To realize the promises of crypto, we need to build hyperlocal use cases that vastly improve people’s lives.
CoinDesk and the Crypto Research and Design Lab (CRADL) have partnered to create a humanity-centered hackathon powered by HackerEarth. We’re inviting coders, designers, community organizers, policymakers, economists, urban planners, and artists worldwide to join. If you care about addressing problems for human beings, then you belong at the Web3athon.
Reasons to Join
Hands-on tech support and over $800k in prizes from over 17 sponsors
Meet a community of humanity-centered builders who want to use Web 3 to solve human problems, not focus solely on the tech
100% virtual participation and flexible time commitments over three-months
We’ve prepared content to ground your ideas and submissions in the hyperlocal needs of people and communities.
Resources and high touch support from protocols for Web2 developers to dive into the world of Web 3
We need a different kind of hackathon.
After an explosion of innovation and wealth creation, the crypto industry seems poised for a big impact on the global economy. Still, if it continues on its current trajectory, there’s a real risk its expansion could fail to serve the interests of humanity at large.
Crypto and Web 3 are at an inflection point.
For all the talk of crypto’s potential to drive financial inclusion, governance, and agency, it has fallen short of these objectives. With their focus on building, scaling, and monetizing the technology, developers have paid too little attention to those for whom the technology is supposed to serve: the people.
It’s vital to remedy that oversight. Crypto developers must use the incredible power of decentralized technologies to build with hyperlocal communities. They must start building for people's actual day-to-day challenges.
What’s so special about Web3athon?
Let’s do real talk. Hackathons are usually exclusive. Especially the ones in crypto. And our CRADL team’s research on how products get made in crypto and the role of hackathons confirmed this reality. So based on our research, we decided to design a hackathon around our CRADL values.
Humanity First
Start with solving human problems, not technical problems.
Web3 Education
Elevate the importance of education to help Web2 developers and new folks to understand the fundamentals of Web3.
Multi-Chain
Expose people to a multi-chain, not winner-takes-all world.
Varied Expertise
Prioritize expertise beyond the tech industry such as urban planners, designers, community organizers, and policymakers.
Knowledge
Provide attendees with foundational research on the themes with programming, speakers, and research content.
Diverse speakers & partners
Being intentional about representation with our programming, partners, and hackathon design.
Sponsors
Official API Sponsor
Web3athon Challenges
Explore which Theme you'll ideate and build within. Each has a theme brief with resources to ground your submissions in the lived experiences of the themes. The City of Austin is providing Web3athon attendees with data about local initiatives in Austin that pertain to each theme. The Africa Blockchain institute is also supplementing each theme with examples of relevant projects around Africa.
Generational Wealth Building
Property Ownership • Land Titles and Trusts • Overcoming Debt • Proof of Land Ownership • Gentrification • Deeds
Financial Health
Financial Access to Loans • Savings • Living Wages • Banking • How People Transact with the Disappearance of Cash
Sustainable Communities and Culture
Sustaining Small Business • Arts in Economic Development • Intellectual Property for Creatives • Livable Wages • Cultural Heritage Preservation
Disaster Relief and Response
Liquidity management • Displacement • Resettlement, Human Rights Abuse Documentation, Digital Identity, Emergency Response Management
Environmental Well-Being
Pollution-Related Health Issues • Local Monitoring • Sensors • Clean Water Access • Electricity Grid, Solar Power • Mining
How Does Web3athon Work?
Web3athon has two stages. In Stage 1: Join, you’ll dive deep into research to understand how our hyperlocal themes impact your communities. In Stage 2: Prototype, a select set of groups will receive hands-on support from the chains to turn their vision into reality.
Join to meet people from all over the world trying to use blockchain to solve hyperlocal needs.
Web3athon is powered by
Stage 1: June 9 – July 24
June 9 – 11
Join us at Consensus online or in Austin
All Web3athon programming during Consensus will be streamed at no cost for hackathon attendees and posted online after the event for viewing. Web3athon programming consists of three parts:
An overview of why hackathons matter and the best way to participate.
Talks that provide a foundational understanding of core topics such as decentralized identity and User Experience.
Each theme will be brought to life by a panel of experts within and beyond Web 3.
Consensus attendees will get access to exclusive channels in the Discord community.
June 12 – July 24
Imagine your hyperlocal solution
Learn from industry experts about how global problems manifest at the hyperlocal level. With curated resources on how to execute world-class research and a community of other curious hackers, you’ll build a product pitch that is grounded in feedback from people who would actually use your solution. Each protocol will also provide educational material and workshops to help Web 3 novices and veterans alike learn about the strengths of each system and which will be best suited for their project.
July 24
Submit your ideas for judging
A panel of expert judges on each theme will evaluate ideas based on viability, impact, and newness of the project, as well as the team’s understanding of the community the project intends to serve. Each team will submit a deck including quotes from people in the community explaining the problem and why they believe in the team’s solution, a video pitch of the proposed solution and a deck or document outlining the design process the team used.
Chains will select shortlisted teams to participate in Stage 2 to build prototypes.
Stage 2: August 1 – September
August 1 – 28
Build Your Vision
A cohort of about 600 teams will be selected to receive high-touch support from the sponsoring chains. With hands-on technical support from protocols and guidance on team management and product prioritization, these teams will receive all of the resources needed to build the idea into a working prototype.
August 29
Submit Your Build
With MVPs built, judges from each protocol will evaluate the submitted project based on the way the vision has been refined over the second stage, as well as the quality of the MVP.
Fall 2022
Prizes Announced
Winning submissions will be announced and over $800k in prizes will be distributed to those with the best ideas.
Full list of judges to be announced soon!
Featured Event
Reimagining Hip Hop with Blockchain
Hosted by James Andrews
June 10, 3:30 – 4:30pm CT
Hip hop is one of the most important global cultural movements of the last century - and it started before the internet. What if Web3 existed at the advent of hip hop? We riff with a few industry legends at the forefront of Web3 on how we can build regenerative communities and develop the creator economy using blockchain-enabled technologies.
Featured Speakers
Event Advisors
Elizabeth Stewart, Co-founder and Board Member, Civic Innovation Lab
Alex Wykoff, Director of Product, web3, WRST Labs
Asher Demadet, Developer Advocate
