AKINDO exists to go beyond traditional hackathons, grant programs, and accelerators — and to replace them with a system that actually produces real businesses and killer applications for ecosystem partners.
Across the crypto industry, legacy and inefficient approaches still dominate. Enormous resources have been poured into hackathons over the past decade, yet truly mass-adopted killer apps remain rare. That reality alone is proof that something is broken.
Spending ecosystem resources to attract short-term bounty hunters is no longer a smart strategy. It’s time to change the model.
In 2025, AKINDO moved beyond the legacy of hackathons and evolved into what we call an onchain Y Combinator — a Buildathon platform designed to solve the most fundamental problem founders face: fundraising.
Through the Buildathon model — an alternative to traditional build programs — we are redesigning not only the crypto ecosystem, but the startup ecosystem as a whole.
This journey is only beginning, but in just one year, we’ve already achieved measurable results:
Over $1M in grants distributed globally in 2025
A 50,000+ strong global builder audience built to date
In-person showcase events hosted across 7 countries 🇺🇸🇫🇷🇯🇵🇮🇳🇰🇷🇸🇬🇦🇷
3,500+ total product submissions to date
60+ Buildathon programs hosted to date
200+ ecosystem events organized to date
50 projects successfully launched on mainnet through the 0G Buildathon.
Throughout 2025, we collaborated with ecosystem partners and builders across multiple blockchain layers. The most important milestone was clearly defining ourselves as the world’s first and largest Buildathon platform.
A Buildathon is not about demo products.
It is a long-term build engine designed to help builders create real businesses and successfully raise capital. Buildathon replaces inefficient, legacy models such as short-term hackathons, fragmented grant programs, and disconnected accelerators.
Its single, uncompromising KPI is simple:
successful fundraising.
By defining our vision — solving startup fundraising — through the concept of Buildathon, we clarified our position and dramatically expanded the solutions we can deliver.
Since 2024, AKINDO has supported L1 and L2 ecosystems in launching native applications and expanding their developer ecosystems through a protocol called WaveHack. In this model, pre-deposited grants are automatically allocated based on continuous product progress and measurable outcomes.
In 2025, we formalized this approach as Buildathon — and the impact scaled.
0G Buildathon
https://app.akindo.io/wave-hacks/xKOgjd91kCmrN3ORz
$50,000 grant pool
363 builders
169 product submissions
50 mainnet launches
Linera Buildathon (2 Waves remaining)
https://app.akindo.io/wave-hacks/X4ZV12Z6GSMEkmOkX
$24,000 distributed ($26,000 remaining)
536 builders
174 submissions
Polygon Buildathon (6 Waves remaining)
https://app.akindo.io/wave-hacks/ENDGJ468Ktzmv9wNk
$15,000 distributed ($35,000 remaining)
293 builders
202 submissions
In addition, ecosystems such as Filecoin, IoTeX, Aleo, Zora, Moca Network, Citrea, and TON actively use the Buildathon platform.
Buildathon enables what hackathons cannot: long-term engagement, real ecosystem formation, and mainnet launches.
To take this further, we launched the alpha version of Deal Room — designed to help builders achieve their ultimate KPI: fundraising.
Deal Room is a closed online community where only the top 1% of teams from each Buildathon are invited. Inside, they are matched with over 25 partner VC firms, including Spartan, IOSG, Maven11, Maelstrom, Amber, and more.
Every two weeks, carefully selected teams actively raising capital are showcased, enabling direct connections with VCs and investors.
Deal Room functions as an online version of Y Combinator’s Demo Day — a continuous fundraising hub where only the most ecosystem-validated teams can participate.
Looking ahead, AKINDO will also introduce:
GTM Room for post-fundraising growth support (hiring, marketing, development, events)
ICO Room, enabling continuous fundraising from individual investors
In 2026, AKINDO will introduce a new onchain startup growth model that integrates:
Global Demo Days at major conferences
Professional VC fundraising
Post-raise growth support
ICO-based capital formation
This model will extend beyond crypto, empowering AI, SaaS, consumer, creator, and deep tech founders worldwide.
Progress requires more than builders who create products. It requires founders who build real businesses.
Buildathon is an engine that transforms builders into founders through three or more months of continuous feedback, iteration, and ecosystem validation. The goal is not just better products — but better founders.
AKINDO Buildathon OS: The Founder Growth Engine.
Our vision is to bring Buildathon-born founders to Demo Days at ETHDenver, EthCC, TOKEN2049, and beyond, connect them through Deal Room, and help them raise capital to build products the world truly needs.
