Before the hackathon

How to Secure Your Spot in the Hackathon

To participate in the hackathon, you'll need to stake a small amount of Ethereum's native currency: ETH. This ensures all participants are serious about contributing to the event and completing their projects.

Don't worry—your stake will be returned to you when you submit a project!

What is Staking?

Staking simply means locking up a small amount of funds as a sign of commitment. In this case, you'll need to stake ETH.

The process is straightforward: Stake to confirm your attendance, build a project and submit, and 3 weeks after the event, your stake will be returned. The goal is to encourage participants to attend the event and follow through on their projects and stay engaged until the end of the event.

If you do not have any ETH, you can head over to the ethereum.org website, which offers ways to purchase ETH depending on which country you reside.

Staking Process

To stake your spot, start by logging into your Hacker Dashboard.

Once logged in, connect your Web3 wallet. Commonly used options include MetaMask, Coinbase Wallet, and Rainbow. Ensure your wallet has the required amount of ETH, then follow the on-screen instructions to stake.

If you run into any issues during the staking process or find yourself unable to stake due to financial constraints, feel free to reach out to us at [email protected]. We understand that circumstances may vary, and we're happy to discuss alternative solutions to make sure you can still participate.

Connecting to Discord and Chatting with Fellow Hackers

To stay updated and connected throughout the event, it's crucial to join the Discord. This is where all official communications will happen, and you'll be able to interact with other hackers, mentors, and the ETHGlobal team.

By joining Discord, you'll gain access to private event channels, where you can chat with fellow participants, seek advice from mentors, and even collaborate with event partners. These channels are key for networking, team-building, and staying on top of announcements.

If you experience any trouble accessing the private event channels after joining Discord, just send us a message at [email protected] and we'll help you get connected smoothly.

Joining or Creating a Team

Teams are central to the hackathon experience, and you have the option to either join an existing team or create one of your own. Hackathon applications are considered at the individual level; as such, each team member must be accepted and stake individually to secure their spot. Teams can have up to 5 people.

Of course, if you prefer to hack solo, that's completely fine too! You can easily manage your team through your Hacker Dashboard, whether you're forming a group or working alone.

If you're looking for teammates, the #find-a-team channel on Discord is the perfect place to connect with other participants. We'll also host team formation calls, so be sure to keep an eye on Discord and the website schedule for announcements about these sessions.

Guides and Resources to Get You Started

To help you prepare for the event, we've compiled a curated list of Resources that will guide you through the hackathon. Our partners have contributed documentation and tools to onboard you to their technology, making sure you're equipped and ready to dive into building your project.

Be sure to explore these resources early, as they'll give you a solid foundation for the event and ensure you're up to speed with the platforms and technologies you'll be working with.

During the hackathon

Event Rules & Code of Conduct

To ensure a fair and enjoyable experience for everyone, we have a few essential rules and a code of conduct that all participants must follow:

• Start from Scratch: All projects must be created entirely during the hackathon. You're welcome to use public libraries or boilerplate code, but pre-existing code, designs, or assets specific to your project are not allowed.
• Focus on Quality: When it comes to judging, only the work you complete during the hackathon will be evaluated. Judges will be looking for creativity, functionality, and the quality of your final product, so focus on those elements.
• Project Eligibility: If you're adapting a Web2 project for Web3, you can still participate, but keep in mind that such projects won't be eligible for partner prizes or the Finalist category.
• Respect the Code of Conduct: We expect all participants to maintain a respectful and inclusive environment. Harassment or inappropriate behavior of any kind won't be tolerated and can lead to disqualification.
  • You can read the full code of conduct here.
  • Please email us at [email protected] if you have any code of conduct related issues.

Create a Project or Join a Team

Once the hackathon begins, it's time to dive into your project! You can either create your own project or join a team that's already started.

To create your own project, head to your Hacker Dashboard and select the "Project" option. You'll be prompted to name your project and add a brief description. If you're joining an existing team, simply click "Join Team" and enter the team token provided by your team leader.

Mentorship and Technical Support

Mentors are there to help you during the hackathon. Our mentors are here to help you troubleshoot technical challenges, refine your project, and provide feedback.

You'll easily identify them on Discord by their “Mentor” role. If you need assistance, jump into the #mentorship-help channel on Discord, where you can ask questions and request guidance from our mentors.

Project Check-Ins

Check-ins are in place to help track your progress and for us to offer support. The check-in process is simple: your Hacker Dashboard will notify you when it's time to check in, usually earlier in the week. Even if things are going smoothly, it's important to keep us updated on your project status.

Check-ins allow you to highlight any blockers, ask for help, or simply confirm that everything is on track. Following your check-in, our team, along with partners, may reach out with additional support or guidance.

Project Feedback Sessions

Feedback sessions are a great way to refine your project before the final submission. We'll be hosting sessions during the hackathon. We recommend you take a look at the website schedule.

In these sessions, you'll have the opportunity to share your progress—whether it's a demo, Figma designs, slide decks, or just your ideas. Mentors and partners will give you constructive feedback to help you improve your project.

Project Submission

Submitting your project is one of the most crucial parts of the hackathon. Make sure to stick to the submission deadline. Late submissions will not be accepted, so plan accordingly!

The submission deadline is: Sunday, February 18th 2024 at 12:00 pm EST.

You'll submit your project through your Hacker Dashboard by filling out the submission form, where you'll provide a project title, description, and a link to your project's repository.

Be sure to review the Submission Guidelines beforehand to make sure your project meets all requirements.

Project Judging

After submissions close, the judging process will begin. Here's what to expect:

• Finalist Judging: If you select the Finalist judging category, you'll present it live to the judges. Make sure your presentation is polished and highlights your project's key features.
• Partner Judging: For partner prizes, judging takes place asynchronously. Partners are already judging your project!
• Judging Criteria: Projects will be evaluated based on creativity, functionality, technical difficulty, and the impact of the solution. You can find more details in the Submission Guidelines.

After the Hackathon

Congratulations on completing the hackathon! As the event comes to an end, there are a few important steps and opportunities to wrap things up and prepare for what's next.

Stake Returns

If you've successfully submitted a project, you'll be eligible to have your stake returned. Usually three weeks post-event. To ensure there are no delays, double-check that your Ethereum address is correctly entered in your Hacker Dashboard.

Event Survey

We truly value your feedback and would love to hear about your experience at the hackathon. After the event, you'll see a brief survey inside your Hacker Dashboard. It only takes about five minutes to complete, and your insights will help us improve future hackathons and events.

Your voice matters, so don't skip this!

Upcoming Events

Excited to keep hacking? From async to in-person hackathons, we always have something upcoming!

Stay connected with us through our Mailing List, Discord, and Twitter where we'll announce all future hackathons, pragmas, and meetups.

You can also check our Events Calendar anytime to see what's coming up next. We'd love to see you at the next one!

Need Help?

If you have any questions or run into any issues during or after the event, don't hesitate to reach out! We're here to ensure your experience is smooth and enjoyable.

You can contact us via email at [email protected], or through our event-specific Discord channels, where we'll be very active during the event.

If at any point you feel unsafe or witness harassment, please let us know. You can report incidents anonymously, and we'll take immediate action.

Code of Conduct

ETHGlobal events are built on collaboration, respect, and learning. To ensure everyone has a positive experience, all attendees must adhere to the Event Rules and Code of Conduct.

This helps create a welcoming space where everyone feels valued and respected. Our team will be actively enforcing these guidelines throughout the hackathon to make sure the event remains safe and inclusive for all.