Dublin recently found itself in the eye of a tech storm as ETHDublin, Ireland’s Web3 hackathon and conference, drew a motley crew of innovators from around the globe. Organised with panache by the ETH Ireland team and hosted at the trendy Dogpatch Labs, the event tackles industry challenges head-on with emerging tech solutions.
ETHDublin: Engineering Irish Tech Culture Through Web3 Innovation
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Addressing the Irish Housing Crisis
The spotlight shone on projects designed to tackle Ireland’s societal woes. SafeTí, clinching the top spot, ingeniously combined social work with software to confront the Irish housing crisis.
“Winning ETHDublin was an incredible experience,” said Anthony from SafeTí. “Our project aims to solve real-world problems, and this recognition validates our hard work and vision. We wanted to create a tool that not only addresses housing issues but also integrates seamlessly with social work practices, making a real difference in people’s lives.”
SafeTí’s interest in web3 technologies, coupled with the opportunity to network and make a difference, sparked their participation in the ETHDublin hackathon. “The hackathon allowed us to tackle major issues facing Ireland and other major cities globally,” their team explained.
Financing Individuals in Need
Private Peace, the second-place disruptors, focused on developing a platform to provide financial assistance to where it’s most needed. “We’re three software developers from Northern Ireland,” shared the team from Private Peace. “Two of us (Taylor & Cat) work full-time in crypto as devrel engineers: Taylor in staking infra and Cat in ZK & privacy. Jordan is a full-stack developer in web2 and decided to use ETHDublin to dive into web3.”
They added, “ETHDublin provided us with a unique platform to showcase our solution for financial inclusion,” they added. The feedback and support we received here were invaluable. Our goal is to create a system that empowers individuals financially, offering them peace of mind and stability.”
Conference Kickoff and Initial Networking
The event began on Friday, May 31st, with a welcoming reception at Dogpatch Labs. Caolán, Ryan and Alejandro from ETHDublin set the tone for the weekend, laying down the law and pushing for collaborative genius.
Team formation activities began with brainstorming on Friday morning, involving everyone from the start through to the presentation. “This boosted our confidence!”, the SafeTí team recalled.
Hacking began in earnest on the first night, with a workshop on “Meeting the Standard” led by Fiona Delaney, Strategy Lead at SEEBLOCKS.eu, providing essential insights into blockchain standardisation.
“It was really optimistic and curious. Hackers came along not knowing what they wanted to build, and by the first evening everyone was locked in trying to solve a real problem with blockchain,” the Private Peace team reflected.
Workshops and Sessions for Skill Enhancement
Saturday morning, June 1st, crackled with energy, kicking off with a hacker-only breakfast and hands-on sessions spanning a wide range of topics, from building decentralised applications ( dApps) without code through Webstudio to creating social dApps with Mint Club Protocol.
“Mentors provided valuable insights, particularly in areas like workflows, processes, and specifications,” the SafeTí team agreed, appreciating the support offered during the event. Reflecting on the recruitment process, the Private Peace team added, “almost all of the hackers there had never been to a hackathon nor had any prior experience in web3, including our very own Jordan.”
Taylor from Private Peace continued, “There were sessions leading up to the weekend to help newbies understand the hackathon process and blockchain technology,” appreciating the organisers’ efforts to make the event accessible.
The curtain lifted at 11am with brain-tickling panels on Non-Fungible Tokens ( NFTs), featuring IrishNFTGal alongside John Crain, CEO of SuperRare Labs. The Building on Ethereum took a spicy but constructive turn!
Heavy hitters like Anthony Leutenegger from Aragon, Rachel-Rose O’Leary from DarkFi, and Laurence E. Day, Co-founder of The Wildcat Protocol, joined speaker sessions taking place throughout the day.
Final Day and Award Ceremony
Sunday, June 2nd, began with another hacker-only breakfast, followed by workshops on bridging EVM and XRP Ledger and a workshop on securing grants with Gitcoin.
The day culminated with project submissions, live entertainment from the Open Source Orchestra, and the eagerly anticipated presentations and an exceptional panel of judges, who brought their expertise and critical eye to the projects. Amongst the judging panel were Liz Harkavy, Investment Partner at a16z Crypto, Sorcha Mulligan, Venture Partner at SME Chain, Martin Duff, CSO at Hibernia Ventures Labs.
The event concluded with an award ceremony and an afterparty at The Drunken Fish, leaving participants with lasting memories and a strong sense of accomplishment. A highlight was the traditional karaoke session, eagerly anticipated for next year.
Looking Forward: The Future of Web3 in Ireland
Private Peace found a unique motivation in the event’s local significance. “It’s home!” they mused. “Although Taylor & Cat go to conferences all over the world, we’d never experienced the crypto community in Ireland. It was definitely a different kind of event than others we were used to,” they shared.
For many participants, ETHDublin was a transformative experience. The challenges faced and overcome, the skills learned, and the connections made contributed to a profound sense of personal and professional growth. Many projects aimed at social good, such as platforms for financial inclusion and tools for enhancing digital privacy, reflecting the participants’ desire to create technology that benefits society as a whole.
As ETHDublin concluded, the atmosphere was charged with excitement and optimism. The innovative projects, inspiring stories, and collective spirit showcased the best of what the tech community can achieve. Post-hackathon, Cat from Private Peace mentioned they are leveraging the momentum through Gitcoin funding and continued networking: “Caolán set up a bunch of Telegram groups with the other winners and organisers from the hackathon so we’re still chatting and building a network from there.”
Robert from SafeTí closed with some advice to future hackathon participants: “You have nothing to lose and a lot to gain. Find teammates who are open-minded and passionate. The atmosphere at ETH Dublin was comfortable and conducive to creativity.”
ETHDublin not only highlighted Ireland’s burgeoning role in the global blockchain scene but also set the stage for a future where web3 technology can drive meaningful change. The winning teams that we spoke to agreed, the Irish crypto community is not going away any time soon.
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