Introduction

From July 12 to 14, 2024, I had the incredible opportunity to participate in the ETHGlobal Brussels hackathon. Alongside Pablo Vigara and Mateo González, we embarked on a mission to create a decentralized social payments solution with our project, DeCash.

Our goal? To enable fast, seamless, and cost-effective transactions across multiple blockchain networks. The weekend was an intense mix of coding sessions, creative brainstorming, and relentless collaboration.

When the dust settled, our hard work paid off spectacularly: we emerged victorious, clinching an impressive four prizes:

1. 🥇 Polygon - Unified Bridge zkEVM

2. 🥇 Blockscout - Best use of Blockscout Block Explorer

3. 🥇 Dynamic - Best SocialFi Project

4. 🥈 Chronicle Protocol - DeFi Track

In this blog post, I'll take you through our journey at the hackathon, from ideation and preparation to the technical challenges we faced and the lessons we learned along the way.

Project Overview: DeCash

DeCash is a project aimed at onboarding non-crypto users to decentralized financial transactions. We seek to simplify and enhance the user experience, making decentralized finance (DeFi) accessible to everyone, regardless of their familiarity with blockchain technology.

The inspiration behind DeCash came from a combination of understanding the current challenges in the blockchain ecosystem for non-crypto natives and existing solutions for payments like WeChat. For individuals without extensive knowledge of blockchain technology, using this technology can be intimidating and confusing, slowing down the adoption.

How DeCash Works

1. Users access decash.link/app and click "Create link".

2. They log in using their existing wallet or create a new one using just their email address, thanks to our integration with Dynamic.

3. After email verification, users can make a deposit in either USD or a specific token.

4. The platform generates a link or QR code that can be shared with the recipient.

5. Recipients can claim their funds by simply clicking the link or scanning the QR code and following the instructions.

6. Throughout the process, users can verify transactions using Blockscout, adding an extra layer of transparency and security.

Preparation for the Hackathon

Preparing for a hackathon is crucial to maximizing your chances of success. In the weeks leading up to ETHGlobal Brussels, we thoroughly researched all the sponsoring organizations, exploring how we could create a product that leverages their tools and technologies.

We brainstormed different ideas, carefully considering the potential impact and feasibility of each concept. To gain a deeper understanding of the available resources, we delved into the documentation and tutorials provided by Polygon, Dynamic, Blockscout, and Chronicle Protocol—the key tools we ultimately decided to use.

One of the most valuable resources we discovered during this phase was the wealth of online tutorials, documentation, GitHub repositories, and community forums dedicated to blockchain development. These materials helped us get up to speed quickly on the technologies we planned to use and provided a solid foundation for our project.

Another key aspect of our preparation was role assignment. Our group had complementary skills and experiences, spanning smart contract development, front-end design, project management and documentation. By establishing clear responsibilities and communication channels early on, we were able to hit the ground running once the hackathon began.

The Hackathon Experience

During the hackathon, we faced several technical hurdles. The most significant challenge was implementing the Polygon Agglayer, which was still in early development. Bridging between chains proved to be particularly complex. However, we overcame this obstacle by discovering a repository with an adaptable example, which we were able to modify and integrate into our solution.

We made extensive use of the technologies provided by our sponsors:

• Polygon AggLayer: This allowed us to enable transactions across different blockchain networks.

• Blockscout: We integrated Blockscout to provide users with a way to view and verify their transactions.

• Dynamic: This tool was crucial in simplifying the wallet creation and login process, allowing users to create a wallet using just their email.

• Chronicle Protocol: We used this to fetch real-time price data for ETH.

One of the most memorable moments of the hackathon came at the very end. After more than 24 hours without sleep, we were elated to learn that we had won not one, but four prizes! The celebration that followed was a perfect capstone to an intense and rewarding experience.

The feedback we received from judges and other participants was overwhelmingly positive. They saw great potential in DeCash, particularly appreciating its focus on simplifying the user experience for those new to cryptocurrency.

Key Learnings and Advice

This hackathon was an invaluable learning experience. We gained deep insights into various blockchain technologies and honed our skills in rapid prototyping and project pitching. Perhaps most importantly, we learned the value of perseverance and teamwork in overcoming technical challenges under tight time constraints.

For those considering participating in a blockchain hackathon, here are a few key pieces of advice:

1. Do your research beforehand. Familiarize yourself with the sponsor technologies and think about how you can leverage them in innovative ways.

2. Don't be afraid to tackle challenging problems. The most rewarding solutions often come from addressing the most difficult issues.

3. Collaborate effectively. Clear communication and role definition within your team can make a huge difference.

4. Be prepared for technical hurdles. Flexibility and creative problem-solving are crucial when working with cutting-edge technologies.

5. Practice your pitch. Being able to clearly and concisely explain your project is almost as important as building it.

Conclusion

In conclusion, our experience at ETHGlobal Brussels was truly great. Not only did we create an innovative solution that has the potential to make a real impact in the world of decentralized finance, but we also grew tremendously as hackers. The challenges we faced, the connections we made, and the recognition we received have all fueled our passion for blockchain technology and its potential to revolutionize the way we think about financial transactions.

We're grateful for the opportunity provided by ETHGlobal and all the sponsors, and we're more motivated than ever to continue working hard.

To all aspiring hackathon participants out there, I encourage you to take the leap. The experience is intense, challenging, and sometimes overwhelming, but it's also incredibly rewarding.

Thank you for reading! Feel free to reach out. You can connect with me on X / Twitter. Looking forward to connect with you!