INCF continued its long-standing role as an umbrella organization for Google Summer of Code (GSoC) in 2026, bringing together developers and neuroscience research software communities. The 16th INCF programme included 23 contributors working on 23 projects across 21 collaborating organizations, supported by 75 mentors. Participating projects contribute to open-source tools and infrastructure used in neuroscience and related research fields. Through the umbrella model, participating communities gain a shared framework for mentorship and coordination while retaining ownership of their project goals. Contributors gain experience in collaborative software development, and mentors help connect technical work to the needs of research users. INCF’s continued involvement in GSoC reflects its investment in sustainable scientific software and the people and communities that maintain it.