Dubai: DMCC, the international business district that drives the flow of global trade through Dubai, and the global crypto exchange Bybit, have concluded the second edition of the Middle East’s largest Web3 hackathon focused on pioneering the latest innovations in Web3. With an increased prize pool of US$160,000, the event saw 15 of the world’s most innovative Web3 startups compete to develop creative technical solutions to a range of challenges at the cutting edge of the sector, including tokenisation, AI, Web3 infrastructure, zero-knowledge protocols, digital identity and DePIN (decentralised physical infrastructure networks).
According to Emirates News Agency, the 15 projects were carefully curated to promote real-world industry solutions, encouraging tangible, practical applications that create meaningful impact. Judges evaluated each project based on creativity, technical implementation, practicality, business potential, and impact, focusing on how effectively each project addressed genuine challenges.
T
he five winners recognised for their technical prowess were KelpMe, a blockchain-based solution addressing private key loss and misdirected transactions with a recovery mechanism; Trepa, a Telegram app leveraging the TON blockchain for secure, low-cost prediction pools; Mavryk Network, a Layer 1 blockchain revolutionising asset tokenisation and DeFi applications; Hive, a compute-sharing platform harnessing home GPUs to democratise tech access; and Poppin, a browser extension transforming webpages into social hubs for real-time interactions.
Ahmed bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of DMCC, remarked on the significance of the hackathon, highlighting the role of the competition in attracting global talent to Dubai. He stated, “By pioneering new solutions in tokenisation, AI, and zero-knowledge protocols, the DMCC-Bybit hackathon continues to show why Dubai remains at the forefront of Web3 innovation.”
Ben Zhou, Co-founder and CEO of Bybit, also expressed his pride in the event, noting
the abundance of Web3 talent present in Dubai. He commented on the fierce competition and innovation ethos displayed, adding, “We look forward to seeing all of today’s competitors make their mark on the world of Web3.”
The DMCC Crypto Centre, with over 600 members, serves as a comprehensive ecosystem for companies developing Web3 technologies and associated value-added services. This establishment has become the largest concentration of crypto and Web3 firms in the region, providing essential support for businesses and entrepreneurs to set up and expand their operations.
