With ETHDenver 2026 (February 17-21) approaching, I wanted to share some thoughts and gather input from fellow builders on how to make the most of the world’s largest Web3 hackathon.
Why ETHDenver Stands Out
Having attended the last three years, I can confidently say ETHDenver is different from other crypto conferences. It’s not about suits and business cards - it’s about actually building things.
The Numbers (Based on 2025)
- 5 days of non-stop building
- $500K+ in hackathon prizes across multiple tracks
- 10,000+ developers, designers, and builders
- 200+ sponsors and ecosystem partners
- Free entry for hackathon participants
What I’m Planning to Build
I’m thinking about a few project ideas for the hackathon:
- Smart Contract Security Scanner - A tool that runs automated audits on deployed contracts
- Gas Optimization Visualizer - Visual tool showing gas costs across different implementations
- Solidity Learning Game - Gamified tutorial for new developers
Would love feedback on which seems most hackathon-viable!
Key Tracks to Watch
Based on ecosystem trends, these tracks will likely have significant prizes:
| Track | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Account Abstraction | ERC-4337 adoption is accelerating |
| ZK Applications | zkEVMs going mainstream |
| DeFi Innovations | Always well-funded |
| Public Goods | Gitcoin/EF support |
| Developer Tooling | Infrastructure gaps remain |
Questions for the Community
- For ETHDenver veterans: Any tips on team formation and project scoping?
- For first-timers: What are your concerns or questions?
- Project ideas: What would you want to see built?
Security first, optimization second - that’s my approach. Let’s use this thread to coordinate and maybe even form some teams!