Arbitrum Workshop and Hackathon Impact Report
Bucharest, Romania
2-3 November 2024
Executive Summary
The first in-person Arbitrum Stylus Hackathon in the world took place over two days in Bucharest, Romania, gathering more than 50 participants to explore the groundbreaking Stylus tech stack from Arbitrum.
This inaugural event offered developers the opportunity to leverage Stylus’s compatibility for smart contract development, as well as getting a general introduction into Web3 and DAOs, fostering both innovation and collaboration within the Arbitrum ecosystem. Among the participants was a notable 14-year-old hacker, underscoring the event’s appeal across ages and experience levels.
Highlights:
- First IRL Arbitrum Stylus Hackathon globally
- 50+ Attendees and 30+ registered hackers
- 7 project submissions exploring Stylus capabilities
- $2,000 prize pool awarded to the top three projects
- Team and Judge Contributions: Led by local and international experts, including representatives from Off Chain Labs and Arbitrum DAO
View Aftermovie - https://go.ethbucharest.xyz/Arbitrum-Workshop-Hackathon-Aftermovie-2
Introduction
The Arbitrum Workshop and Hackathon was a groundbreaking event in the Web3 space, marking the world’s first in-person Arbitrum Stylus Hackathon. Held in Bucharest, the event invited Ethereum enthusiasts to dive into the innovative potential of Stylus. With its WASM compatibility and efficiency improvements, Stylus represents the next step in smart contract evolution, expanding opportunities for developers from diverse technical backgrounds.
Objectives of the Event
The primary objectives were to:
- Build Technical Expertise: Provide hands-on experience with Stylus to developers, enabling innovative smart contract development.
- Foster Community: Establish Bucharest as a key hub within the Ethereum ecosystem.
- Promote Knowledge Sharing: Encourage collaboration among developers, mentors, and judges from the Layer 2 space.
- Inspire Impactful Projects: Encourage high-quality project submissions that leverage Stylus’s unique features.
Event Highlights
The event combined educational and competitive elements:
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Workshop and Hackathon Format: Attendees participated in educational sessions on Stylus before diving into the hackathon to solve real-world challenges.
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Judging and Awards: Seven expert judges, including representatives from Off Chain Labs, assessed submissions on innovation, technical skill, and relevance to the Arbitrum ecosystem.
As part of the event, Paulo Fonseca also led an engaging workshop, Intro to Blockchain, Web3 & DAOs, which provided attendees with foundational knowledge on blockchain and decentralised autonomous organisations (DAOs).
Sponsored by Aragon, the workshop included a dedicated DAO treasury, giving participants hands-on experience with DAO governance mechanics.
This treasury allowed participants to explore DAO functionality by submitting real proposals, with 29 proposals submitted during the workshop.
The active participation and budget sponsorship from Aragon offered a practical understanding of how DAOs operate, bridging theory and practice effectively.
To view the proposals and ongoing governance activity, visit the DAO page here.
View Official Photos - 2024.11.03 ETH Hackathon
Event Outcomes
Participation and Project Submissions
- 40+ workshop registrations with 30+ hackers on DoraHacks
- 7 project submissions on DoraHacks, with the top three receiving cash prizes
- 3 winning projects for their impactful solutions:
- The Real Open AI: Decentralizing AI access within Web3 (1st Place)
- Passkey Signature Verification on Stylus: Implementing secp256r1 signature verification in Rust (2nd Place)
- Stylus Package Manager: Transforming Web3 development by giving developers access to public verifiable on-chain directory of smart contract packages. (3rd Place)
Check all submissions here.
Projects Overview
- ArbiFlow: A network solution implementing TCP protocol to reduce congestion.
- The Real Open AI: A decentralised, democratised AI platform.
- Stylus Package Manager: On-chain directory for accessible smart contract packages.
- Passkey Signature Verification: Rust-based signature verification for enhanced security.
- Penstyl: Capture the Flag educational platform for learning Stylus.
- Scaffold-Stylus: Framework for making Stylus development accessible.
- GamersDAO: Decentralised platform granting gamers ownership of digital identity and achievements.
