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EDU Chain Semester 3 Hackathon Round Table II (Indonesia) Recap
Events
By HackQuest
Feb 25,20254 min read
With the launch of the EDU Chain Semester 3 Hackathon, we hosted an insightful AMA featuring key experts from HackQuest, including Harry Zhang, Manish Barnwal, and Yan Tirta, to discuss how developers can transition from learning Web3 to building real-world projects. The session covered an overview of HackQuest’s ecosystem, highlighting $250K+ in hackathon prizes, milestone-based grants, and incubator support for top projects.
The hackathon structure includes technical workshops, co-learning camps, and IRL events across 10+ countries, ensuring hands-on mentorship and networking opportunities. HackQuest emphasized its commitment to onboarding Web3 developers, offering structured learning tracks, smart contract tutorials, and community-driven education initiatives.
The AMA also explored previous success stories, featuring projects like Blend Protocol ($30M market cap), Infinity Ground (650K users), and Alpha Network ($2M raised), showcasing how top hackathon teams progress into fully funded startups. Additionally, panelists shared winning strategies, emphasizing strong UI/UX, GitHub documentation, social presence, and well-crafted demo videos as key differentiators in hackathon success.
Finally, the discussion addressed Southeast Asia’s growing Web3 landscape, with HackQuest expanding language accessibility and in-person engagements in Indonesia, Vietnam, and beyond. The team encouraged developers of all levels to join the EDU Chain Hackathon, leverage available resources, and take their Web3 projects to the next level.
Key Takeaway
●$250K+ Hackathon with Incubation Support: The EDU Chain Semester 3 Hackathon provides early-stage Web3 builders with funding, mentorship, and networking opportunities. Top teams can qualify for milestone-based grants, incubation programs, and potential exchange listings, ensuring long-term project growth.
●Bridging Web2 to Web3 Development: HackQuest focuses on onboarding developers from traditional tech backgrounds by offering structured learning tracks. With resources covering Solidity, smart contracts, and decentralized applications, participants can transition smoothly into Web3.
●Expanding Web3 Adoption in Southeast Asia: Recognizing the growing developer ecosystem in Indonesia, Vietnam, and beyond, HackQuest is increasing IRL activations, developer workshops, and language accessibility, making Web3 education more inclusive.
●Proven Success Stories: Past hackathon participants have built funded startups, including Blend Protocol ($30M market cap), Infinity Ground (650K+ users), and Alpha Network ($2M raised). These projects demonstrate the potential of leveraging HackQuest’s network of investors and mentors.
●Winning Strategies for Developers: Experts emphasized that strong UI/UX, a polished GitHub README, an active social presence, and concise demo videos significantly increase a project's visibility and chances of winning.
●Long-Term Support Beyond Hackathons: HackQuest’s commitment extends past the hackathon stage, with founders fellowships, incubation, and venture funding available to high-potential projects, ensuring continued growth and success within the EDU Chain ecosystem.
Introduction
Our host is Don Carlito from CryptoSRoom.
Don Carlito (Host): Hello, guys. Welcome back to my space. Tonight, we will discuss about HackQuest and also Hackathon and the EDU Chain Semester 3. Before we talk more about HackQuest and Hackathon and the EDU Chain Semester 3, I just want to remind you that this is very legit for all of you guys who want to learn about how to develop something in Web3. Also, if you want to know about the information about the hackathon itself, feel free to join and prepare your best question. At the end of the session, we will pick some lucky winners to get feedback from us.
Tonight we will discuss about HackQuest and hackathon EDU Chain semester 3.
Yan: Hello, I am Yan Tirta, the Community Manager, that’s Indonesia's leaders at HackQuest. Since this is my own community, I will be speaking in Indonesian as I introduce Harry Zhang—a Gen Z entrepreneur who founded HackQuest at a young age, hoping to inspire others to do the same.
This also applies to Manish, HackQuest’s India DevRel, who has single-handedly grown the Indian developer community into the largest and most active within the HackQuest ecosystem.
Fun fact about Manish—in Indonesia, his name translates to "Sweet Boy", so feel free to tease him by calling him that!
Harry: Hey, guys. My name is Harry, and I’m one of the co-founders of HackQuest. HackQuest is a Web3 developer education and hackathon ecosystem.
We focus on four key areas:
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1.Education – Teaching people how to code in Web3.
2.Hackathons – Providing a platform for developers to participate and win grants and prizes.
3.Events – Hosting over 200 events last year, including 121 in-person (IRL) events.
4.Founders Programs – Supporting startups by helping over 100 projects raise a total of $200 million in capital.
Essentially, we help those interested in crypto become better developers and founders. Coming from an education background, we have previously built and sold businesses in the tech space. Now, we see a significant gap in Web3 technical education, and we are working to bridge that gap.
Manish: I am Manish, currently working as a Dev Rel at HackQuest. I am based out of India and we are super excited for the upcoming edition Hackathon which we are going to discuss today.
