Interested in exploring NFTs but don’t know how to code in Solidity and/or want to avoid high gas fees? Join us on March 11-13 and build innovative and accessible NFT experiences on Stellar using all kinds of programming languages including JavaScript! Looking just to get started? Mint your art into an NFT for less than a dollar and compete against other artists for prizes.

As the main sponsor for this year’s SXSW’s Finance 3.0 Summit, the Stellar Development Foundation is sponsoring a 48-hour hybrid hackathon that challenges experienced and newcomers alike to build a project on Stellar that incorporates the use of NFTs.

$10,000 worth of XLM (Stellar's native currency) in prizes will be awarded to the best implementations of the challenges below! Additionally, all submitters will receive a one-of-a-kind NFT badge to prove your participation. Build something cool, try something new, get rewarded, and get your name out there!

CHALLENGES

We welcome all levels of experience to participate in this hackathon. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to incorporate NFTs on Stellar through one of these challenges:

NFT Artist challenge: Mint an NFT on Stellar 

Are you an artist and want to get into NFTs, but don’t know how to code? In this challenge you will create a piece of art (according to a specific prompt that we’ll release at the start of the hackathon), mint your art piece as your very first NFT on Litemint (an NFT marketplace on Stellar)!

Awards for the most stunning NFTs will win awards totalling $1,500 worth of XLM allocated by the Stellar dev community. To participate in the Stellar NFT Artist Challenge, sign up using this form.

NFT Wizard challenge: Build innovative NFT experiences on Stellar

Want to build NFT applications beyond just buying and selling? This is where the real fun begins! Go beast-mode and code innovative NFT experiences such as tracking ownership and rewards with royalty payments. Explore how these composable NFTs open up opportunities for you as a developer! Prizes totalling $8,500 will be awarded to the most interesting implementations.

You’ll have to put in some elbow grease, but it’s easier than you think! If you're proficient in JavaScript, attend a live workshop on 3/11 (register here) that walks you through everything you need to know to get started, and guides you through setting up your project through an interactive building session at the end. Want to have a sneak peek into what this innovative NFT could look like? Check out these Smart NFTs created by SDF’s ecosystem engineer Tyler van der Hoeven!

What are NFTs? Why NFTs on Stellar?

Short for Non-Fungible Tokens, NFTs are unique digital items, and they can represent ownership of artwork, audio, writing, in-game items, really anything. Currently, NFTs are most popular on Ethereum, but there are serious advantages for NFTs on Stellar. Thanks to an energy-efficient consensus mechanism, you can mint NFTs within seconds for a low transaction fee. This alone breaks down barriers for artists and creators worldwide to share their work with the world. 

Also, there is no need to set up a node to build on Stellar. Simply pick your favorite coding languages from a suite of SDKs and get started immediately. And with the power of integrating real-world currencies, you can transform the financial system from how it is today. 

Most importantly, Stellar is purposely built to further financial inclusion, which means that this equity, accessibility, reliability and scalability will always remain top priority for the network. This means that you can rely on the technology to build applications that are made to last.

To find out more, check the Resources tab, which points to high-level explainers and nuts-and-bolts documentation of the new features, and offers tips and links to help you get started if you're new to Stellar. 

SCHEDULE

Hacking is open from 3PM on March 11th until 3 PM March 13th (times in CST). Joining virtually? Engage with fellow participants in the Stellar Dev Discord channel and attend live streamed events throughout the hackathon. Are you an SXSW badge holder and need space for hacking? Our JW Marriott lounge will remain open all night from March 12th-13th to fuel your work! Water, pizza, coffee, swag!

$8,500 in prizes

• NFT Wizard Criteria
  
• Quality of the idea
  Is it creative? Is it based on sound assumptions? Is it well suited to Stellar?
• The implementation
  Does the product work? Does it make effective use of NFTs on Stellar?
• The potential impact
  Does it provide an intelligent, intuitive solution? Will it make a meaningful contribution to the Stellar Ecosystem?