Organisation and Contributors
Team: Octavian Stanescu, Endi Ungureanu, Gabriel Fratica, Alina Latinina, Gabriela Tarabuta, Andrei Voinea, Paulo Fonseca, Eugen Patru
Mentors: Sasha Luca, Andrei Voinea, Paulo Fonseca
Judges: Andrei Voinea, Paulo Fonseca, Daniel Luca, Sasha Luca, Razvan (Zero8), alongside David and Srinjoy from Off Chain Labs
Volunteer: Andreea
Financials
Budget: EUR 20.397,50, which covered the following:
Key operational expenses
- Venue: EUR 3,714
- Materials and Production: EUR 1,442
- Food & Beverage: EUR 1,633
- Transaction Fees: EUR 225
- Prizes: EUR 1,950
- Photo/Video: EUR 500
- Extras: EUR 451
Total: EUR 9.915,00
Team Reimbursement
Event Operations Team: EUR 5150
Workshop and Hackathon Operations Team: EUR 4200
Social Media Lead: EUR 470
Graphic Designer: EUR 470
Volunteer: EUR 95
Total: EUR 9.962,00
Although there were last-minute adjustments for the venue and F&B, we stayed within budget. Swag items were also provided, enhancing the event experience and engagement.
Challenges and Recommendations
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Audience Targeting: While the event was intended to engage newcomers from the Web2 world, particularly students, the actual audience consisted primarily of participants with prior Web3 experience. This resulted in a more experienced, overqualified crowd for the introductory Stylus material. For future events targeting beginners, we recommend:
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Enhanced Outreach: Collaborate with universities and technical programs to increase reach among students and Web2 developers.
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Content Calibration: Tailor workshops and hackathon challenges to better suit the experience levels of target participants, possibly by offering multiple tracks for beginners and advanced developers.
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Venue Change: An unexpected overbooking required relocating to the ETH Bucharest 2024 hackathon venue. Future events may benefit from backup options or additional pre-event checks.
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Budget Adjustments: F&B was under-budgeted, but the lower-than-expected turnout offset the cost.
Qualitative Results
Participants appreciated the hands-on exposure to Stylus, with many stating that the hackathon was an important milestone in their journey with Arbitrum and Layer 2 development. The event fostered connections within Romania’s Web3 ecosystem, providing a springboard for future initiatives.
The Arbitrum Workshop and Hackathon sparked significant excitement within the Web3 community, particularly through the success of the hackathon’s winning team, The Real Open AI.
This project, which focused on decentralising AI access within Web3, gained substantial traction on social media, catching the attention of key figures in the industry.
The project was retweeted by Arbitrum co-founder as well as several prominent DAO delegates, amplifying the event’s visibility and underscoring its impact on the broader ecosystem.
This enthusiastic response highlighted the workshop and hackathon as a catalyst for innovation within the Arbitrum community, further establishing Bucharest as a growing hub for blockchain development.
Media and Community Impact
Daily updates on social media highlighted key event moments, including:
- Project submission announcements on DoraHacks
- Winner highlights across platforms
- Social media posts from partners and attendees, expanding the event’s reach
POAPs
As a memorable touch for participants, we distributed unique POAPs (Proof of Attendance Protocol) at the Arbitrum Workshop and Hackathon, marking attendance at key moments throughout the event.
Two distinct POAPs were created: one for the Arbitrum Stylus Workshop and another for the Arbitrum Stylus Hackathon, each designed to commemorate the first in-person Stylus-focused hackathon globally.
Conclusion
The Arbitrum Workshop and Hackathon marked an important first for the Ethereum and Arbitrum communities. As the world’s first IRL Stylus hackathon, it set a benchmark for future events, providing a platform for learning, innovation, and collaboration. From young participants to experienced developers, the event brought together a diverse group, unified in their enthusiasm for blockchain technology.
Looking forward, ETH Hub Romania is committed to hosting more Web3 events, broadening the reach of Arbitrum and strengthening Bucharest’s role in the global Ethereum ecosystem.
View Aftermovie - https://go.ethbucharest.xyz/Arbitrum-Workshop-Hackathon-Aftermovie
View Aftermovie - The Office version (cc Alina) - x.com
View Official Photos - 2024.11.03 ETH Hackathon
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