The European Blockchain Convention, now in its 9th year and recognized as the most influential blockchain event in Europe, has recently wrapped up another successful edition. The convention welcomed over 5,000 attendees, featured more than 300 speakers, attracted over 200 sponsors and exhibitors, and achieved a media reach of 10 million. EBC's first-ever hackathon was also a notable highlight, offering an unparalleled opportunity for hackers to network with industry peers, engage in lively sessions, develop innovative technical projects, and create lasting memories.
“We’re super excited to host this first edition of the EBC Hackathon and felt it was the next logical step given that developers are the backbone of this industry. In past editions of EBC, we successfully held the startup competition to support upcoming startups in the industry in addition to the actual Convention. Overall we are very committed to supporting the industry builders. We’re proud to have EkoLance as a strategic partner for our hackathon given their solid platform, techFiesta and all the support included in their proposal. Tools like these add value to the industry and we look forward to hosting upcoming and future hackathons on techFiesta.” — Victoria Gago, Co-Founder of EBC
techFiesta; EkoLance’s developer activation platform managed the first edition of the European Blockchain Convention (EBC) hackathon. It served as the infrastructure platform for the hackathon where the hackers viewed all hackathon details and submitted their projects. At the same time, the hackathon sponsors reviewed the submissions and all hackathon KPIs on their techFiesta dashboard.
The theme was "Hack'A'Thon” and it attracted over 200 hackers, 20 mentors, 50 teams and 10 winners. The "Hack'A'Thon” focused on blockchain, crypto, DeFi, Web3, NFTs, Gaming, and the metaverse industry, presenting an opportunity for hackers to win prizes of up to $60,000.
“As a leading platform for facilitating in-person and online developer events, EkoLance offered its platform, techFiesta for hackathon management. This collaboration allowed sponsors to seamlessly access comprehensive insights into the hackathon's KPIs, ensuring a successful and impactful event.” —Maria Eneva-Olms, CEO of EkoLance
Panel Discussions
EkoLance was live in Barcelona, Spain, and was represented by our CEO and Founder, Maria Eneva-Olms. She participated in two-panel sessions where she shared her deep knowledge about the finance sector. Maria focused on the crucial aspects of security and privacy in Decentralized Finance (DeFi) and shed light on the DeFi trends of tomorrow.
DeFi Security and Privacy: A Panel Discussion on the Future of Finance
In the first panel session at EBC, Maria Eneva-Olms alongside Lisa Loud, Oliver Gale, Antoni Zolciak, Jarno Marttila and Jason Delabays discussed DeFi security and privacy. The key takeaway from the discussion was the evolution from traditional financial models to the decentralized landscape of DeFi.
They also mentioned that DeFi places users at the epicentre, valuing privacy as a fundamental right without compromising the robust security that financial systems demand.
However, as DeFi gains momentum, it unravels complexities that demand our attention. One of the pivotal challenges lies in the intricacies surrounding seed phrases and private keys, emphasizing the pressing necessity for solutions that seamlessly blend user-friendliness with security measures.
A Glimpse Into the Future of DeFi
In the second panel session at EBC, Maria Eneva-Olms with Mounir Benchemled, Favio Velarde, Bruno Garcia Sanmartin, and Helwan Mandé discussed the DeFi trends we should be expecting to see in the future. The key takeaway was that emerging DeFi trends beckon on three things that transcend mere financial transactions. They include;
1. Compliance Frameworks: The integration of compliance frameworks with the traditional financial ecosystem emerges as a crucial narrative.
2. Smart Tokens, Business Logic Within the Protocol Layer: This innovation reshapes financial instruments, elevating them into dynamic entities capable of adapting and responding to varying market conditions.
3. Global Adoption Through Frictionless and Scalable Web3 Solutions: DeFi's ascent to global prominence hinges on the promise of frictionless and scalable Web3 solutions. The quest for global adoption necessitates a seamless user experience that transcends geographical boundaries.
The EBC Hackathon Winning Projects
After 48+ hours of EBC’s Hack'A'Thon, 21 projects were submitted by hackers on techFiesta. After being reviewed,10 winning projects were picked and were rewarded from the prize pool of $60,000. Five of the winners built their projects on Coreum; a 3rd-generation, layer-1 blockchain designed for enterprises of any size. The other five winners built on the XDC Foundation; a network that supports an array of unique, decentralized applications.
The quality of submissions was outstanding. The hackathon was truly a pivotal time for these developers to build innovative projects, win prizes, and get grant opportunities. Below are the 10 winning projects;
Coreum winners:
1. Best Web3 Smart Social App: GuildHub
2. Best Cross-chain DApp Migration: Ulam Labs
3. Completed Project Deployed on Coreum: DApp Squad
4. Honorable Mention: Dmusic
5. Pool Prizes: Web3 Wizards, Token Titans
XDC winners:
1. Best Decentralized Perpetual DEX: PROFIT PREDATORS
2. Best XDC Wallet: Wall3t
3. Best Crypto Telegram Bot: PUMPING PUMPKINS
4. Honourable Mentions: Hunters, PAC_MAN, ALL TREND, Vottun Dojo, Maharaja & Agustin
5. Participation Prizes: Gamium hackers, Hawk, Pikake, Universal Plastic
The sponsors were impressed by the high quality of the submitted projects, and the total prizes provided by Coreum, XDC Foundation, European Blockchain Convention, and European Tech School reached $60,000.
Conclusion
The 9th European Blockchain Convention and its inaugural Hack'A'Thon, managed by techFiesta, have set a new benchmark in the blockchain industry. The event not only showcased the ingenuity and potential of emerging technologies but also fostered a collaborative environment for developers, thought leaders, and innovators.
The panel discussions led by Maria Eneva-Olms and other experts provided invaluable insights into the future of finance, particularly in the realms of security, privacy, and emerging DeFi trends. The hackathon, with its high-quality submissions and innovative winning projects, highlighted the talent and creativity thriving in this space.
techFiesta stands at the forefront, playing a crucial role in the seamless organization and management of this hackathon. As we continue to forge strategic partnerships with enterprises, the trajectory of technological progress is poised on a promising course.
Reach out to us today by clicking here and let’s explore ways we can partner, either in the management of your hackathon events or in the building and expansion of your developer and user communities.
About EBC
European Blockchain Convention is the most influential blockchain event in Europe. It was founded with the mission to accelerate the blockchain ecosystem in Europe.
Since its inaugural conference in 2018 in Barcelona, EBC has hosted thousands of attendees, hundreds of leading speakers, and the best startups in the blockchain & crypto space.
Its global audience of founders, investors, regulators, developers, corporations, and many more come together every year to learn, get inspired, and connect.
About EkoLance
EkoLance revolutionizes the future of work by empowering professionals in Web2 and the blockchain industry. EkoLance has two products: an educational platform with training programs for upskilling in the blockchain space and a developer activation platform called techFiesta, where companies launch hackathons and developer challenges. EkoLance has a community of over 8,000 blockchain professionals.
Follow us on our social channels:
LinkedIn: EkoLance
Twitter: EkoLance
Instagram: EkoLance
Facebook: EkoLance
Discord: EkoLance