19 Jul 2023

ONTOCHAIN Hackathons are just a couple of days away. We spoke with Prof. Vlado Stankovski, ONTOCHAIN technical coordinator, to know more about the hackathons and what are we expecting from the participants.

 

Can you briefly explain what the ONTOCHAIN Hackathons are and what participants can expect from them?

ONTOCHAIN enters its last phase before production. Many services are already deployed and are ready to be used by applications. The hackathons participants can gain essential understanding of how the ONTOCHAIN tools and services can be combined within the software ecosystem.

 

What motivated the creation of the ONTOCHAIN Hackathons, and how do they contribute to the development of web3 innovation?

In fact, we would like to raise awareness of the core functionalities which are included in the ONTOCHAIN portfolio. These will be provided by the future ONTOCHAIN Foundation in a very near future.

 

What makes the ONTOCHAIN Hackathons unique compared to other hackathons in the blockchain space?

The ONTOCHAIN technologies are one level higher on the scale from concept to production.  A variety of novel functionalities are provided that can be used within applications. This includes mechanisms for the management of ontologies, generation, and exchange of tokens of various kinds, on-chain and on-chain transactions, digital identities, abilities to integrate a variety of technologies, such as the Web of Things, Artificial Intelligence, Digital Twins, and alike. The complete portfolio is available on the ONTOCHAIN project Web site on a clickable map that everyone can explore.

 

Could you highlight some of the focus areas for the upcoming ONTOCHAIN Hackathons?

The first hackathon is about the development of trustworthy applications that address human rights and the second one on the development of trustworthy applications for commerce and other services. The idea is to use the already deployed and running services within our own ONTOCHAIN network. These provide core ONTOCHAIN, that is, ontologies plus blockchain functionalities.

 

How do the hackathons support and encourage collaboration among participants?

Full coaching will be provided as our project features 44 technology projects which have been developed by the most advanced researchers and innovators from across the European Union and beyond.

 

What criteria will be used to evaluate the projects developed during the hackathons?

We shall employ a jury to score the innovativeness, usefulness, exploitation, presentation, and completeness of each team’s result

 

How does participating in the hackathons benefit web3 innovators and help advance their careers?

I think mainly by understanding how to benefit from technologies that are on the cross-section between Semantic Web and Blockchain.

 

What resources and support will be provided to participants during the hackathons?

The participants will receive an elaborate Hackathon Kit, so be ready for surprises!