Native track – New and substantially modified existing projects built using NEAR and/or NEAR adjacent technology
Chain Agnostic track – New and substantially modified existing projects built using blockchain and/or AI technology.

Your Chain Agnostic submissions may qualify for the Main Track prizes as long as they have a NEAR integration. Choose Chain Agnostic track for all the sponsored bounty submissions to make it easier for the judges to find you.

Q: Do you have specific bounties?

A: We would like to empower the freedom of ideas and creativity instead of going for specific bounties for the Native track. Instead, we’re offering nominations: Best of AI, Best of Chain Abstraction, etc. (see full list here).

Chain Agnostic track will feature some specific bounties from the hackathon sponsors. We’re making sure that these bounties are also focused on building useful products for the benefit of our community.

Q: What does a winning project look like?

A: In short, we’re looking for great ideas, impressive tech solutions, and solid teams. Our judging criteria might help understand what does a winning project look like:

Technological Implementation
Does the interaction with NEAR demonstrate quality software development?
Design
Is the user experience and design of the project well thought out?
Potential Impact
Is the Project Open Source and how big of an impact could the project have on the NEAR ecosystem?
Quality of the Idea
How creative and unique is the project?
Project Sustainability
Is the plan for the Project thought out and realistic?

Q: Do I need a team to hack? How to find it?

A: We encourage our hackers to team up simply because with more hands and brains you can build more exciting things. Also, working on a project solo for 6 weeks sounds lonely. Pitch your idea in our NEAR Dev chat or simply reach out to one of the teams in our Participants tab – maybe they’re looking for you?

Q: Why do I need to travel to Bangkok for the [REDACTED] experience?

A: [REDACTED] is a convergence of visionaries, builders, and pioneers from AI x Web3 backgrounds united in shaping a future where technology belongs to the people, not corporations. This is a flagship event for our global community, and we’re hosting it to reconnect with our buidlers, share some exciting updates, and have fun during one of the most important weeks of the year.

During [REDACTED], we will announce our hackathon winners and invite them to pitch on the main stage in front of our judges. We wouldn’t want you to miss out on this experience.

Q: I can’t be there for the IRL closing ceremony, can I still join?

A: You will be missed in Bangkok but yes, you still can join.

Q: Do you offer travel scholarships?

A: We’re offering up to $1000 to our hackers who want to join the [REDACTED] experience in Bangkok. Claim your scholarship before November 1st, submit an eligible project, and we will reimburse your travel expenses. More details to follow.

Q: I don’t know anything about blockchain and/or AI, can I still join?

A: Every hackathon is a learning experience, and we hope that this 6-week long sprint will empower you to develop new skills and experiment. Most of our hackers are familiar with either Web3 or AI so we encourage you to team up and share your knowledge.

Tune in for our weekly live sessions starting September 5th for more insights.

Q: What happens if my project wins?

A: For the winning projects, the end of the hackathon is just the beginning. You will be invited to pitch on the main stage in Bangkok in front of our judges, VC’s and hundreds of community members. Your project will be featured on our Townhall meetings, NEAR DevHub live sessions, and across our social media. Last but not least, you will get a chance to be accepted to one of the upcoming HZN cohorts and get that acceleration boost to lift off your project.

Q: After my project wins, how will my prize be fulfilled?

A: Winning teams will be required to submit the following for prize fulfilment:

- Affidavit: All winners are required to agree that they are eligible and accept the rules/prize.

- Wallet Address: Winning team representatives will be required to provide a valid wallet address to receive the prize.

Q: Where do I find my Near community?

A: Join our Telegram group for everything buidler related. Our DevRel engineers and community members are happy to help you with your first steps. Learn how to build on Near, find your people, and become a contributor in no time.