Agentic AI x Crypto For Good Hackathon at Paris Blockchain Week
Mercy Corps Ventures is proud to launch the Agentic AI x Crypto For Good Hackathon as part of the official Paris Blockchain Week Hackathon. Participants can join either virtually or in person to compete for a special prize pool of €2,500 in the Crypto For Good track.
In brief:
Mercy Corps Ventures is launching the Agentic AI x Crypto For Good Hackathon as part of the official Paris Blockchain Week Hackathon
Options to participate virtually or in person, with a special prize pool of €2,500 for the Crypto For Good track
Winners will be chosen based on their innovation in integrating open-sourced Agentic AI and multi-chain web3 technology to increase financial inclusion in emerging markets
Our why
Agentic AI has the potential to drastically reinvent workflows, remove frictions, improve the user experience, and lower the costs of serving the 1.4 billion people who are financially excluded around the world. While the deployment of Agentic AI is primarily limited to developed markets, we are excited about its potential to enhance financial inclusion in emerging markets.
We believe that the next batch of cutting-edge tech models in emerging markets will be underpinned by AI agents. Agentic AI will enable lower cost structures, allowing companies to better serve low-income populations. The responsible integration with crypto wallets will enable underbanked people everywhere to better access high-quality financial services.
The technology is still in its infancy — and we expect rapid growth and iteration to occur over the years to come. There will be many new ideas, pivots, and changes as we better understand the real power of Agentic AI. At present, we are eager to partner with builders who are exploring this frontier technology for underbanked communities.
How to register
To catalyze the development of this emerging area, we are excited to announce the Agentic AI x Crypto For Good Track at the official Paris Blockchain Week Hackathon, co-sponsored by XRPL Commons and Solana Foundation. There are two ways to participate:
At the virtual event
Runs virtually throughout the month of March, with final submissions due on March 30th
Register here via BizThon
At the in person event
To be held over the weekend of April 5–6th at Paris Blockchain Week
Register here
You can register for both the Virtual and In-person events. There will be an Agentic AI x Crypto For Good prize awarded to the top project at each event.
What we’re hacking
We are looking for solutions addressing any of the following three challenge areas:
Area 1 — Financial inclusion: Despite the fintech boom, 1.4 billion people worldwide remain unbanked. How can Agentic AI & crypto help people access financial services, make better financial decisions, and improve their financial position?
Area 2 — Climate resilience: The daily lives of 3.3 billion people are vulnerable to the effects of climate change. How can agentic AI and crypto build a more climate resilient future?
Area 3 — Humanitarian aid: International development funding envelopes are threatened around the world, at a time when more people than ever rely on humanitarian support. How can Agentic AI and crypto be directed toward raising funds for and delivering aid to socially impactful causes?
Requirements
The Crypto For Good Fund encourages cross-chain functionality and interoperability across multiple chains. In addition, builders (individuals or teams) must submit a concept that meets the following requirements:
Makes use of Agentic AI technology
Emphasizes autonomy, reasoning, decision-making, and real-world application
Makes use of crypto and blockchain technology
Emphasizes wallets, payments, traceability, and transparency
Open sourced
Built using open-sourced technology
Code Repository is shared open source (published on GitHub)
Evaluation Criteria
Judges will evaluate entries on their innovative use of open-source Agentic AI and web3 technologies to enhance financial inclusion in emerging markets. Evaluation criteria include:
Evaluation Criteria
Judges will evaluate entries on their innovative use of open-source Agentic AI and web3 technologies to enhance financial inclusion in emerging markets. Evaluation criteria include:
Impact potential: How will this build financial inclusion or climate resilience for vulnerable communities in emerging markets? Who will be reached, how many people, and to what depth of impact?
Technical innovation: How well does the innovation use Agentic AI and crypto?
Additionality: How much better is this solution than the status quo?
Join us
We look forward to building the future of Agentic AI x Crypto For Good together. Reach out to Ken (kkou@mercycorps.org) if you have any questions.
