Deadline
Mon, Sep 28, 00:00 KST
Build a DApp that proves only what it needs to.
Learn Midnight, build with privacy, and ship a working DApp in four weeks.
PROGRAM
Midnight Korea Hackathon 2026
Check out everything you need to know about the hackathon.
Overview
Build your first privacy DApp with zero-knowledge proofs
Build and submit a DApp over four weeks using Midnight's privacy features. What matters is your idea for Midnight and whether the result actually works.
Prize pool $4,000
Solo or in teams of up to 4
Fully online
About 4 weeks to build
BUILD
Build on Midnight
You can build on Midnight's Preprod or Preview testnet, or run a Local Devnet.
LEARN
Learn Midnight Academy
Work through Midnight Academy's three-stage curriculum and submit your certificates for bonus points during judging.
SHIP
What’s Next
The program doesn't end with the hackathon. Winning teams get a follow-up Demo Day and an opportunity to continue through Build Club.
TIMELINE & HOW TO PARTICIPATE
One month, from sign-up to submission
The program runs for about a month. If you're short on time, just follow the steps below.
It's fine if you miss an announcement or an online session.
Follow these five steps in order and you'll have everything you need to complete the hackathon.
01
Register on Luma
Only participants registered through Luma are eligible to submit. You can enter solo or as a team of up to four.
Announcements and live Q&A happen on Telegram.
02
Midnight Academy & Online Session
Not a developer or new to Midnight? Midnight Academy covers the basics you'll need, including blockchain concepts, zero-knowledge proofs, and Midnight fundamentals.
Already know the basics? Feel free to skip ahead. But you can earn bonus points by submitting certificates from each of Midnight Academy's three stages, so it's worth completing them if you have time.
We also run online sessions for participants on September 16 and 23. They'll cover practical topics that can help with your build, so join if you can.
03
Let’s Build!
Ready to start building? We recommend reading the docs, setting up your Midnight development environment, and then coming up with an idea that puts Midnight's privacy features to work.
Once you have an idea, use Midnight Expert, a Claude Code plugin, to help with everything from environment setup to DApp development. If you don't use Claude Code, try MidSkill, a collection of AI plugins for the Midnight ecosystem.
04
Submit
Happy with your DApp? Submit your finished work by September 28, 00:00 KST.
Check the countdown, review the submission requirements and judging process on the Submission page, then submit your project.
05
Results
Winners will be announced here and in the Telegram channel on September 29 at 14:00, after judging is complete. We'll send follow-up information to the team lead using the contact details provided in the submission.
HOW TO BUILD
Here's how to start
New to Midnight? No problem. Start with the Academy and work through the resources in order. They'll take you from the basics to building your first DApp.
Program announcements and real-time Q&A will be held in the [Korean-Chat] channel on Midnight Discord.
SUBMISSION
Time until submission deadline
What to submit
Project name
One-line description
GitHub repository
(public, with a README)
How to run, or a demo flow
(text)
Demo video
(optional)
How Midnight is used
How we review
We clone your GitHub repository and compile it.
We check that the project description in your submission form matches the README.
We assess how clearly the project uses Midnight's features.
We check that we can access and verify the demo.
Start a Project and Submit It.
PRIZES
Top 3 teams win
There are no separate tracks. The three highest-scoring teams win a share of the $4,000 prize pool.
2nd
$1,200
3rd
$800
DEMO DAY
Offline Demo Day
Winning teams present their projects in person and get a chance to meet institutions and investors. Details to follow.
ECOSYSTEM OPPORTUNITY
Build Club Incubation
Build Club is an incubation program run by the Midnight Foundation.
The top 3 teams will be considered for Build Club, with an opportunity to develop their ideas into a business.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Who can take part?
What do I build?
Is finishing Midnight Academy required?
How does judging work?
How do I sign up?
Do I have to attend the online sessions?
© 2026. midnight Korea.