Many contributors in trade hackathons are simply seeking to make some fast prize cash and transfer on to the subsequent contest — Dominic Kwok calls them “bounty hunters.”
However EasyA, the start-up for builders that he and his brother Phil began 4 years in the past, is in search of a distinct sort of competitor — those that need to construct firms that may have a major impression on Web3. It’s an strategy that has proved fruitful, with the businesses popping out of EasyA’s app group and month-to-month in-person hackathons having raised cash at a collective valuation of over $3 billion from high VC companies similar to a16z crypto and CMT Digital. And EasyA’s cellular app, which helps builders simply begin constructing their very own Web3 initiatives, has over 1,000,000 customers worldwide.
On the first EasyA Consensus hackathon in Austin final Could, greater than 700 contributors launched 100 totally different crypto initiatives, and the Kwoks predict comparable numbers for upcoming occasions at Consensus Hong Kong and Consensus Toronto (if you happen to’d like to use for the EasyA Hackathon at Consensus Hong Kong 2025, please go right here).
Right here they talk about why their distinctive strategy to hackathons, how they anticipate Consensus Hong Kong will differ from hackathons in different components of the world and the way Donald Trump’s election may have an effect on the varieties of initiatives crypto builders deal with.
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This interview has been condensed and frivolously edited for readability.
How did EasyA get began?
Dominic: So we initially launched EasyA about 4 years in the past because the go to put for anybody to be taught in regards to the world’s greatest blockchains. Anybody can use the EasyA app on iOS and Android to be taught in regards to the high Layer Ones on the market, like Solana, Polkadot, Stellar and Ripple’s XRP Ledger. And other people can learn to not solely develop, but additionally launch their very own initiatives. We additionally host a number of huge hackathons in particular person all all over the world, through which lots of of individuals are available in particular person and launch initiatives on our blockchain companions. And the aim is to get these individuals not simply launching, however then additionally founding and constructing startups that go on to get funded by the ecosystem and VCs.
How do you strategy hackathons in another way than different firms that run these?
Dominic: Two issues. The primary is that EasyA may be very centered on founders who wish to begin their very own firms, versus hackathon “bounty hunters.” We actually wish to be sure that our contributors really stick round and construct their initiatives as a result of that’s the place we see the way forward for Web3 actually being constructed from. And the second factor is most of our hackathons are single chain, so contributors deal with one piece of tech and so they really launch on that one, versus specializing in 50 totally different chains. We wish to put individuals in entrance of the perfect ecosystems which have probably the most help for builders.
How do you suppose the Consensus hackathon in Hong Kong will probably be totally different from these you maintain in different components of the world?
Dominic: The size is simply going to be tremendous huge. We have already had a report variety of individuals apply for the seats within the area. We’ll clearly have individuals from Hong Kong, however then additionally from different Asian international locations like India, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore and China. And we’re additionally seeing enormous numbers of individuals from the West wish to come. For a lot of of these individuals, it’s going to be the primary time they’ve really been to Asia.
Do you anticipate there to be variations within the varieties of initiatives that builders in Asia pursue, versus these in different components of the world?
Phil: There is a geographical aspect after which there’s additionally a thematic one. An enormous theme that we have seen come up over the previous couple of weeks is AI x Web3, and a number of builders are enthusiastic about that intersection. We have additionally seen protocols like virtuals actually kick off and grow to be very profitable, so I feel we’ll see a number of that. Geographically, in Asia there are clearly so many various currencies, and we’re seeing that builders there really perceive these cross-border use circumstances quite a bit higher. Should you’re a U.S.-based developer, you do not essentially see these friction factors a ton. So I feel that we’ll see much more of the cross border cost options begin to flesh themselves out.
How do you suppose Donald Trump’s presidency will have an effect on the sorts of initiatives you see at your hackathons?
Phil: Clearly DeFi has all the time been one of many largest areas of product market slot in crypto — arguably one of many few that truly has that match. However to date due to, frankly, how scared a number of builders had been within the States, lots of people simply weren’t constructing nor launching within the U.S. And so that you’d typically go on to a decentralized app and it will say “Oh, you are within the States, you’ll be able to’t use this.” In order that’s a really seen space the place we’ll begin seeing modifications. One other space the place you’ll be able to’t take part if you happen to’re from the U.S. is airdrops. So if you’re an finish person, you could not actually entry a number of crypto. And if you happen to needed to focus on this demographic, which in fact is the wealthiest on this planet, you could not. So I feel DeFi is basically going to blow up, particularly within the States.
Each of you might be additionally audio system at Consensus Hong Kong. What’s going to you be speaking about?
Dominic: Our keynote will probably be about why it is so laborious proper now for Web3 ecosystems to draw builders now. And we’ll be giving a few of our recommendations on how they’ll appeal to builders extra simply and at an even bigger scale. Proper now, Web3 companies are competing over the identical builders, and the expansion of Web3 devs has just about stagnated. And clearly at EasyA, our complete mission is definitely to convey far more builders into the area. That begins with making it simple. However we’re additionally making a number of huge tech upgrades that may enable builders to construct far more simply on-chain. And we’ll be revealing these on stage.