#BlockchainCOVID19 Hackathon, utilising the Smart Contracts in C#

The competition is open to individuals and teams from around the world, including those from profit, non-profit, academic and public sector organisations.

In unprecedented times like these, it is crucial to unite and work together collaboratively, to do what we can for the greater good. Whether that is abiding to restrictions put in place to halt the frightening spread of the COVID19 virus or using honed development skills to create solutions that can help.

This hackathon is an opportunity for developers to build software solutions that tackle challenges that have been highlighted by the current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

How can Blockchain help?

There are many benefits inherent with blockchain technology, not just to businesses and the economy but the future of public health and the safety of global populations. Blockchain has become a necessary component, particularly for public health infrastructure and rapid response systems.

Increased transparency and true traceability are two key examples of blockchain benefits that could be employed in a solution to provide better insight into the current pandemic. Furthermore, the utilisation of Smart Contracts can offer autonomy and significant reductions in cost, specifically when using antibody and antigen tests as an example.

Areas of Interest

Submissions can be related to any industry, providing it brings a technical innovation to an area effected by the current pandemic.

As highlighted by the recent #BuildforCOVID19 Global Online Hackathon, who connected with the World Health Organization to understand the key challenge areas, there are a number of industries and communities that could benefit.

1. Businesses

Businesses are facing a number of problems, whether that be the inability to operate in the current conditions due to lockdown sanctions in place. Or, due to an influx in demand due to the business in question providing items or products that are being ‘panic-bought’. Solutions that enable seamless digital transformation and demonstrate the benefits of blockchain technology.

2. Healthcare

There are many aspects within healthcare where blockchain technology can be of assistance. A specific area of interest would be the utilisation of blockchain and an identity solution, enabling big data analysis of medical data. Data is arguably the most important assets when fighting pandemics, traditional data solutions result data existing in institutional silos, inaccessible to individuals and potential working groups.

Specifically utilising a claims registry to establish and verify attributes related to specific identities provides foundation for a number of great use-cases not just specific to identity. A port of the popular ERC780 standard is available to get you started.

3. Logistics

Shortages of critical items and disruption to supply-chains has already been witnessed in the current pandemic. Whether this be due to ‘panic-buying’ or producers and manufactures being unable to meet demand. A blockchain solution relating to logistics can provide transparency in regard to the end-to-end supply chain cycle of critical equipment. i.e. ventilators and personal protective equipment.

In addition, the utilisation of IoT Devices integrating with blockchain solution can bring huge efficiencies, removing manual monitoring processes. i.e. humidity and temperature sensitive items.

4. Humanitarian

Pre-empting the issuance of effective drugs and vaccines for the current and future pandemic, a blockchain solution that can provide logistic assistance to people who need help. Specifically focusing on the homeless, refugees and families of those who have fallen victim.

5. Other

Submissions do not need to be applicable to one of the above industries, we encourage creativity and participants are encouraged to build solutions for alternative industries too.

Getting Started!

Collaborate, collaborate, collaborate! Although participants are welcomed to submit individual submissions, we strongly encourage collaboration between both the development and industry specific subject matter experts.

Stratis will also be hosting Google Hangouts twice a week to support participants with any questions and queries they may have, relating to solutions or technical queries.

These sessions will be hosted by members of the Stratis Team who architected and developed the Smart Contract solution. Dates and times will be highlighted to ensure you don’t miss out on speaking with the team.

To ease the development process for submissions of the Hackathon, effort has gone into preparing a reproducible environment, utilising Docker. In addition, there are two development environments to choose from. We understand that Blockchain Technology solutions can differ depending on both the use-case and the environment to which the solution will ultimately be targeting.

Therefore, we have released two packages, one that has restrictions in-place to cater for public blockchain solutions. Also, another package that has those restrictions relaxed to cater for a more predictable and permissioned environment, typically seen within permissioned implementations utilising a leader-follower consensus.

Head over to the Resources page to find out more!

View full rules