In a groundbreaking announcement, Neo, the community-driven and open-source blockchain platform, is proud to present its highly anticipated APAC Hackathon in collaboration with OKX. This remarkable event not only boasts a staggering prize pool of $120,000 for the winners but also features a post-hackathon grant fund of $1 million. Supported by the Neo Foundation, this fund is dedicated to fostering Web3 growth in accordance with the favorable regulatory developments in the APAC region.
Spanning from July to October, the Hackathon will come alive across five vibrant cities in Asia: Tokyo, Ho Chi Minh City, Bangalore, Seoul, and Singapore. Each city will host a thrilling two-day hacking weekend, where elite Web3 developers can demonstrate their skills and forge invaluable connections. Recognizing the importance of inclusivity, Neo will also organize a series of virtual sessions, including workshops, mentoring by the Neo team, panel discussions, and ongoing support. This ensures that anyone with a passion for innovation can participate, regardless of their ability to attend the in-person events.
The collaboration between Neo and OKX highlights the synergistic impact of their union. As part of this partnership, OKX will design a series of unique NFTs exclusively for the Hackathon participants. Moreover, OKX will provide opportunities for collaboration and further innovation, amplifying the transformative potential of this event.
With a remarkable track record of previous successes, Neo will culminate the Hackathon by announcing the overall winning team at a prestigious celebration in Hong Kong. This grand finale will be a platform for all 20 finalist and shortlisted teams, including those from the in-person events and online project submissions, to showcase their projects and deliver captivating demos. To facilitate participation, Neo will generously provide travel grants to all 20 teams, ensuring their presence at the Hong Kong event.
This year's Hackathon will be conducted across five categories: DeFi and Payment; NFT and Gaming; AI, Social and DAO; Infrastructure and Tooling; and General. Each category carries a final prize of $10,000, which will be awarded in NEO tokens during the finale in Hong Kong.
As the most developer-friendly blockchain platform, Neo offers participants the freedom to choose from a range of popular programming languages. Significantly, this year Neo embraces EVM-based (Ethereum Virtual Machine) projects alongside Neo N3 projects, promoting interoperability among blockchains while fostering new and exciting innovations.
Expressing his enthusiasm, Da Hongfei, Founder of Neo, stated, "The entire Neo team is thrilled to launch this year's Hackathon for the APAC region, building upon the resounding success of our previous events. Through our Hackathon, we aim to attract and support the finest blockchain and Web3 talent, as well as exciting startups within the industry. Our prize and grant funds will provide a much-needed kickstart for these winning projects, and we are committed to supporting all our ecosystem projects moving forward."
Hongfei continued by acknowledging the thriving nature of the Web3 industry in the APAC region, stating, "The APAC region has rightfully earned its reputation as a flourishing hub for the Web3 industry. To recognize the fantastic talent in the region, we are hosting events in six key cities. Neo has been at the forefront of driving advanced interoperability for nearly a decade, and this year, we are delighted to expand our horizons by embracing EVM-based projects, thereby fostering interoperability and driving innovation."
As the world wholeheartedly embraces the evolving landscape of work and recognizes the immense value of virtual engagements, Neo's Hackathon emerges as a powerful embodiment of the fusion between the digital and physical realms. This exceptional event has been meticulously designed to amplify outreach and encourage widespread participation across the dynamic APAC region. Team registration will open its doors from July 5th to