This article best captures where the industry is heading:
kinjo - @illshin.eth@illshin
This perfectly describes the crypto market in 2025 and the direction we’re heading next. At AKINDO, we’re not building “crypto products.” We’re solving startup fundraising, and on-chain just happens to be the best rail. We exist to make the world better. Not to defend a label.
9:03 AM · Dec 23, 2025 · 295 Views
1 Reply · 3 Likes
Crypto-native thinking alone is no longer enough. The lessons learned must now be applied to solving real-world problems. I fully agree.
AKINDO exists to solve fundraising for all founders — not only crypto startups, but also AI, SaaS, consumer, creator, and deep tech companies — using onchain solutions.
Traditional fundraising and exit paths are broken. Capital formation will increasingly move toward stablecoins and smart contracts. IPOs will become rare, while TGEs become the norm.
The ecosystem is being upgraded.
AKINDO aims to become a one-stop platform spanning launch, fundraising, growth, and exit — rethinking not just startup ecosystems, but the very foundations of capital markets.
In early 2026, AKINDO will focus on:
Buildathons
Founder–VC Connect IRL Event
Monthly Demo Days
Deal Room
GTM Room
ICO Room
Our success is defined by the success of ecosystem partners, VC partners, and founders.
If you’re interested in collaborating, we’d love to connect.
AKINDO
https://x.com/akindo_io
We’ll be hosting events alongside these conferences in 2026.
Let’s meet in person 👋🏻
Consensus Hong Kong
ETHDenver
ETHMumbai
EthCC
TEAMZ AI / Web3 Summit
WebX
KBW
TOKEN2049
Devcon
Let’s look back at AKINDO’s journey through 2025 — a year defined by execution, experimentation, and global builder activation.
https://app.akindo.io/wave-hacks/0nvK8Rd9dfzj63PZV
https://app.akindo.io/communities/K8r0EgnB3FJJegn1
AKINDO | The world’s first Buildathon Platform🌊⚒️@akindo_io
Last night’s ETHGlobal Japan Meetup was incredible!🇯🇵🌸🎉 We had amazing conversations with builders who have previously participated in ETHGlobal, those preparing for ETHGlobal Taipei, and many others contributing to the Ethereum ecosystem. It was also great to exchange
6:56 AM · Mar 23, 2025 · 2.36K Views
8 Reposts · 26 Likes
https://app.akindo.io/wave-hacks/Drd38NwV1uZJvEVvZ
AKINDO | The world’s first Buildathon Platform🌊⚒️@akindo_io
Big shoutout to all the builders who joined Sui Hacker House Tokyo — thank you!💧🫶🏻 We’re incredibly proud of the amazing ideas and products that came to life in just 3 days. But this is only the beginning. Our real goal is to see you win Sui Overflow( sui.io/overflow
11:47 AM · Apr 1, 2025 · 13.3K Views
3 Reposts · 28 Likes
AKINDO | The world’s first Buildathon Platform🌊⚒️@akindo_io
🗼Metis BUIDL Hour Tokyo Recap🦉🌿As an official TEAMZ Tokyo side event, this night exploded with AI × Crypto energy.🔥 🛠 Keynote& AI+Blockchain Workshop 📣1-min Demo Pitches × 10 🏆 Grants awarded to 8 projects ($1,000+) 🤝 50+ new builder connections 🧑🏻💻 Under-20 teams joined
AKINDO | The world’s first Buildathon Platform🌊⚒️ @akindo_io
What an incredible🚀 BUIDL Hour we hosted today with @MetisL2 + @LazAINetwork 🤝 From @0xQuantic 's deep dive into the AI framework @0xalith , to powerful presentations from amazing builders, and vibrant discussions with the audience—this was a perfectly interactive builder
5:25 AM · Apr 30, 2025 · 1.12K Views
1 Repost · 9 Likes
https://app.akindo.io/wave-hacks/7maJP63Qqhd9e4aVQ
https://app.akindo.io/wave-hacks/VwQGxPraOF0zZJkX
AKINDO | The world’s first Buildathon Platform🌊⚒️@akindo_io
We’re hosting a LIVE workshop on May 29 (22:00 JST) to show you exactly how to build with Blockchain MCP ⚙️🧠 📺 YouTube Live 📌 Demo, Q&A, and pro dev tips from the Nodit team 🎁 Perfect prep for the $10K WaveHack! 🔗 Save your seat now → lu.ma/nodit-wavehack
1:49 AM · May 21, 2025 · 280 Views
1 Repost · 3 Likes
https://app.akindo.io/wave-hacks/LaVDzAo3Du2K7q0n
AKINDO | The world’s first Buildathon Platform🌊⚒️@akindo_io
We had an incredible time supporting the @XRPLJapan Community Day + Hackathon Demo Day!✨ It brought together everyone involved and the energy from the community was truly at its peak.🔥 This was the first community-driven hackathon, and 7 high-quality projects made it to the
