Get ready for 48 hours of high-impact building. Following our successful hackathon in the fall, we’re back and the stakes are even higher now that Midnight is officially live on mainnet!

This is your opportunity to build on a fully launched network designed to solve the internet's biggest privacy challenges. You’ll get hands-on experience with cutting-edge data protection tech to create applications that give users true control over their digital lives.

Whether you are brand new to blockchain or web3 veteran, you’ll be building on the ground floor of a rapidly expanding ecosystem that now supports production-ready dApps.

Requirements

  • We require all teams to submit a 2 minute or less demo video where we expect you to show us what you built and how it meets the Quest goals. 
  • Your code must be available in some sort of public repository. 
  • Your code and video must remain public post event if you want to continue being eligible for prizes. If your repo and video are not public we will select new winners. 
  • Your demo video must state the name of the hackathon at the beginning of the video. 
    • Ex. "Hey I'm Sam and this is my demo for Production Engineering Hackathon."
  • You must have completed all the registration steps on Devpost. 
    • Note that Hosted by MLH events require registration and check-in on MLH's event page.
    • Your email on all check in and registration platforms (Devpost, & MLH's event page) must match.
  • Your video must be created the weekend of the hackathon. 
  • We don't allow you to submit your project to other hackathons.
  • You may not submit projects that include prior work.
  • Each team can have a maximum of 5 members. We strongly encourage working in teams, and only team projects will be eligible for prizes. 
  • You are allowed to submit only one project to this hackathon.
  • While folks over the age of 13 are welcome to participate in this hackathon, you need to be at least 18 years old to be eligible for the Build Club. 

Hackathon Sponsors

Prizes

5 non-cash prizes
Overall Winners
2 winners

Elgato Stream Deck MK.2. The Top 2 Overall Winning teams will also earn an invitation to interview with Midnight Foundation team for an internship in Fall 2026. If selected, you’ll have the opportunity to shape the future of Midnight’s products and bring new builders into the ecosystem.

AI Track
1 winner

[Arduino Tiny Machine Learning Kit] Build AI applications that process sensitive user data without ever exposing the underlying information to show us that building powerful, highly capable AI doesn't have to come at the cost of personal privacy.

DeFi Track
1 winner

[Tidbyt Gen 2 Smart Display] Design the next generation of decentralized financial tools that inherently protect user transaction histories, wallet balances, and proprietary trading strategies. Your challenge is to build confidential smart contracts on Midnight that keep sensitive financial data hidden from the public ledger while remaining mathematically verifiable.

Gaming Track
1 winner

[Retroid Pocket 4] Create engaging games where players enjoy verifiable outcomes and true ownership without exposing hidden in-game states or underlying competitive strategies. By utilizing Midnight, you can build a captivating web3 gaming experience where fair play is guaranteed by cryptography, and player data remains strictly confidential.

Best Beginner Hack
1 winner

[BenQ ScreenBar Monitor Light] Teams made up of >50% first-time hackers are eligible for this prize track.

Devpost Achievements

Submitting to this hackathon could earn you:

Judges

Midnight Foundation

Midnight Foundation

Judging Criteria

  • Technology
    How technically impressive was the hack? Was the technical problem the team tackled difficult? Did it use a particularly clever technique or did it use many different components?
  • Originality
    Is the concept fresh, bold, or whimsical? Does it explore a unique take on privacy, identity, or security?
  • Execution
    Does the DApp feel polished in its core functionality or UI?
  • Completion
    Is the hack demonstrably complete in its focused scope?
  • Documentation
    Is it easy to understand the project’s goal and how to run it? Is the README concise, helpful, and designed with developer usability in mind?
  • Business Value
    Does this project have a business value? Can this be launched as a product?

Questions? Email the hackathon manager

Invite others to compete

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