diff --git a/.changes/.gitkeep b/.changes/.gitkeep
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e69de29bb2d
diff --git a/.changes/e74675f3-d983-45f1-b551-98b0f248db83.json b/.changes/e74675f3-d983-45f1-b551-98b0f248db83.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9110a391427
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changes/e74675f3-d983-45f1-b551-98b0f248db83.json
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+{
+    "id": "e74675f3-d983-45f1-b551-98b0f248db83",
+    "type": "misc",
+    "description": "upgrade kotlin to 1.6.21 and other deps to latest"
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/workflows/continuous-integration.yml b/.github/workflows/continuous-integration.yml
index 53c7af16a56..18e884cc3e7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/continuous-integration.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/continuous-integration.yml
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ jobs:
         shell: bash
         run: |
           systeminfo
-          sed -i 's/org\.gradle\.jvmargs=.*$/org.gradle.jvmargs=-Xmx4g/' gradle.properties
+          sed -i 's/org\.gradle\.jvmargs=.*$/org.gradle.jvmargs=-Xmx2g/' gradle.properties
           echo "org.gradle.parallel=false" >> gradle.properties
           cat gradle.properties
       - name: Build and Test ${{ env.PACKAGE_NAME }}
diff --git a/aws-runtime/aws-core/common/src/aws/sdk/kotlin/runtime/Annotations.kt b/aws-runtime/aws-core/common/src/aws/sdk/kotlin/runtime/Annotations.kt
index 28e16252e7c..c78e07426fe 100644
--- a/aws-runtime/aws-core/common/src/aws/sdk/kotlin/runtime/Annotations.kt
+++ b/aws-runtime/aws-core/common/src/aws/sdk/kotlin/runtime/Annotations.kt
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ package aws.sdk.kotlin.runtime
     level = RequiresOptIn.Level.ERROR,
     message = "This API is internal to aws-runtime and generated SDKs and should not be used. It could be removed or changed without notice."
 )
-@Experimental(level = Experimental.Level.ERROR)
 @Target(
     AnnotationTarget.CLASS,
     AnnotationTarget.TYPEALIAS,
diff --git a/build.gradle.kts b/build.gradle.kts
index da14d48f827..5352d3c8f76 100644
--- a/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/build.gradle.kts
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import java.util.Properties
 import java.net.URL
 
 plugins {
-    kotlin("jvm") version "1.6.10" apply false
+    kotlin("jvm") version "1.6.21" apply false
     id("org.jetbrains.dokka")
     id("io.github.gradle-nexus.publish-plugin") version "1.1.0"
 }
diff --git a/builder.json b/builder.json
index d6462263567..dfe216d1048 100644
--- a/builder.json
+++ b/builder.json
@@ -15,7 +15,16 @@
     "hosts": {
         "windows": {
             "!imports": [],
-            "!env": {}
+            "!env": {},
+            "!test_steps": [
+                "{gradlew} publishToMavenLocal",
+                "{gradlew} test allTests",
+                "systeminfo",
+                "{gradlew} --status",
+                "{gradlew} --stop",
+                "systeminfo",
+                "{gradlew} testAllProtocols"
+            ]
         }
     },
     "_comment": "prebuild step defined in .builder/actions/set_upstream_versions.py",
diff --git a/examples/build.gradle.kts b/examples/build.gradle.kts
index 16ccc9545f4..51b644fba99 100644
--- a/examples/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/examples/build.gradle.kts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 plugins {
-    kotlin("jvm") version "1.6.10"
+    kotlin("jvm") version "1.6.20"
 }
 
 val awsSdkKotlinVersion: String by project
diff --git a/gradle.properties b/gradle.properties
index d53b3539580..787c580f068 100644
--- a/gradle.properties
+++ b/gradle.properties
@@ -15,30 +15,30 @@ smithyGradleVersion=0.5.3
 smithyKotlinVersion=0.9.2
 
 # kotlin
-kotlinVersion=1.6.10
-dokkaVersion=1.6.10
+kotlinVersion=1.6.21
+dokkaVersion=1.6.21
 
 # kotlin JVM
 kotlinJVMTargetVersion=1.8
 
 # kotlin libraries
-coroutinesVersion=1.6.0
-atomicFuVersion=0.17.0
-kotlinxSerializationVersion=1.3.1
-ktorVersion=1.6.7
+coroutinesVersion=1.6.1
+atomicFuVersion=0.17.1
+kotlinxSerializationVersion=1.3.2
+ktorVersion=1.6.8
 
 # crt
 crtKotlinVersion=0.5.4
 
 # testing/utility
-junitVersion=5.6.2
-ktlintVersion=0.42.1
-kotestVersion=4.6.2
-jacocoVersion=0.8.7
-mockkVersion=1.12.2
+junitVersion=5.8.2
+ktlintVersion=0.45.2
+kotestVersion=5.3.0
+jacocoVersion=0.8.8
+mockkVersion=1.12.3
 
 # logging - JVM
-slf4jVersion=1.7.30
+slf4jVersion=1.7.36
 
 # dokka config (values specified at build-time as needed)
 smithyKotlinPackageListUrl=
diff --git a/gradle/sdk-plugins/build.gradle.kts b/gradle/sdk-plugins/build.gradle.kts
index cb58a1014ea..f91cf425155 100644
--- a/gradle/sdk-plugins/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/gradle/sdk-plugins/build.gradle.kts
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-
 /*
  * Copyright Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. All Rights Reserved.
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0.
diff --git a/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties b/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties
index ffed3a254e9..aa991fceae6 100644
--- a/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties
+++ b/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 distributionBase=GRADLE_USER_HOME
 distributionPath=wrapper/dists
-distributionUrl=https\://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-7.2-bin.zip
+distributionUrl=https\://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-7.4.2-bin.zip
 zipStoreBase=GRADLE_USER_HOME
 zipStorePath=wrapper/dists