LIVE NOW - Rolling monthly submissions with $420,000+ total prize poolNext Judging: February 15, 2025 | Final Submission: February 10, 2025
Welcome to The Nexis Forge - where the world’s best developers forge the future of AI x Blockchain. This isn’t just another hackathon. It’s a builder summit designed to onboard the next wave of Web3, DeFi, and AI innovators to the first Layer-2 blockchain purpose-built for verifiable AI inference and autonomous agent coordination.
What Makes The Forge Different:
🎯 8 Specialized Tracks - From AI agents to DeFi protocols to cross-chain bridges
💰 $420,000+ Prize Pool - Largest AI x Blockchain hackathon in 2025
🏗️ Milestone-Based Rewards - Get paid for hitting development milestones
🤝 Elite Mentorship - Direct access to core team + VC partners
🚀 Post-Hackathon Support - Top teams get grants, audits, and VC intros
⚡ Fast-Track to Production - Built-in infrastructure for mainnet launch
Unlike traditional L1s or generic L2s, Nexis Appchain is purpose-built for AI:
Proof-of-Inference
Every AI inference cryptographically verified on-chain
2-Second Finality
Lightning-fast blocks for real-time AI applications
Economic Security
Stake-backed AI agents with slashing for misbehavior
Reputation System
Multi-dimensional on-chain reputation for AI quality
Task Marketplace
Built-in marketplace for AI task execution
Full EVM Compat
Deploy any Solidity contract - plus AI-native features
The Opportunity: The AI x Crypto market is projected to reach $10B+ by 2026. Early builders who establish on Nexis will capture significant market share in this explosive sector.
For the complete detailed breakdown with 5+ project ideas per track, technical specifications, judging criteria, and code examples, visit:The Nexis Forge Complete Guide (Coming Soon)
# Project Name**Tagline** - One sentence describing your project## 🎯 Problem StatementWhat problem does this solve?## 💡 SolutionHow does your project solve it?## 🏗️ Architecture- Smart Contracts: List and purpose- Frontend: Tech stack- AI Integration: Models and proof-of-inference## 🚀 Getting Started### Installation```bashgit clone https://github.com/yourteam/projectpnpm installcp .env.example .envpnpm dev
---## 🏆 Judging Process### Timeline<Steps> <Step title="Submission Deadline - Feb 10, 2025"> All materials due by 11:59 PM EST </Step> <Step title="Initial Screening - Feb 11-12"> Technical verification and eligibility check </Step> <Step title="Technical Review - Feb 12-14"> Core developers evaluate code and architecture (50% of score) </Step> <Step title="Panel Judging - Feb 14-15"> 5-judge panel scores innovation and impact (40% of score) </Step> <Step title="Community Voting - Feb 13-15"> Public votes for Community Choice (10% of score) </Step> <Step title="Winner Announcement - Feb 17"> Live event at 10am EST </Step> <Step title="Prize Distribution - Feb 20"> USDC sent to winners </Step></Steps>### Scoring RubricProjects scored 0-100 points based on:**Track-Specific Criteria (60 points)** - Varies by track- Example (AI Arena): AI Innovation 30%, Proof-of-Inference 25%, Economic Model 20%**Universal Criteria (40 points)**- Code Quality: 10 points- User Experience: 10 points- Completeness: 10 points- Presentation: 5 points- Innovation: 5 points**Bonus Points (up to +20)**- Mainnet deployment: +10- Security audit: +10- Open source contributions: +5- Ecosystem integration: +5- Exceptional documentation: +5---## 🎓 Resources & Support### Developer Resources<CardGroup cols={2}> <Card title="Documentation" icon="book" href="/introduction"> Complete technical docs </Card> <Card title="Tutorials" icon="graduation-cap" href="/tutorials/deploy-contract"> 12+ step-by-step guides </Card> <Card title="Code Examples" icon="code" href="https://github.com/nexis-network/examples"> 20+ example projects </Card> <Card title="API Reference" icon="brackets-curly" href="/api-reference/introduction"> Complete API documentation </Card></CardGroup>### Infrastructure CreditsAll participants receive:<CardGroup cols={2}> <Card title="RPC Credits" icon="server"> $500 in free RPC calls </Card> <Card title="AI API Credits" icon="brain"> $200 in AI credits </Card> <Card title="Storage Credits" icon="database"> 100GB IPFS storage </Card> <Card title="Hosting Credits" icon="cloud"> 1 year free hosting </Card></CardGroup>### Mentorship Program<Accordion title="Weekly Office Hours"> Every Thursday at 2pm EST with Nexis core team [Zoom Link](https://nexis.network/officehours)</Accordion><Accordion title="1-on-1 Mentor Matching"> Top 50 projects get dedicated mentors Apply at [nexis.network/forge/mentor](https://nexis.network/forge/mentor)</Accordion><Accordion title="Discord Support"> 24/7 community support in #forge channels <2 hour average response time [Join Discord](https://discord.gg/nexis)</Accordion>### Post-Hackathon SupportTop teams receive:<Steps> <Step title="Follow-On Grants"> Up to $250,000 for continued development </Step> <Step title="Security Audits"> $50,000 in audit credits from top firms </Step> <Step title="VC Introductions"> Direct intros to 15+ partner VCs </Step> <Step title="Accelerator Fast-Track"> Priority admission to Alliance DAO, Kernel, etc. </Step> <Step title="Marketing Support"> Blog posts, social amplification, PR support </Step></Steps>---## 💬 Community### Official Channels<CardGroup cols={3}> <Card title="Discord" icon="discord" href="https://discord.gg/nexis"> Primary hub - 10,000+ members </Card> <Card title="Twitter" icon="twitter" href="https://twitter.com/nexis_network"> Use #NexisForge </Card> <Card title="GitHub" icon="github" href="https://github.com/nexis-network"> Code and examples </Card> <Card title="Telegram" icon="telegram" href="https://t.me/nexis_forge"> Quick updates </Card> <Card title="YouTube" icon="youtube" href="https://youtube.com/nexisnetwork"> Tutorials and workshops </Card> <Card title="Email" icon="envelope" href="mailto:forge@nexis.network"> forge@nexis.network </Card></CardGroup>---## ❓ FAQ<AccordionGroup> <Accordion title="Can I submit to multiple tracks?"> No, choose one primary track. However, you'll be considered for Grand Prize across all tracks. </Accordion> <Accordion title="Can I use existing code?"> Yes, but clearly attribute it. Judges evaluate YOUR contributions. </Accordion> <Accordion title="Do I need mainnet deployment?"> No, testnet is fine. Mainnet = +10 bonus points. </Accordion> <Accordion title="Can I be a solo builder?"> Yes! You're eligible for "Best Solo Builder" award ($5,000). </Accordion> <Accordion title="Can I keep developing after submission?"> Yes! Judges evaluate your submission at the deadline. Post-deadline work shows commitment. </Accordion> <Accordion title="What if I don't win?"> You still get: infrastructure credits, judge feedback, community exposure, potential grants. </Accordion> <Accordion title="Are international teams welcome?"> Yes! All countries except OFAC-sanctioned nations. </Accordion> <Accordion title="How are prizes distributed?"> USDC on Ethereum mainnet. KYC required for $10,000+ prizes. </Accordion></AccordionGroup>---## 🚀 Get Started<Steps> <Step title="Join Discord"> Introduce yourself in #hackathon channel </Step> <Step title="Read Docs"> Familiarize yourself with Nexis architecture </Step> <Step title="Explore Examples"> Review tutorials and code samples </Step> <Step title="Get Testnet Tokens"> Use the faucet to get testnet NZT </Step> <Step title="Start Building"> Deploy your first contract </Step> <Step title="Submit Project"> Complete form when ready </Step></Steps><Card title="Submit Your Project" icon="paper-plane" href="https://nexis.network/forge/submit"> Ready to forge the future? Submit now.</Card>---## 📜 Legal & Rules### Eligibility<Warning>**Not eligible:**- Nexis Labs employees/contractors (within 6 months)- Immediate family of Nexis team- Minors without parental consent- Residents of OFAC-sanctioned countries</Warning>### Intellectual Property- You retain all IP rights- Must be open-source (MIT, Apache 2.0, or GPL)- You grant Nexis right to showcase (with attribution)### DisqualificationInstant DQ for:- Plagiarism or IP theft- Malicious code- Missing deliverables- Late submission- Harassment or cheating### Prize Terms- Paid in USDC or ETH- You're responsible for taxes- KYC required for $10,000+ prizes- Prizes may be forfeited if unable to complete KYCSee full [Terms of Service](https://nexis.network/terms) for details.---## 🔨 FORGE THE FUTURE<Card title="The Nexis Forge Is Live" icon="hammer" color="#0D6B93"> **$420,000 in prizes. 8 tracks. Unlimited potential.** 🎯 Deadline: February 10, 2025 💰 Grand Prize: $50,000 🏆 Track Prizes: $75,000 each (AI & DeFi) [Submit Project](https://nexis.network/forge/submit) | [Join Discord](https://discord.gg/nexis) | [View Leaderboard](https://nexis.network/forge/leaderboard)</Card>**The forge is hot. The metal is ready. All that's missing is your vision.**### FORGE THE FUTURE. BUILD ON NEXIS. WIN BIG. 🔥---<Note>**Questions?** Email forge@nexis.network or ask in Discord #forge-general**Report Issues:** [GitHub Issues](https://github.com/nexis-network/nexis-mintlify-docs/issues)</Note>**Last Updated:** January 15, 2025
