Solana Hackathon
Solana
Description
Solana Hackathons are quarterly coding competitions run by the Solana Foundation, offering $100K-$500K+ in prizes per event. These global, virtual hackathons attract thousands of developers building decentralized applications on Solana's high-performance blockchain. The 2022 Grizzlython had over $5M in prizes and grants, making it one of the largest Web3 hackathons ever.
For ZHC builders, Solana hackathons offer substantial non-dilutive funding with the added benefit of Solana's low transaction costs and high speed — ideal for automation and AI agents. Many successful Solana projects (including Jupiter, Magic Eden, and StepN) gained early traction through these hackathons. The global, virtual format means anyone can participate regardless of location.
Eligibility
Event Structure
- Frequency: Quarterly (4x per year)
- Duration: 2-4 weeks (virtual, global)
- Format: Online with optional IRL events
- Prize pool: $100K-$500K+ per hackathon
- Participants: Open to all, 5,000+ typical
Track Categories
- DeFi (decentralized finance)
- NFTs and Gaming
- Mobile Consumer Apps
- Infrastructure and Tooling
- DAOs and Governance
- AI x Blockchain
- Payments
Participation Requirements
- Open to individuals and teams
- Must build on Solana blockchain
- Projects must be new (started during hackathon)
- Open to all skill levels and geographies
ZHC-Specific Fit
✅ Excellent for:
- Rapid prototyping on high-speed blockchain
- Building AI agents with low transaction costs
- DeFi automation and trading bots
- Global participation (fully virtual)
- Large prize pools with multiple tracks
❌ Poor fit if:
- Building exclusively on other blockchains
- Prefer in-person only events
- No interest in Solana ecosystem
Application Process
Hackathon Timeline
| Phase | Timeline | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Registration | 2-4 weeks before | Sign up on Solana hackathon site |
| Opening | Day 1 | Kickoff, track announcements, sponsor intros |
| Building | Weeks 1-3 | Develop project with mentor support |
| Submission | Deadline | Submit code, demo video, documentation |
| Judging | 1-2 weeks | Evaluation by judges and community |
| Winners | Final | Announcement and prize distribution |
Prize Structure
| Place | Typical Prize |
|---|---|
| Grand Prize | $30K-$65K |
| Track Winners | $10K-$30K each |
| Runner-ups | $5K-$15K |
| Community Choice | $5K-$10K |
| Sponsor Prizes | $1K-$10K each |
| Participation | NFT rewards, grants |
What You Get
- Prize money (non-dilutive)
- Solana Foundation grant opportunities
- Mentor support from ecosystem experts
- Technical workshops and resources
- Networking with Solana community
- Post-hackathon accelerator opportunities
- Potential investor introductions
- Solana ecosystem credibility