Welcome to the Hackers League Sponsor Series.

The Hackers League series acknowledges our incredible sponsors, whose contributions have made the event possible. Owing in part to their financial and technical support, this year's Hackathon is the largest ever, featuring a prize pool of over $3 million and IRL bootcamps in 20 cities worldwide, including London, Astana, Warsaw, Hongkong, Bangkok and more.

We greatly appreciate all the sponsors who support the creative minds competing for victory and financial rewards. The Hackers League Sponsor Series explores what sponsors seek in developers and offers tips for project success.

The first sponsor we'll highlight in our series is Gate Ventures, a Title Sponsor. Gate Ventures is a proud Gaming and Mini Apps track sponsor that aims to ignite creativity and innovation in Web3 gaming. The venture capital arm of Gates.io is seeking developers who can leverage their support to showcase the significant influence of blockchain technology.

Beyond mini apps, Gates Ventures is also excited about the potential of TON’s gaming ecosystem. TON’s high throughput enables real-time multiplayer games, cross-platform experiences and more complex gaming models, addressing performance limitations in Web3 gaming. Their involvement in the Gaming and Mini Apps track strengthens the hackathon's potential to build on existing Web3 ideas and uncover new ones.

Could you introduce your entity? What motivated you to TITLE sponsor the TON Hackers League Hackathon this year?

Gate Ventures is the venture capital arm of  Gate.io, one of the world’s largest and most trusted cryptocurrency exchanges, specializing in early-stage investments in blockchain technology and digital assets. Our mission is to drive innovation and foster growth across the global blockchain ecosystem. By collaborating with industry leaders worldwide, we support visionary teams and startups that have the potential to reshape social and financial interactions. As a long-term investor, we are committed to offering comprehensive support to our portfolio companies, from product development and operational scaling to global expansion. Follow Gate Ventures on X for more updates.

Our primary goals for this hackathon are to foster innovation in the gaming and mini-apps space with TON and discover emerging talent. By sponsoring this track, Gate Ventures aims to support the development of cutting-edge projects that have the potential to drive the Web3 ecosystem forward. We’re also looking to build long-term relationships with developers and startups, offering them resources and guidance to bring their ideas to market.

Could you share more about the track you are sponsoring? What specific opportunities or innovations are you hoping to see in this track?

The development of TON Mini Apps can offer users more convenient experiences in areas such as social interactions, payments, entertainment, and various business and personal services. These seamlessly integrated apps not only enhance the usability of decentralized applications but also accelerate the adoption and penetration of Web3 technologies.

Gate Ventures is committed to supporting the development of innovative applications, and we hope to discover promising projects through this hackathon. Ultimately, we aim to make TON Mini Apps an indispensable part of everyday life.

In addition to mini apps, we are also excited about the diverse potential within the TON gaming ecosystem, from simple casual games and strategy-heavy competitive games to immersive virtual worlds. TON’s high throughput makes real-time multiplayer games, cross-platform experiences, and more complex gaming models feasible, overcoming the performance limitations that Web3 games have faced in the past.

What kind of support, such as workshops, will you provide for participants in this track? And what kind of rewards will you offer for winners in this track?

Gate Ventures will provide workshops on the following course content.

1. Gate Ventures & Gate Ecosystem: Driving Innovation and Adoption
2. Gate.io CeFi Mini App, Wallet Mini App introduction
3. As Gate Ventures perspective how to:
   1. Crafting Compelling Business Plans
   2. Business Model
   3. Technology and Innovation
   4. Roadmap
   5. Competitive Analysis
   6. Team Background
   7. Financial Projections
   8. Tokenomics
   9. Call to Action

Gate Ventures will provide a $20,000 grant for the Top 3 projects and set aside $500,000 as soft commitments for funding selected projects in the overall hackathon.

1. $10,000 + $10,000 TG ads credits
2. $8,000 + $10,000 TG ads credits
3. $2,000 + $10,000 TG ads credits

What factors must be addressed for startups working within your sponsored track when considering market fit? Why are the projects selected in this track important for TON?

Projects should illustrate their potential to transform the gaming industry through innovative blockchain integration, highlighting distinctive features that set them apart from conventional gaming solutions. Additionally, they should incorporate considerations of scalability, robust tokenomics, and long-term user engagement. What will we be looking for: GameFi, Game Studio and Mini apps on TON

Qualifying requirements:

Strategic Alignment: Projects must align with Gate’s strategic goals, including fostering innovation, enhancing community engagement through Gate’s CEFI and Mini Apps, potential integration with Gate wallet and contributing to the overall growth of the Gate ecosystem. Clear articulation of how the project supports these goals is essential.

Minimum Viable Product (MVP): Participants should have developed a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) that effectively showcases their concept. The MVP should be functional and user-friendly, allowing judges to evaluate the project's core features.

Tokenomics and Blockchain Gaming Value Accrual Mechanism: Participants should demonstrate a solid understanding of blockchain gaming principles. This includes presenting a comprehensive project plan that outlines the game's mechanics, tokenomics design, reasonable vesting schedules and value accrual flywheel

Monetization Model: A clear and viable monetization model should be presented, illustrating how the project will generate revenue while providing value to users. This could involve in-game purchases, subscription models, or unique blockchain-based economic structures.

Will you further support the winners in your track after the hackathon? Are there any plans you can share at this time?

Gate Ventures will not only provide bounty and capital; projects from our Gaming & Mini Apps hackathon track can also leverage Gate’s resources to become official partners in the Tonvibe 2024 Task2Earn campaign. This collaboration will enhance user acquisition and engagement within the Gate ecosystem.

Finally, what message would you like to leave with the developers and startups participating in the TON Hackers League Hackathon?

At Gate Ventures, we believe that innovation happens when visionary teams are empowered to push boundaries. To developers and startups, TON Hackers League hackathon is an opportunity to shape the future of Web3. We encourage you to take risks, collaborate, and create solutions that can transform industries. Gate Ventures is here to support your journey, and we look forward to seeing the incredible ideas you'll bring to life.

You can learn more about Gate Ventures and follow our updates by following us on X or visiting Gate Ventures.

This interview is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an endorsement, approval, or recommendation of the project. The views and opinions expressed in this interview are those of the interviewee and do not necessarily reflect the views of the TON Foundation. This is not an investment advice.