource sharing, and governance that allow us to collectively harness and direct our planet's resources toward shared goals.
The Kardashev Society aims to be a laboratory not just for new technologies, but for new ways of creating together. By bringing diverse talents together in intensive, focused creation events, we hope to catalyze not just technological breakthroughs, but new models of collaborative innovation that can catalyze humanity's progress toward becoming a true planetary civilization.
"The greatest engineering challenge of our time is not any particular technology, but the meta-challenge of how to organize our collective intelligence and resources to solve the problems that matter."
Join us as we build the future, one prototype at a time.
