Colosseum runs two primary global online hackathons each year for founders to develop new crypto startup products over four weeks. Products using any blockchain ecosystem may compete, and entrants can participate alone or in a team.
The competition combines product development with business planning, and the submission serves as a product showcase, an investor pitch, and an application for accelerator consideration. The most recent spring cycle was Solana Frontier, held from April 6 to May 11, 2026; the announced fall cycle runs from September 28 to November 2, 2026.
Benefits & funding
- Winners receive non-dilutive cash prizes, with award amounts set for each edition.
- In the spring 2026 Frontier edition, the Grand Champion received $30,000, 20 other selected teams received $10,000 each, and separate Public Goods and University awards were worth $10,000 each.
- Hackathon winners are considered for Colosseum’s accelerator; selected teams receive $250,000 in venture funding, but a hackathon win does not itself guarantee accelerator admission.
Eligibility
- Open globally to entrepreneurs and developers building a new crypto product that has not raised significant outside capital.
- Products may use any blockchain ecosystem; there is no Solana-only participation gate on the general hackathon program.
- Solo founders and teams may enter, but each person may be associated with only one product submission in a hackathon.
- Pre-existing code is allowed if all relevant earlier development is disclosed; judging considers only work completed during the competition window.
- Entrants must be the age of majority where they live or at least 18, whichever is older; anyone younger may write to the organiser, who decides case by case.
- People located in or ordinarily resident in Afghanistan, Belarus, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela, Yemen, or the Crimea/Sevastopol, Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions of Ukraine cannot enter, and neither can anyone under applicable sanctions or in a country where the contest is barred by law.
- No degree, nationality, gender, or stated work-experience requirement is published.
Can you apply?
Open to all applicants
No nationality, residency, education, or experience limits are listed.
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Application process
- 1Create a Colosseum builder account through the official sign-up page.
- 2Join the active hackathon; every team member must register, and the team leader adds all members during submission.
- 3Build the product during the four-week competition and disclose any relevant work completed before the start date.
- 4Submit one product through the dashboard with team details, a repository link, a two-to-three-minute presentation video, a product-demo video of no more than three minutes, and the requested market and distribution information.
- 5Shortlisted teams proceed through further judging and may be invited to a 15-minute Zoom interview before winners are chosen.
Program timeline
The most recent spring hackathon began.
Apr 6, 2026
Individual registration closed for the spring cycle.
May 4, 2026
Product submissions closed and the spring cycle ended.
May 11, 2026
Spring winners were scheduled to be announced by this date.
Jun 23, 2026
The announced fall 2026 hackathon opens.
Sep 28, 2026
The announced fall 2026 hackathon closes.
Nov 2, 2026