Sonic Labs Unveils $250,000 Sonic DeFAI Hackathon in Collaboration with DoraHacks and Zerebro

Sonic Labs Unveils $250,000 Sonic DeFAI Hackathon in Collaboration with DoraHacks and Zerebro

Sonic Labs, the innovators behind Sonic, the fastest-performing EVM L1 blockchain, have announced the launch of the Sonic DeFAI Hackathon. This groundbreaking event, held in partnership with global hackathon organizer DoraHacks and the AI powerhouse Zerebro, offers a $250,000 prize pool to participants competing to develop cutting-edge AI agents capable of both social and on-chain actions.

The hackathon kicks off today, January 21, 2025, and runs until February 24, 2025, with winners set to be revealed in early March. This initiative aims to propel the convergence of decentralized finance (DeFi) and artificial intelligence (AI), pushing the boundaries of what’s possible on Sonic.

Revolutionizing DeFi with AI

The term “DeFAI” embodies the fusion of blockchain and AI technologies, offering solutions that streamline complex operations. For instance, AI agents integrated with blockchain can perform tasks such as bridging assets, token swaps, and liquidity deposits in a single, autonomous step. Beyond financial applications, these agents can also optimize social media management and marketing strategies, making them indispensable tools for innovation.

The Sonic DeFAI Hackathon is designed to unlock the transformative potential of AI within blockchain ecosystems. By leveraging Sonic’s unparalleled transaction speed of 10,000 TPS and sub-second finality, participants can create agents capable of executing intricate, real-time operations with remarkable efficiency.

Luis Fausto, Content Lead at Sonic Labs, expressed his excitement:

“The Sonic DeFAI Hackathon merges the revolutionary capabilities of AI with the transformative power of blockchain. With $250,000 in prizes, we aim to inspire global innovators to redefine DeFi through the creation of groundbreaking AI agents.”

Participation and Submission Guidelines

Developers interested in participating can register on the official Sonic DeFAI Hackathon page hosted by DoraHacks. Key details include:

• Development Period: Participants have until February 24, 2025, to complete and submit their projects.
• Demo Video: Submissions must include a three-minute video demonstration of the project, hosted on YouTube, Vimeo, or Google Drive.
• Code Repository: A link to the project’s source code is required.

A panel of distinguished judges, including Sonic Labs CEO Michael Kong, Developer Relations Lead Seg, Zerebro Founder Jeffy Yu, Zerebro Lead Engineer Ayoub, and Hey Anon Founder Daniele Sesta, will evaluate submissions. Additional judges may be announced before the deadline.

Evaluation Criteria

Submissions will be assessed based on four key aspects:

• Technological Integration: How effectively does the project integrate with Sonic?
• Design: Is the user experience intuitive and thoughtfully designed?
• Potential Impact: What is the project’s potential to influence the blockchain industry?
• Originality: How creative and unique is the solution?

Prizes and Awards

The $250,000 prize pool will be distributed across the following categories:

• Top 3 Agents
  • First Place: $60,000
  • Second Place: $55,000
  • Third Place: $45,000
  • Honorable Mentions (2): $15,000 each
• Special Category Awards
  • Best Social Agent: $12,500 (Winner) | $7,500 (Runner-Up)
  • Best DeFAI Agent: $12,500 (Winner) | $7,500 (Runner-Up)
  • Best Tooling Agent: $12,500 (Winner) | $7,500 (Runner-Up)

Comprehensive Support for Participants

Throughout the hackathon, participants will have access to robust resources, including guidance on idea development and technical support for ZerePy. Developed by Zerebro, ZerePy is an open-source Python framework that simplifies the creation of social and on-chain agents. Its seamless integration with Sonic provides participants with the tools to innovate effortlessly.

Winning teams will also benefit from promotional opportunities through Sonic Labs’ official channels, amplifying their projects to a global audience.

Jeffy Yu, Founder of Zerebro, highlighted the significance of the event:
“By combining AI and blockchain, we are simplifying previously complex processes and redefining user interactions with DeFi. This hackathon is about building that future today.”

About the Organizers

• Sonic Labs: Renowned for its ultra-fast EVM L1 blockchain, Sonic delivers 10,000 TPS and sub-second confirmation times, creating a high-performance platform for DeFi innovation.
• DoraHacks: A global leader in hackathon organization, DoraHacks supports developers with tools, grants, and community events to foster innovation across blockchain, quantum computing, and beyond.
• Zerebro: Specializing in AI-driven automation, Zerebro enables users to deploy customizable AI agents quickly and efficiently through its ZerePy framework.