About the challenge

The MBC 25 Hackathon is a one-week, builder-focused competition that brings together developers, designers, researchers, and creators to build the next generation of on-chain applications. Hosted during the Michigan Blockchain Conference, the hackathon gives participants the chance to turn innovative ideas into fully functional prototypes while receiving mentorship from leaders across the Solana and Base ecosystems.

Hackers can submit to one main track—Solana or Base—depending on their preferred stack. Both tracks emphasize technical depth, originality, strong UX, and real-world impact. Teams may also submit to optional sponsored bounties from Polymarket and Circle for additional prizes.

Throughout the week, participants gain access to workshops, office hours, and direct support from ecosystem engineers, offering a hands-on environment to learn, iterate, and ship. The top 10 teams will be invited to pitch live at the MBC closing ceremony for a chance to win part of the $40,000 prize pool.

Get started

1. Choose your main track

   • Solana Track: High-performance, low-cost apps using Solana’s devnet or mainnet

   • Base Track: EVM-compatible apps deployed to Base Mainnet or Base Sepolia

2. Build during the hackathon week

   • Submissions must be created during Nov 30–Dec 5

   • Include a public GitHub repo, README, demo video, and technical summary

3. Join workshops and office hours

   • Solana, Base, and bounty sponsors will host virtual sessions throughout the week

   • Workshop schedule

4. Submit your project

   • Deadline: Dec 5 at 5:59 PM ET

   • Finalists will pitch in person on Dec 6

This hackathon is an opportunity to push the limits of onchain development, learn from industry experts, and showcase your creativity on a national stage. 

For more detailed guidance, refer to the official Google Doc and linked documentation.

• Technical Rigor
  Projects should demonstrate clean, reliable code and strong technical execution. Judges will evaluate how well the team uses Solana or Base tools, frameworks, and on-chain architecture, as well as the overall depth and correctness of the implementation.
• Real Impact
  Judges look for solutions that address meaningful, real-world problems. Projects should create clear value for users or developers by making something easier, faster, or more efficient than existing alternatives.
• User Experience
  A great project should be easy to understand and intuitive to use. The user flow should feel smooth, logical, and accessible—good UX doesn’t need to be flashy, just clean and straightforward for a first-time user.
• Focused Execution
  Teams are expected to deliver a polished, working prototype rather than an overly ambitious idea. Judges prioritize complete, reliable, end-to-end functionality over partially finished features.
• Clear Presentation
  Projects should be presented in a way that makes the problem, solution, and impact obvious within the first minute. A strong demo clearly shows what the app does, how it works, and why it matters.
• Business & Adoption Potential
  Judges consider whether the project has a believable path to real users. Teams should communicate who the target audience is, why they would care, and how the solution could be adopted beyond the hackathon.