INITIATE: The Initia Hackathon

INITIATE: The Initia Hackathon (Season 1) Build the app. We’ll handle the chain. Most developers don’t wake up dreaming of running a blockchain. They wake up dreaming of building something people actually use. Initia exists for that exact reason. Initia is the easiest way to launch a profitable application. Developers get full value capture and best in class UX. Ship a profitable app in days, not months. The Initia Stack gives you 100ms block times, instant bridging and deposits, social logins, and more, so you focus on your app. Every transaction your users make? That's revenue you keep, not value you leak. This hackathon isn’t about “launching another chain.” It’s about launching apps with real revenue and real ownership while the chain runs quietly in the background like invisible infrastructure magic. What This Hackathon Is About Most builders want to focus on product, UX, and distribution, not infrastructure or chain operations. Initia gives you the tooling and support to launch and run an appchain without needing deep blockchain infra expertise. Why build on Initia? More revenue and value capture No gas tax paid to someone else, no sequencer cut, no unnecessary value leakage. Distribution across ecosystems Onboard users from anywhere, without forcing them to bridge, swap, or move across chains themselves. Own your stack and economics Customize your setup, control your fee model, and evolve your chain as your app grows. And yes, the bar to entry is lower than ever With the right tools, you can even use AI to help deploy your chain and turn your app into a high-potential, revenue-generating business. Step-by-Step Guide: https://docs.initia.xyz/hackathon/hackathon-landing#build-an-appchain-with-your-ai-agent What Builders Get During the Hackathon Access to Initia documentation and starter templates Direct mentorship from Initia team members and ecosystem builders Infrastructure / Anvil credits for deployment and scaling on testnet Guidance on go-to-market, product positioning, and launch strategy Mid-Hackathon Prove your idea early. Win big. Keep building. Halfway through the hackathon, we host a dedicated MVP Demo Day where teams showcase their product (should we live on testnet with smart contracts, backend, and basic frontend), where the 2–3 strongest teams win Mac Mini hardware awards, before final judging even begins. Post-Hackathon Opportunities (for selected projects) Potential onboarding as an Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR) Support with fundraising conversations and investor introductions Anvil Credits for the first 3 months for the chain deployment on Mainnet Continued technical and ecosystem support Help transitioning from developer to long-term builder or founder Rewards Total Rewards Pool: $25,000 USD equivalent Rewards may include: Mac Mini hardware awards Cash grants Sponsored trips to the Network School Tooling and infrastructure grants Ecosystem growth and distribution support Note: All rewards are subject to the quality and eligibility of submissions. Initia reserves the right to revise, reduce, or withhold rewards if entries do not meet the expected standards. Timeline Hackathon Start: 16th March, 2026 Submission Deadline: 15th April, 2026 Workshops, mentor sessions, and community calls will be scheduled throughout the hackathon period. Final judging and demo day dates will be announced during the event. Support and Resources Participants will have access to: Technical documentation and starter kits Community support channels Mentor office hours and technical guidance Collaboration and networking opportunities with other builders Developer Hackthon Documentation: https://docs.initia.xyz/hackathon Main Website: https://initia.xyz/ X: https://x.com/initia Discord: https://discord.gg/initia Eligibility & Requirements Open to individuals and teams worldwide No prior Initia experience required Projects must be original and built during the hackathon period Goal Initiate is the Initia Hackathon with an objective to support builders in launching functional applications with real users, clear utility, and long-term potential within the Initia ecosystem.