Empowering builders through Algorand-powered hackathons
AlgoBharat Regional Hackathon Sponsorship Program is designed to enable Web3 communities, colleges, developers and builders across India to host high-quality, inclusive hackathons with an Algorand-focused blockchain track. Through this initiative, the AlgoBharat team is excited to support community-led innovation through sponsorship, mentorship access, learning resources, and ecosystem visibility—helping transform curiosity into real-world building.
Our vision is to grow a strong, grassroots developer ecosystem by encouraging hands-on learning, open innovation, and collaboration. We are looking to support hackathons that prioritize student and developer readiness, learning outcomes, and meaningful participation—whether you’re an established community or a motivated institution taking its first step into blockchain education.
Hackathon Sponsorship Framework
-
This framework is designed to support student/community-led hackathons that foster open innovation, collaborative learning, and creative problem-solving. Our goal is to empower institutions and communities to host inclusive events that welcome participants from all backgrounds and skill levels. While we encourage exploring the potential of the Algorand blockchain, the primary focus is on the educational experience of the students.
Tier Sponsorship amount Event Scale Key Focus Tier A $500 + Swag (ie, $400 hackathon prize pool + $100 operational support) 75+ participants A larger-scale event with multiple tracks, including a dedicated Algorand track. Tier B $250 + Swag (ie, $200 hackathon prize pool + $50 operational support) 50+ participants A medium-scale or first-time hackathon focused on learning and community building. -
To qualify for sponsorship, an institution or a Web3 community should demonstrate a commitment to creating an inclusive and well-organized event and a demonstrated student interest in gaining blockchain developer skills.
2.1 Eligibility
-
The host must be a recognized student club at a college or university or a Web3/developer community.
-
Having an active Algorand Blockchain Club (ABC) is encouraged but not mandatory. Clubs new to the ecosystem are welcome to apply: https://algobharat.in/join-us-university/.
2.2 Developer Interest
-
To qualify for Tier A level sponsorship, the host must demonstrate that at least 50 students/developers from their university/community have completed and passed the assessments up to at least Module 3 in the Algorand Blockchain Developer Training Course on NASSCOM in the current year.
-
To qualify for Tier B level sponsorship, the host must demonstrate that at least 50 students/developers from their university/community have enrolled in the Algorand Blockchain Developer Training Course on NASSCOM in the current year.
2.3 Hackathon Readiness
-
The host should submit a clear event plan, including a proposed date, venue, budget, and marketing strategy.
-
The hackathon must be open to all students/developers, regardless of their field of study or technical experience.
-
The event must include at least one competition track. While an Algorand-based track is required for full sponsorship benefits, other tracks focused on broader themes like social impact, health tech, or open innovation are also encouraged.
-
-
Pre-Hackathon Recommendations
A. Educational Workshops
The AlgoBharat Developer Resource Doc provides a step-by-step roadmap designed to guide developers from understanding the fundamentals to building and deploying production-ready applications.
Participants should also be encouraged to use the official x402 Starter Repository, which includes a pre-configured project structure, payment flow implementation, and boilerplate code to accelerate development.
To prepare students and developers, especially first-timers, we recommend hosting workshops before the hackathon. These can be virtual or in-person.
Recommended Workshop Content
-
Introduction to Hackathon
-
Team Building and Ideation Session
-
Introduction to Agentic Payments (x402) on Algorand
-
Live Demo using the x402 Starter Repository
B. Problem Statements & Themes
All Algorand-sponsored hackathons under the AlgoBharat Regional Hackathon Program will focus exclusively on the Agentic Payments (x402) track.
Official problem statements covering multiple project categories will be provided separately and should be shared directly with participants.
The problem statements are divided into categories such as:
-
Standard Entry Projects
-
Composite Entry Projects
-
Orchestrator & Infrastructure Projects
Participants are encouraged to build real-world applications where AI agents, applications, APIs, and services can autonomously transact using x402 micropayments on Algorand.
Mandatory Project Requirements
Every submission in the Algorand track must:
-
Build at least one functional x402 endpoint
-
Deploy the endpoint on the Algorand TestNet (MainNet deployment is encouraged)
-
Demonstrate the complete x402 payment flow
-
Implement a genuine pay-per-use business model instead of subscription-based access
-
Include proper documentation and deployment instructions(github repo with readme)
Projects that do not include a working x402 endpoint will not be eligible for judging in the Algorand track.
C. Hackathon Execution
Format: A 24–48 hour event is typical.
Participation: Encourage a mix of solo participants and teams to foster collaboration. Mentorship: Provide a diverse group of mentors, if available, with technical and business expertise to guide teams throughout the event.
Judging Guidelines
A transparent judging process is critical. Judges will be briefed to provide constructive feedback and evaluate teams based strictly on below-mentioned criterias:
Core Judging Criteria
CriteriaDescription
x402 Implementation (Mandatory)
Successful implementation of at least one working x402 endpoint with the complete payment flow running on Algorand TestNet/MainNet.Innovation & Creativity
Originality of the idea and how effectively Agentic Payments are used to solve a real-world problem.
Technical Merit & Implementation
Overall code quality, architecture, API design, effective use of Algorand, robustness of the x402 implementation, and completeness of the working solution.
Potential for Impact
Practical utility, scalability, monetization potential, and ability to evolve into a production-ready application or service.
Learning & Collaboration
Team collaboration, effective use of mentorship, willingness to learn, and adoption of new technologies during the hackathon.
Presentation & Demo
Clear demonstration of the working product, successful x402 payment flow, business use case, and overall communication of the project's value proposition.
Transactions
TestNet/MainNet transaction IDs demonstrating successful x402 payments.
-
-
After the event, the focus should be on celebrating the participants' work and continuing the learning journey. Participants should showcase their work through the following channels:
-
GitHub Repositories: Encourage all teams to push their code to a public GitHub repository to build their portfolio.
-
Electric Capital: Though not required, inform participants that registering their repository on platforms like Electric Capital is a recommended best practice to gain visibility in the developer community.
-
Project Gallery: Create a simple webpage or document to showcase all submitted projects, not just the winners.
-
Social Media: Encourage participants to post about their experience and the problem they aimed to solve with their solution.
-
Apply now for hackathon sponsorship
Submit your application below to help us understand your hackathon plan, your student community’s readiness, and how Algorand can help support in your event. Our team will review applications on a rolling basis and reach out to organizers for next steps. Requests should be submitted at least 3–4 weeks prior to the proposed hackathon dates. In case of urgent requirements, please contact us before submitting the application.
This form is for student clubs, Web3 communities and institutions applying for Algorand Foundation sponsorship to host a hack competition. Please ensure all information is accurate. The sponsorship program is intended to support student- and other locally-led organizations and communities committed to building blockchain knowledge, skills and community among developers in their regions. We are beginning to see in India, and across the globe, the power of distributed ledger technology to solve the problem of trust that often limits full economic participation and inclusion.
We hope this program helps build greater awareness and a stronger community of Web3 developers who build solutions that create impact, foster innovation, and lead to a culture of open source collaboration.
Applications will be reviewed for eligibility, readiness, and alignment with the objectives of this program.