Participant Resources

User Story: Winning Tips from Tristan, a 10-Time Blockchain Hackathon Champion

Here’s a look at how Tristan approaches blockchain hackathons and paved his way to 10 wins!

Can you briefly introduce yourself and your background in blockchain technology?

I'm a passionate developer with over 12 years of experience in the .NET platform. I enjoy working in the blockchain field and have moved into it in recent years.

Currently, I work for a Korean company located in Vietnam, where I lead other dedicated developers to create promising projects for a big foundation.

What initially motivated you to participate in hackathons, and how did you become interested in blockchain?

Through friends, I became aware of Bitcoin in 2017. After that, I learned a lot about smart contracts and the applications that are built on them. However, it had many limitations at the time, and the community was looking for solutions to overcome them.

Blockchain technology evolves and changes every day. You have to keep up to date with the latest technologies, which has kept me interested in blockchain.

What considerations do you take into account when deciding which hackathons to enter?

Before participating in a hackathon, I always consider the following factors:

  1. The hackathon's topics/themes/tracks come first, followed by mandatory requirements—particularly the features/technologies that must be used in the submissions.
  2. The duration of the hackathon shouldn't be excessively long or short. For me, the ideal period is one or two months.
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How do you approach brainstorming, prototyping, and developing your hackathon projects within the allotted time frame?

Typically, I allocate my hackathon time using the following formula: 

  • 25% goes toward idea generation and brainstorming
  • 50% goes toward prototyping and development
  • 25% goes toward demo and submission.

How do you effectively communicate the value of your project to judges and peers during the presentation phase?

Devpost has built a pretty good system for creating your hackathon submissions, which allows you to fully relay your ideas. An important thing to consider is that your video demo should be short while fully demonstrating the functions/ideas you have built. The video shouldn't go longer than three minutes.

What advice do you have for aspiring hackathon participants, especially those aiming to win their first blockchain?

Choose a hackathon that is suitable to your interests. You could start by participating in a hackathon with small prizes, but the topic must be appealing to you as I think you can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Hackathons allow you to showcase your crazy ideas, learn from and connect with international programmers, and perhaps your project will be funded and go live in production later.

Feeling inspired to build something amazing? Check out our hackathons happening now!