Hackers League Hackathon: Winter 2024

Hackers League: Everything You Need to Know

Hackers League is not just a hackathon; it's a true innovation engine created by TON Society. Here, developers, startup founders, and visionaries from around the world come together not only to bring their ideas to life but also to integrate them into the TON blockchain ecosystem. It's a chance to make a name for yourself, create something truly amazing, and, of course, compete for a substantial prize pool.

How It Works

Hackers League combines the flexibility of an online format with the energy of offline bootcamps. Online participation is open to everyone, no matter where you are, while offline sessions in major cities worldwide offer the opportunity to meet mentors, connect with fellow tech enthusiasts, and get inspired with fresh ideas.

Key Stages:

• Registration (until November 23): Gather your dream team and submit your application.
• Development (October 5 – November 23): Build your MVP, attend workshops, test your solutions, and gain valuable advice from experts.
• Semifinals (November 23 – December 5): It's time for a GitHub code review to prove your project is ready for a real-world launch.
• Finals (December 16–19): Present your project to the judges. Compete for a top spot!
• Winner Announcement (December 20): The leaders win prizes and gain access to acceleration opportunities.

Offline Bootcamps: The Energy of Metropolises

Hackers League spans 20 cities, including London, Paris, Hong Kong, Moscow, and Amsterdam. Bootcamps are where the brightest minds gather to work on ideas, get inspired, and compete. To make things even more exciting, each bootcamp concludes with a mini-competition featuring a $5,000 prize pool. A total of $90,000 is allocated for bootcamps - a worthy motivation!

Hackers League is an opportunity for those ready to embrace challenges. It’s about taking risks, creating, and winning. And who knows? Maybe your project will set a new standard in the blockchain world.

Hackers League: What It Takes to Succeed (and What to Avoid)

Hackers League is a platform for bold ideas, but to stand out, your project needs to meet a few key criteria:

• MVP at the Start: Your minimum viable product should be ready for testing. This isn’t just an idea on paper but something that can be evaluated right now.
• Innovation: Your solution needs to be unique. It should demonstrate that TON isn’t just "another blockchain" but a platform for genuinely groundbreaking ideas.
• Ease of Use: The success of TON lies in its accessibility. Complex technology? Yes. But it should be so easy to use that even your grandmother could understand it.

Some Ideas Are Best Left in Drafts. Here Are a Few:

• Complex Solutions Without Clear Benefits: If it’s hard to explain in 30 seconds, users won’t understand it either - especially in games and social services.
• Hyper-Casual “Tappers”: This segment is so oversaturated that standing out will be nearly impossible.
• Technology for Technology’s Sake: Projects that add blockchain or AI just because it’s trendy, but without real utility, rarely gain support.

Who Supports Hackers League?

Hackers League is backed by leading companies and venture funds. Their involvement isn’t just logos on banners. It’s financial, marketing, and technical support that helps participants launch and grow their projects as efficiently as possible.

Prize Pool and Unique Opportunities

The prize pool for Hackers League is $3 million, including Toncoin and Telegram ad credits. In addition, participants can receive:

• Acceleration: Fast access to the TON Accelerator program and funding of up to $500,000.
• Advertising Opportunities: $240,000 in ad credits for promotion on Telegram.
• Investments: The chance to secure grants from Gate Ventures, MEXC Ventures, and other funds.
• Access to the TON API Track: Development support using the TON API and mentorship from the Tonkeeper team.

The Open League: A Hackathon to Remember

The Open League was one of the most notable events this summer in the TON ecosystem. It wasn’t just a competition but a chance for participants to make a name for themselves, compete for substantial prizes, and create projects capable of attracting millions of Telegram users.

Over eight weeks, teams developed projects based on TON Mainnet or adapted existing solutions to fit the ecosystem's specifics. The main goal was to create dApps with simple and viral token-mining mechanisms that could appeal to a mass audience. Organizers emphasized the accessibility of technology and highlighted TON's philosophy: "Where complexity dies, simplicity wins."

The scale of the hackathon was impressive. Thirteen bootcamps worldwide attracted nearly 2,000 participants, and the total number of participants exceeded 3,000. Over 1,000 projects were presented. Finalists received $420,000 in Toncoin and $240,000 in Telegram ad credits. The total prize pool, including grants, investments, and additional bonuses, amounted to a staggering $2.28 million.

Among the winners, standout projects emerged in key categories. In GameFi, Cat Gold Miner captured attention with its engaging gameplay mechanics. In the Social Web3 category, Boosteam was recognized for effectively utilizing Telegram Mini-Apps. Projects like Parroton and Tea Farm impressed with their ability to combine multiple directions.

The Open League was more than just a competition - it became a true growth point for the ecosystem. Many projects presented at the hackathon continue to evolve, proving that this event laid a solid foundation for TON's future innovations.

Hackers League 2024: Participants and Their Projects

Hackers League 2024 has already attracted many developers and teams eager to propose their solutions for the TON ecosystem. Among the hundreds of participants, several projects stood out for their originality, ideas, and growth potential.

MetYa

This project is a Web3 platform that combines traditional social networks with a decentralized economy. Every like, comment, or post becomes an asset that provides real benefits to users. MetYa supports multi-chain integration (Solana, BNB Chain, Ethereum), making it flexible and convenient. Through its node system, platform participants can earn by providing computing power, supporting the network via NFTs, and staking tokens. The project already covers over 100 countries and aims to become a next-generation global social network.

Anycraft

A unique game blending classic gameplay with Web3 technologies. Players can create and turn their achievements into NFTs, which become valuable digital assets. Anycraft is actively developing its ecosystem, including integration with the Telegram App Center, making the game accessible to a broad audience. Winning at one of the TON bootcamps highlights the project's potential, and upcoming updates promise even more opportunities for users.

Husky AI

The first AI-powered search engine for Telegram, offering users new ways to interact with information. The project already enables data searches on the internet and within Telegram, with future plans to reward users for their activity. Husky AI was a runner-up at a TON bootcamp, securing second place in Warsaw, emphasizing its potential as a valuable tool for the TON community.

DropHunter

A play-and-earn platform where users earn tokens by playing simple games and completing tasks. The project features unique airdrop mechanics, including standard distributions and raffles for active players. DropHunter’s first game, where users catch falling coins, has already gained a significant following. The platform actively develops its community and offers tools for promoting crypto projects.

Traction Eye

A Telegram Mini App for managing DeFi investments. The service allows users to analyze returns across all wallets and protocols on a single screen, making it a universal tool for DeFi enthusiasts. Traction Eye is already integrated with protocols like DeDust and Ston.fi and incorporates social mechanics, enabling users to monetize their reputation through social capital.

FinKeeper

An application for managing crypto assets and earning income in DeFi. FinKeeper aggregates data from various wallets, networks, and exchanges, providing users with a complete financial picture. Its built-in yield calculator and tools for yield farming make it a convenient and functional asset management solution. FinKeeper is already integrated with TON and Bybit, highlighting its readiness for scaling.

These projects are just a few of the many presented at Hackers League 2024. Each demonstrates a creative approach and scaling potential, inspiring other participants to develop even more ambitious solutions.