“We’re really confident because this is proof that there are people who really believe in our concept and I think this will give our team a bit of a push to roll out this product faster.”

Daniel Jee, head of Strategic Partnerships at blockchain-based decentralized virtual data center project OWDIN Network, smiled as he held the oversized check for KRW 3 million won ($2650), the prize for winning October’s New Kids On the Blockchain, Korea’s largest demo day event for blockchain DApps.

Held Friday evening at D.CAMP in Seoul’s Gangnam district, the competition – hosted by blockchain-based advertising network weBloc, ICON Seoul’s accelerator Deblock and former D.CAMP director Yang Seokwon – not only gave project teams an opportunity to show off their DApp ideas and possibly earn a bit of coin and professional support in the process, but also provided ICON a chance to educate the public about itself and blockchain more generally.

Listen and learn, show and tell

Competing this evening were teams representing three projects. Each team had 10 minutes to present their DApps; presentations included a video demonstration of the DApp in action. Questions and sometimes pointed comments from the panel followed each presentation. New Kids on the Blockchain always boasts a strong panel featuring top figures in Korea’s blockchain space, and this month was no different with JH Kim, CEO of ICONLOOP; Hyun Oh, managing partner of Deblock; and Yukjoo Bang, crypto fund principal at Unblock taking part as judges.