7:37 AM · Jun 22, 2025 · 5.57K Views
2 Replies · 9 Reposts · 47 Likes
https://app.akindo.io/wave-hacks/X42PDB3APIM86qrDo
AKINDO | The world’s first Buildathon Platform🌊⚒️@akindo_io
5/ 🌟 Perks: $8,000 prizes, cloud/API credits, mentorship & fast-track to TON grants. Ready to ship for Telegram’s billion? Register now! 👉 app.akindo.io/wave-hacks/WjK…
9:24 AM · Jul 1, 2025 · 149 Views
3 Likes
AKINDO | The world’s first Buildathon Platform🌊⚒️@akindo_io
It was packed🎉Happy 10th Anniversary, @ethereum ㊗️ We're thrilled to have celebrated this great milestone together with the Japanese community. Huge thanks to everyone and to the @ETHGlobal @curvegridinc @mercari_inc @JapanSmartChain team for co-hosting the #ETH10 party🎊 And
2:51 PM · Jul 30, 2025 · 2.32K Views
9 Reposts · 23 Likes
https://app.akindo.io/wave-hacks/xKOgjd91kCmrN3ORz
AKINDO | The world’s first Buildathon Platform🌊⚒️@akindo_io
Our Tokyo Builders Showcase and the official afterparty Tokyo Builders Connect wouldn’t have been possible without these incredible partners: 🎖️Co-Host: @techfund_inc 🎗️Partner Sponsors: @BingXLabs , @TalusNetwork , @KaiaChain, LINE NEXT , @SushiSwap 🪩Connect Title Sponsor:
4:59 AM · Aug 28, 2025 · 830 Views
3 Replies · 1 Repost · 7 Likes
AKINDO | The world’s first Buildathon Platform🌊⚒️@akindo_io
We’re beyond thrilled to welcome our very first Founding Regional Ambassadors to AKINDO, a powerhouse trio from India with unstoppable passion for building⚡️ Meet🤝🇮🇳 Bhawna – @ConnectBhawna Manav – @caerlower Akhil – @akhilnanavati This is the beginning of our India
8:39 AM · Aug 10, 2025 · 2.94K Views
3 Replies · 1 Repost · 10 Likes
AKINDO | The world’s first Buildathon Platform🌊⚒️@akindo_io
Builder Nights Tokyo was an absolute blast 🎉🚀 As the perfect lead-up event to the ETHTokyo Hackathon, it brought builders together, sparked fresh ideas, and set the tone for an exciting week ahead 🛠️ A big thank you to @MetaMask @Consensys @LineaBuild @OasisProtocol
6:16 AM · Sep 13, 2025 · 27.9K Views
11 Replies · 23 Reposts · 92 Likes
https://app.akindo.io/wave-hacks/gXkPdVxwOCoo498r
https://app.akindo.io/wave-hacks/1PRjgGzKaTqXaQBBl
AKINDO | The world’s first Buildathon Platform🌊⚒️@akindo_io
✨ ETHGlobal Happy Hour Osaka was a huge success🍻 A big thank you to @ETHGlobal for making it happen 🙌 It was the perfect kick start to @EDCON_Official, bringing builders, friends, and the community together to spark what’s ahead this week 🚀🌏
5:14 PM · Sep 16, 2025 · 2.17K Views
2 Reposts · 17 Likes
AKINDO | The world’s first Buildathon Platform🌊⚒️@akindo_io
🚀What an incredible EDCON SUPER DEMODAY! From start to finish, the energy was electric, builders, partners, and visionaries all in @EDCON_Official ! Thank you to everyone who joined and made it legendary! 🚪Opening ・ Kinjo (Founder of AKINDO) 🤝 Partner Keynotes
AKINDO | The world’s first Buildathon Platform🌊⚒️ @akindo_io
Super Demo Day at EDCON has begun! First up are the keynotes from the three judges! @robertbrienza from @OasisProtocol @Gwenole_M from @MetaMask , @LineaBuild @Yes_ThatBenji from LINE NEXT @dapp_portal And Thanks @EDCON_Official team!! https://t.co/Tb50G3Qglg
9:41 AM · Sep 18, 2025 · 2.02K Views
2 Replies · 6 Reposts · 17 Likes
https://app.akindo.io/wave-hacks/ENDGJ468Ktzmv9wNk
https://app.akindo.io/wave-hacks/X4ZJjD3W1haZNPmM
AKINDO | The world’s first Buildathon Platform🌊⚒️@akindo_io
🇮🇳The recap of the New Delhi Buildathon Workshop, held as a pre-event for @ETHGlobal New Delhi, has just dropped🔥 This was the first community-driven event organized by AKINDO’s India ambassadors, with support from @ocandocrypto at @UniswapFND , @Kohlivish_ at @OasisProtocol
AKINDO | The world’s first Buildathon Platform🌊⚒️ @akindo_io
🔥🇮🇳What incredible energy! The New Delhi Buildathon 🛠️ Pre-ETHGlobal New Delhi, our very first ambassador-led event at AKINDO, is absolutely buzzing. https://t.co/9lmaSrsnXV Huge thanks to @ConnectBhawna, @caerlower, and @akhilnanavati for organizing such an amazing workshop!
