Online hackathonStarting around 30 November 2026
Build DeFi on Cardano.
An online hackathon for DeFi dApps and protocols. Learn on the Developer Portal, scaffold with cardano-init, build on ContractsLibrary, and compete for $20,000 in prizes.
$ cardano-init ? On-chain › Aiken ? Off-chain › MeshJS ? Devnet › Yaci DevKit ✓ Project wired and tested $ just test ✓ all tests passed $
- Prize pool
- $20,000
- Kickoff
- 30 NovTBC
- Format
- Online
- Entry
- Free
- $20,000 in prizes
- Build DeFi on Cardano
- Online
- Sponsored by IOG
- cardano-init
- ContractsLibrary
- Free to enter
Run by alwaystrue · Sponsored by Input Output
The brief
Ship a DeFi dApp or protocol that holds up on mainnet.
Any DeFi idea qualifies. These are places to start, not a list to choose from.
- DEXs and AMMs
- Lending and borrowing
- Stablecoins
- Token launches and vesting
- DAO treasuries
- Multisig smart wallets
- Yield and staking
- Payments and escrow
The toolkit
Learn. Scaffold. Compose.
The hackathon is built on open-source tooling alwaystrue develops with Input Output. You learn the foundations, generate a working project in minutes, and spend the rest of the time on your idea.
- 1Learn
Developer Portal
Start with the onboarding on the Cardano Developer Portal: the extended UTxO model, validators, transactions, and the tools that build them.
developers.cardano.org ↗ - 2Scaffold
cardano-init
One command generates a complete protocol monorepo, on-chain, off-chain and a local devnet, already wired together and passing its tests.
input-output-hk/cardano-init ↗ - 3Compose
ContractsLibrary
Standardised, reusable contracts with off-chain builders and specifications. Deploy them, compose them, or fork them instead of starting from zero.
input-output-hk/contracts-library ↗
Read how we built them: cardano-init and ContractsLibrary.
Prize pool
$20,000
USD, funded by IOG
1st place
$10,000
2nd place
$6,000
3rd place
$4,000
How it runs
Two conversations, one build.
Every team talks with the judges at the start and at the end. Both interviews count toward your score. Dates are provisional; register to hear when they are confirmed.
- November
Registration opens
Sign up alone or as a team. You can register right up to kickoff.
- 30 Nov
Kickoff and first interviewInterview · scored
Opening session online. Each team then has a short call with the judges about what they plan to build and why. It counts toward the final score.
- TBC
Build
Work through the Developer Portal onboarding, scaffold with cardano-init, and build on ContractsLibrary, with mentors on hand.
- TBC
Submission and final interviewInterview · scored
Submit a public repository, a short demo video and a README. Then walk the judges through what you built, what changed and what you learned.
- TBC
Winners announced
Judges review every submission and the winners are announced live.
Judging
Judged by people who audit Cardano protocols for a living.
We read the code and try to break it, the way we review a protocol before mainnet. Then we talk to you about it.
- Correctness
- Does it do what it claims, including when someone tries to break it?
- Use of the toolkit
- How well the project builds on cardano-init and ContractsLibrary, rather than around them.
- DeFi value
- Would real users or protocols reach for this after the hackathon?
- Interviews
- The kickoff and final calls: how clearly you reason about your design, and how far you came.
Who can take part?
Anyone. Students, independent developers and teams from existing companies are all welcome. You do not need prior Cardano experience: the Developer Portal onboarding is part of the hackathon.
Where does it happen?
Online. Kickoff, mentoring, interviews and the final announcement all run remotely, so you can take part from anywhere.
What are the interviews?
Two short video calls with the judges, one at kickoff and one after you submit. They are part of the judging, and they are conversations, not exams: we want to hear how you think.
Do I have to use cardano-init and ContractsLibrary?
The hackathon is built around them, and how well you use them is one of the judging criteria. You can add any other open-source library you like.
How big can a team be?
Between one and four people. You can sign up alone and find a team at kickoff.
Does it cost anything?
No. Participation is free.
Who owns what I build?
You do. Submissions must be open source so judges can review them, under a license of your choice.
Online · $20,000 in prizes · Free to enter