Solana Hackathon With a $4M Prize Pool. How to Participate?
The Solana Renaissance Hackathon, scheduled for March–April 2024, provides a competitive stage for developers and startups aiming for a share of a $4 million prize pool.
This hackathon is formatted as a sequence of dynamic team challenges, where participants are tasked with presenting their projects concisely and impressing the judges within a limited timeframe. Registration opened on March 4 and runs until April 1, with the project review and judging phase happening from April 1 to April 8.
The Solana Renaissance hackathon is being hosted on the Colosseum platform from March 9 to April 8. Make sure to register your project for the hackathon by March 31.
There are also special prizes, details of which can be found on the Colosseum website.
Hackathon Details
All 2024 Solana Foundation hackathons are set to take place on the Colosseum platform — a bespoke accelerator and incubator for Solana blockchain startups. As of this writing, the platform specializes in:
- Accelerator programs for startups
- Hackathons
- A venture capital fund
Winners of the hackathon can look forward to unique prizes, such as:
- Funding of up to $250,000
- Exclusive opportunities to engage with Solana network founders
- A chance to participate in an acceleration program and receive personal mentorship from Solana's crypto experts
Who's Eligible to Participate?
The hackathon is open to all, particularly:
- Entrepreneurs and developers with project ideas at any development stage
- Blockchain developers with more than middle-level experience
- Students or emerging blockchain specialists
- Digital marketers, testers, designers, business analysts
- Other Web3 enthusiasts keen to showcase their project
Hackathon Prizes
The Solana Foundation has earmarked several Web3 sectors for priority consideration, including DePin, DeFi, payments, DAOs, user apps, gaming, NFTs, and infrastructure.
In each category, five winners will be selected and awarded prizes distributed as follows:
- 1st place – $50,000
- 2nd place – $20,000
- 3rd place – $15,000
- 4th place – $10,000
- 5th place – $5,000
How Does the Project Presentation Work?
Teams are not required to present their projects physically or virtually during the event. Instead, they submit their presentations in English beforehand and wait for the jury's verdict.
The presentation can take various forms, such as a conventional presentation, a product trailer, an MVP, or a promotional video. The presentation should introduce the team, describe the product, outline potential risks, and highlight the startup's opportunities.
The jury, comprising representatives from the Solana Foundation and Colosseum, will assess projects based on several criteria, including the team and project functionality, business model, innovation and relevance, user experience, potential audience size, and code openness, among others.
Additional Information About Solana Renaissance
Here are some extra tips for the hackathon participants aiming to secure prizes:
- A team can consist of just one person;
- Colosseum has crafted an in-depth article offering strategies to enhance your winning chances;
- Experience in blockchain development is not a prerequisite for participation;
- Projects at any stage of development are welcome;
- The Kumeka Team, a robust Solana community in Ukraine, is available to assist participants with any inquiries. For detailed information, participants can contact them on Discord.
Final Words
The Solana Renaissance hackathon presents an excellent opportunity not only to win a prize and advance your project but also to connect with a supportive community of peers. This chance to engage with and contribute to the Web3 space is one not to be missed.