3:57 AM · Oct 12, 2025 · 5.51K Views
4 Replies · 9 Reposts · 31 Likes
AKINDO | The world’s first Buildathon Platform🌊⚒️@akindo_io
🇰🇷 Bridge the Block Korea Day – VC Pitch Session Recap, Hosted by @DFG__Official , @JSquare_co and @akindo_io , with the generous support of @0G_labs 🚀 9 outstanding onchain projects pitched to top Global VCs/investors in an engaging session filled with innovation and insight.
4:25 AM · Sep 27, 2025 · 2.47K Views
5 Reposts · 16 Likes
https://app.akindo.io/wave-hacks/eae4X6p1MS46aBzA
AKINDO | The world’s first Buildathon Platform🌊⚒️@akindo_io
🚨 Last Chance to Join the Race for $500K! 🚨🎙️ app.akindo.io/wave-hacks/eae… We just gave you extra time — New deadline: Monday 12:00 AM UTC ⏰— to go all in this weekend and build something incredible. This is not just another Buildathon. It’s your shot at claiming a piece of the
7:55 AM · Sep 25, 2025 · 1.2K Views
1 Repost · 5 Likes
AKINDO | The world’s first Buildathon Platform🌊⚒️@akindo_io
🚀🇸🇬TOKEN2049 Recap – The Heat Was REAL!🔥 To everyone we met in Singapore and all the amazing builders who joined our Builders Showcase, super thank you😎 Following ETHDenver, EthCC, and WebX, this 4th Builders Showcase in Singapore was by far the most high-energy and electric
2:53 AM · Oct 7, 2025 · 5.55K Views
12 Replies · 13 Reposts · 48 Likes
https://app.akindo.io/wave-hacks/X4ZV12Z6GSMEkmOkX
VC + Investors Private Cocktail Hour 🍸
https://luma.com/vc-devconnect
AKINDO | The world’s first Buildathon Platform🌊⚒️@akindo_io
Yesterday, we hosted our VC + INVESTORS Private Cocktail Hour. We brought together the investors and partners who will be judging at Friday’s flagship event, Founders + VC Connect🍸 It was our first time organizing a private event of this kind, and thanks to everyone who
5:16 PM · Nov 19, 2025 · 273 Views
1 Reply · 2 Reposts · 3 Likes
![Cover Image for [🎟️Devconnect Tickets Required]🇦🇷Devconnect Founders + VC Connect: Investor Matching Arena@XS-Stage Yellow Pavilion by AKINDO](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!GQyG!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa1f99ce1-1dfa-41ab-9714-859070cbac1f_800x800.jpeg "Cover Image for [🎟️Devconnect Tickets Required]🇦🇷Devconnect Founders + VC Connect: Investor Matching Arena@XS-Stage Yellow Pavilion by AKINDO")
AKINDO | The world’s first Buildathon Platform🌊⚒️@akindo_io
🇦🇷Devconnect Founders + VC Connect: Investor Matching Arena.. What. A. Day💥 Thank you to every founders, investors, ecosystem partners, and audience member who joined us. This was, without question, one of the most electrifying events of @EFDevcon Week⚡️ 22 founders. 12
kinjo - @illshin.eth @illshin
In 2025, we partnered with incredible conferences such as ETHDenver, EthCC, WebX, KWB and TOKEN2049 to host global builder showcases around the world🇺🇸🇫🇷🇯🇵🇰🇷🇸🇬🌎 Our final stage at Devconnect became an achievement that went far beyond all of them🇦🇷 We gathered 700+ attendees,
6:25 PM · Nov 23, 2025 · 11K Views
15 Replies · 19 Reposts · 75 Likes
https://app.akindo.io/wave-hacks/gXdXJvJXxTJKBELvo
All AKINDO events are available here:
https://luma.com/akindo
Follow AKINDO on X to stay updated:
https://x.com/akindo_io
View all event details on our Luma page:
👉 AKINDO on Luma https://luma.com/user/akindo
Follow AKINDO on X for the latest updates: https://x.com/akindo_io
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