Founder Speedrun Fast Tracked Funding w/Tier 1 VCs
Pond & Archetype Hackathon
About the Hackathon
Building creative and fun products to bring commercial value with innovative AI stacks or vibe coding tools picked by yourself!
Join Pond—backed by Coinbase Ventures and angels like the co-author of Attention Is All You Need—for an afternoon of building, learning, and connecting. We'll kick off with a fireside chat featuring industry experts sharing real-world insights from the frontlines of AI and crypto. Then dive into a fun mini-hackathon alongside top builders, Tier 1 VCs, and AI partners, with opportunities for early product feedback and fast-track fundraising conversations. Come for the ideas, stay for the community.
Event Details
Hackathon Co-Hosts: Pond & Archetype
Hackathon Track Sponsors & Judges: Blackbird (backed by a16z), Coinbase Ventures, Lovable, Polymarket (backed by a16z)
Location: Archetype HQ, New York
Date and Time: Saturday, June 7 | 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Goals
1. Reimagine the Future of AI and Crypto (With You at the Center)
Dive into the frontier of innovation by building novel applications in AI and crypto. This is your chance to shape what the future looks like—and be recognized for it.
2. Build with Cutting-Edge Tech
Gain hands-on experience with the technologies powering next-generation AI infrastructure. We'll support you in working with top-tier stacks so you can level up your technical skillset and ship powerful products.
3. Get Discovered & Expand Your Network
Connect directly with leading VCs, protocol teams, and experienced developers. Whether you're looking for funding, mentorship, or your next opportunity, this is where high-signal collisions happen.
4. Unleash Your Creativity — Open Exploration Track
We believe great ideas come from anywhere. That's why our open track invites you to build anything—no constraints, no boundaries. Surprise us with something weird, brilliant, or just plain fun. Special prizes await the most creative, unexpected, and humorous projects.
Agenda
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM: Welcome, Lunch, & Introduction
Welcome, lunch, and introductions. Followed by an overview of Pond & partners. Spend this time grabbing some food and meeting potential hackathon teammates.
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM: Fireside Chats
Kevin (Pond) + Danny (Archetype) on "How to Raise" covering VC and startup fundraising strategies
Jake (Pond) + Rob (Polymarket) + Daniel (Blackbird) on "How to Find PMF" with practical validation and scaling insights
Dylan (Pond) - How Pond is Helping Early Stage Founders Raise Funding
Talisha (Lovable) - Go-to-Market & Community Building
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM: Team Formation
Looking for a team? We will help you find one!
2:30 PM - 5:30 PM: SpeedRun Building Session
Hands-on building time. Work on your projects, start new ideas, or collaborate with others.
Building Tracks
🎨 Creative Pioneer Track
Push the boundaries of what's possible. We're looking for projects that reimagine existing paradigms or introduce entirely novel concepts to the ecosystem.
🔧 Real-World Impact Track
Build something that solves actual problems. Show us a project with clear, practical utility that could be deployed and used by real people.
⚡ Vibe Code Mastery Award
Master the art of vibe coding. Show us how effectively you can leverage vibe coding tools such as Lovable to build your project with natural human language, highlighting the future of human-AI collaboration in coding.
🚀 Evolution Track
Take your existing project to the next level. Show us meaningful iterations, new features, or pivots that demonstrate real progress on an existing project.
5:30 PM - 6:30 PM: Project Demos
Showcase your work to the judges. Get feedback and explore funding opportunities.
6:30 PM - 7:30 PM: Closing Ceremony & Networking
Hackathon winners will be announced. Then connect with fellow builders and partner companies.
Snacks and drinks will be available all afternoon!
By attending you agree to be filmed and photograph.