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Colosseum · Hackathon

Colosseum Solana hackathons

Two cycles/year — next edition TBA $30k top prize + $10k University Award

Crypto's largest online startup competition, run twice a year. The Frontier 2026 cycle paid a $30k grand prize, $10k each to 20 runners-up, and a dedicated $10k University Award for the best student team — accelerator picks get $250k in pre-seed funding.

Cost
Free
Format
Fully online
Duration
~5 weeks per cycle
Eligibility
Global, fully online, ~5-week builds

Dates & timeline

CyclesTwo per year — next edition TBA
Build window~5 weeks per cycle

Prizes

Why it's worth your time

Colosseum runs crypto's largest online startup competition on the Solana ecosystem, twice a year. Unlike a weekend hackathon, each cycle is a ~5-week build sprint judged like a startup pitch — and the best teams don't just win prizes: Colosseum's accelerator invests $250k in pre-seed funding in its picks.

The Frontier 2026 cycle paid a $30k grand prize, $10k each to 20 runners-up, and — most relevant here — a dedicated $10k University Award for the best student team. It's fully online and global, which makes it one of the highest-EV competitions an ambitious Indian student team can enter.

How to apply

1

Watch for the next cycle announcement and register when it opens.

2

Form a team and pick a product idea suited to a 5-week build.

3

Build in public during the window; use ecosystem resources and office hours.

4

Submit a working product and pitch — student teams should target the University Award.

Frequently asked questions

Can Indian students participate?

Yes — the competition is fully online and global. Student teams have a dedicated $10k University Award to compete for.

Is it free to enter?

Yes, entry is free.

How is it different from a normal hackathon?

It's ~5 weeks, not a weekend, and it's judged like a startup competition — working product, real users if possible, and a pitch. The accelerator invests $250k in top teams.

Do I need Solana experience?

It helps, but the 5-week format leaves genuine time to learn — the ecosystem publishes starter kits and runs support channels during each cycle.

Official links

Hiring now

US startups hiring on Tierones

Part-time, remote coding internships with funded US startups — quoted in USD per hour, open to verified 2nd- and 3rd-year students. Free for students, always.

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