Stage 1
Top 25 Finalist
Stage 3
Top 10
Top 10
Community Choice
Winner
Gold
Programme at a glance
BUILDERS GROWTH
0
monthsProgramme
Rolling, by season
0
Stages
Per season
0
Criteria
Weighted to 100
0
daysPer season
Hackathon to mint
The premise
01/05
The chain confirms the work.
Submissions are tied to deployed contracts inside the active hackathon window. Every submission is verifiable, every badge is earned, and every builder profile reflects real on-chain activity. Top 3 placements are soulbound, non-transferable proof of work tied to your wallet.
No screenshots. No demo videos as evidence. The deploy transaction is the evidence. The IOPn team layers a quality review on top of that, but the underlying proof never leaves the chain, which is what makes a Verified Builder badge mean something six months from now, when the season ends and the artwork is still tied to your wallet.
The funnel
02/05
Open submissions, three cuts.
Each season runs a full hackathon cycle in 45 days. Builders move through four stages, with private written feedback at every cut, so even teams that don't advance walk away with a brief for the next season.
- 01
Day 1 to 23
Stage 1 review
Top 25 advance
All submissions reviewed. Every builder receives private written feedback against the five scoring criteria.
- 02
Day 25 to 35
Refinement
Top 10 advance
Top 25 refine and optionally update submissions. Updates are noted positively, not penalised.
- 03
Day 38 to 44
Presentation
Top 3 + Gold
Top 10 present live to the IOPn core team. 10 minutes present, 5 minutes Q&A.
- 04
Day 45
Finale
Badges minted
Winners announced. On-chain badges minted. Rewards distributed.
Scoring
03/05
Five weighted criteria. Sums to 100.
Every submission is scored against the same rubric. Stage 2 feedback is structured around these criteria so builders know exactly where to focus during the refinement window.
WEIGHTED TO
100
Points
OPN Chain Integration
30%Does the product use OPN Chain infrastructure as load-bearing functionality? Toy integrations score low.
Technical Quality
25%Is the code functional, readable, and the deployment live on OPN Chain? Does the builder understand what they built?
Product & UX
20%Is this a product someone would actually use? Polished MVPs score higher than unfinished concepts.
Innovation
15%Does this expand what is possible on OPN Chain or open a new category? First-mover ideas are weighted here.
Builder Commitment
10%Roadmap credibility, community presence, communication quality. Long-term partner potential.
Verification
04/05
What earns a Verified Builder badge.
Four checks. All automated, all read off the chain. If any of them fail you'll be redirected to deploy on OPN Chain first.
On-chain checks only
Nothing here is judgement. These are mechanical signals the chain emits.
- 01Contract must be deployed within the active hackathon window.
- 02At least one verified transaction on the deployed contract.
- 03Contract deployer must match the wallet linked to your builder profile.
- 04Failed verification redirects you to deploy on OPN Chain first.
Worth knowing
05/05
Three things before you submit.
Short version. The full season cadence and policy details live in the funnel above.
Six seasons total
Each season runs a different theme: DeFi, identity, RWAs, AI, gaming, and Open Track.
Submit once per season
One submission per builder per season. The same submission progresses through stages as you advance.
Winners get soulbound
Top 3 placements mint a non-transferable badge to your wallet. Bragging rights are permanent.