8 Lessons I learned Judging the Lens Holiday Hackathon
I was one of the ‘power users’ selected to judge the Lens Holiday Hackathon at the beginning of January, and these are the 8 lessons I’m walking away with.
Ever since I became aware of the fact that I did not, in fact, have a “math brain” sometime in the fourth grade, I longed for one. And while I’m an unlikely candidate to unpack a complex calculus problem, I love logic.
This is why I was beyond excited to be a judge in the Lens Holiday Hackathon where contestants link logic with utility and creativity. To give you some context: Lens is about to go parabolic. With mainnet launching imminently, a power team behind the project, a $31M investment round, plus committed and thoughtful leadership, Lens is definitely going to dominate the world of blockchain in 2025.
This is why I was incredibly excited to help shape (in my own little way), the future of social.
The Hackathon itself offers a prize of 20,000 GHO to the first-place winner, 10,000 for second place, and 5,000 for third, alongside five honorary mentions that will each receive 3,000 GHO. Call me mushy if you want, but in my mind — every single person who showed up and made their idea public is already a winner because that stuff takes guts.
Now, with that context in mind, let me share the lessons I learned while reviewing the hackathon submissions.
#1 Simplicity is sticky
The submissions that stood out the most were all simple. They focused on solving real-world problems such as struggling to make money online as a creator who wants a side hustle or to be freelance. Two of the proposals addressed just that, building bounty boards where you can pick up one-off gigs and get crypto for it. I’m always here for solving big ideological problems but the reality is, the stickiest solutions are all simple.
#2 Get wholesome
Let’s be honest — traditional social media is toxic. I’m talking X, Instagram, Facebook, it’s pretty bad. A project that really made an impression on me was extremely wholesome. It presented a digital garden that you share with a loved one.
You plant a new tree or a flower to commemorate an anniversary or a memory. Then, you can mint said memory and keep an NFT. This is such a 180 from everything else we see on social. Engrossed in the README file for the submission, I immediately thought of two people I yearn to garden with. I instinctively grabbed my phone to text one of them, only to realize that this project is yet to be built.
#3 Try to help humanity
Code is never the first thing people consider as the solution to world crisis. Yet — it can make a defining difference. There was one submission that brought a tear to my eye because of how kind the concept was. The project proposes a platform where refugees can post what they need, for example “I need to sleep somewhere for 10 days” or “I need a ride from point A to point B,” and people willing to help can do so.
I thought of it as an Uber for humanity. While it’s easy to propose a sexy, fun project like a new racecar game, this one went deep. And I loved that.
#4 You had me at nostalgia
I’m a 90s kid. I love two-dimensional games like Tetris, Snake, etc. In a hyper-tech world where everything is as realistic as if you can reach out and touch it before your eyes, I like that analog aesthetic.
One of the projects proposed exactly that. The feeling had me interested before I even saw the specs. I guess the lesson here is: know your audience. If they love nostalgia, you’ll win them over with it.
#5 Delight my eyes with a Demo
According to the rules, submissions needed to have a README file and if desired, they could add a presentation or a video demo. I know that the power of devs does not necessarily lie in doing voiceovers on camera (thank GOD because then, I’d be out of a job, lol), but for me — as a user rather than a developer, video demos were insanely helpful.
Some ideas looked really cool but I struggled to imagine them in action and that cost them my votes.
#6 Capitalize on the latest trends
Two words: AI agents. They are all the rage right now. Quite a few of the hackathon submissions featured them. Being able to weave in the topic of the moment is always a plus to build impulse. Just make sure it makes sense.
#7 Think outside the app
I’m a Lens power user via the Orb Social app. And even though this is my tool of choice, I reminded myself to look for solutions that contribute to the wellbeing of the larger space transcending my favorite app. As a judge, it’s key to remove all bias so you can be fair. Which leads me to my next point…
#8 Judge the ‘what’ not the ‘whomst’
I looked at who submitted which project after I was done voting. That’s because I didn’t want to be swayed. Funny thing is, you end up gravitating toward people through their ideas. For example, I really vibed with a submission so I gave it two votes.
Turns out, it was by someone who posted the most epic GM on Orb the same morning I voted, and I didn’t know until after I had made my choice.
In conclusion:
Everyone who participated in the Lens Holiday Hackathon deserves a big round of rowdy applause. Putting your work out there can be scary because it opens you to criticism. Even so — the devs did it.
I was really delighted to see people from all corners of the world with very diverse interests who are somehow linked by the same love for a better blockchain world and sane social media. And that…is the power of Lens. Congratulations to all of you, and thank you.
