University Blockchain Conference Hackathon 2026

about this event

About the challenge: The UBC 26 Hackathon is a one-week, builder-focused competition that brings together developers, designers, researchers, and creators to build the next generation of onchain applications. Hosted during the University Blockchain Conference at UT Austin, the hackathon gives participants the chance to turn innovative ideas into fully functional prototypes while receiving mentorship from Solana, Circle, and our bounty sponsors.

Hackers submit to exactly one main track: Agentic Payments and AI, DeFi and Onchain Applications, or Consumer Applications. Main tracks are chain-agnostic, so you can build on any chain. Within your main track, you can also compete for one chain award: Best use of Solana or Best use of Arc (never both). Teams may also submit to as many optional sponsored bounties as they qualify for (Gemini Prediction Markets, ElevenLabs, QuickNode Streams, and Grok Bot), and every submission is automatically eligible for Official UBC 2026 Hackathon Winner (1st/2nd/3rd).

Throughout the week, participants gain access to workshops, office hours, and direct support from sponsor engineers. Up to 13 finalist teams (3 from each main track: the top contender for Track Winner, Best use of Solana, and Best use of Arc; plus the top 3 Official Winner contenders and the 1st place Gemini bounty team) will be invited to pitch live at the UBC closing ceremony for a chance to win part of the $22,000+ prize pool.

How prizes stack. Main track (required, pick one): compete for that track's Track Winner ($2,000). Main tracks are chain-agnostic. Chain award (optional, pick one): Best use of Solana ($1,500) or Best use of Arc ($1,000) within your main track. Requires building on that chain (devnet/testnet is fine). You don't need to deploy new contracts; using existing ones counts. Stacks with Track Winner, but no team can ever win both Best use of Solana and Best use of Arc. Official UBC 2026 Hackathon Winner (1st $2,500 + 3 months ElevenLabs Pro per member, 2nd $1,000, 3rd $500): chosen across all tracks, every submission is eligible, and it stacks with anything. Bounties (optional, pick any): Gemini Prediction Markets, ElevenLabs, QuickNode Streams, Grok Bot. Judged by the sponsor and a UBC team representative; they stack with anything, including each other. On the submission form, select your main track, your chain award (or None), and your bounties, and opt in to the matching prizes.

Get started. Choose your main track: Agentic Payments and AI — build AI agents and infrastructure that can safely hold, send, and receive stablecoins; DeFi and Onchain Applications — build new financial primitives and smart-contract applications; Consumer Applications — build everyday apps where the crypto is invisible and the experience is seamless.

Build during the hackathon week. Kickoff call: Sunday, Nov 8 at 6:00 PM CST. Hacking runs from Friday, Nov 13 at 12:00 PM CST to Friday, Nov 20 at 12:00 PM CST. Include a public GitHub repo, README, and a 2–3 minute demo video.

Join workshops and office hours. Solana, Circle, and bounty sponsors will host virtual sessions Nov 16–19. See the workshop schedule for details.

Submit your project. Deadline: Friday, Nov 20 at 12:00 PM CST. Finalists will be notified by Nov 20 at 11:59 PM CST and pitch in person on Saturday, Nov 21.

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.

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