HackQuest and EDU Chain Semester 3 Hackathon Overview
Don: Harry, can you give us an overview of HackQuest and EDU Chain, and explain how the two collaborate?
Harry: Sure, I can kick it off. I think Manish and Yan can do a better job in some of highlighting some of our IRL activities and some of the educational initiatives. For us, Southeast Asia is super super important market. We traditionally have not tapped into the space, so we're very new to the sector. We have been more active in the US, India, and China primarily, but we recognize the huge potential of Southeast Asia developers, builders, and founders.
In fact, EDU Chain, as you guys know, is a DAO-led of chain. That's the first L3 layer 3 blockchain built for education. It is made of Open Campus, which is a DAO of five contributors, including Animoca brands, TinyTap, NewCampus, RiseIn, and HackQuest. We are one of the core contributors of Open Campus, and by extension EDU Chain, so we both passion for education. It is the six billion dollar, or six trillion dollar factor and it's not on chain, right?
Imagine having a resume where your profile and accomplishments can be verified across the globe, creating a truly universal resume and profile. This would allow you to secure jobs, start your own business, qualify for different types of loans, or gain access to additional financial support—all because your knowledge base, past achievements, and academic records are stored on-chain. I think the vision for EDU Chain is to tokenize the education sector across the board. If you're excited about the concept of education on-chain, you should definitely explore EDU Chain, do some research, and learn more about it.
That’s one point, and I also want to dive a bit deeper into the Semester 3 Hackathon.
This hackathon is part of our ongoing series, which started around the middle of last year. For the past seven to eight months, we’ve been hosting large-scale hackathons with prize pools ranging from $200,000 to $300,000. For Semester 3, the total prize pool is set at $250,000.
I'll break everything down into pieces. The first thing to highlight is that EDU Chain is not just a typical hackathon—it's part of a larger pipeline we're building for the EDU Chain ecosystem. Many of the top 10 to 20 projects from each cohort receive additional support afterward. This includes milestone-based incubator grants of up to $100,000, assistance with getting listed on exchanges, and access to the Animoca Brands and HackQuest network, which provides connections to investors, users, and liquidity. EDU Chain is also the first and largest Layer 3 blockchain for education, with the highest market cap project listed on Binance. There are many opportunities to get involved, and as a key contributor, we aim to ensure strong developer participation—that's one of the primary goals of the EDU Chain hackathon.
The second key point I want to highlight is the in-person (IRL) aspect. I’ll pass it over to Yan and Manish to share more details, but to start, for the Semester 3 Hackathon, we’re expanding to 10 different countries and over 20 cities worldwide.
Unlike a typical virtual hackathon, we want to engage with participants directly, visit various locations, and host events in different cities, giving us the opportunity to meet you in person. Our IRL events will take place across major regions, including the Americas, Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, Africa, and Latin America. We may even host a few events in Europe. For Southeast Asia, Indonesia and Vietnam will be our main focus, though we have previously held events in Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand. While we may not visit every country this time, we are actively expanding into these markets, with Vietnam and Indonesia seeing the most activities.
I wanted to pass to Yan to help highlight a little bit more about our IRL activations in the Southeast Asia region.
Yan:
Indonesia has become a key focus for HackQuest due to its rapid crypto adoption, making it the largest market in the SEA region and a leading force globally. Reports indicate that Indonesia's adoption rate surpasses top-ranking countries in LATAM, Africa, and even parts of Europe.
While much of this adoption is driven by crypto trading, it signals a strong openness to Web3. HackQuest aims to bridge this gap by empowering traders to transition from trading tokens to creating tokens with real utility.
To support this shift, IRL Build Stations provide a space for:
✅ New learners taking their first steps into Web3 development.
✅ Independent developers looking for teammates.
✅ Teams with working dApps who want to collaborate and receive mentorship.
This year, HackQuest IRL Build Stations will take place in Jakarta and Jogjakarta, two cities with consistently high developer engagement in hackathons.
Surprisingly, Jogjakarta has shown significant interest in Web3 development, despite not being widely recognized as a global tech hub. Jakarta, on the other hand, has played a crucial role in HackQuest’s decision to expand into Indonesia, with early developer participation in HackQuest’s first event with Flow acting as a catalyst for deeper investment in the region.
This time, HackQuest is bringing EDU Chain to Indonesia—a major opportunity for local builders. Indonesian developers now have the chance to demonstrate their passion for Web3 and prove why greater investment should be directed here instead of Vietnam or India.
Participation in both IRL and online events is crucial in making this case. As an added benefit, all events will include hands-on mentorship, and for online sessions, a special guest mentor has been invited to provide additional guidance.
Manish: In general, we are organizing a variety of activities across the SEA region, with Yan leading the efforts. We are already planning to set up multiple unit tools and build stations across different countries to onboard more developers and provide learning opportunities. Additionally, we have co-learning camps already active, with participants engaging in them. There are plenty of initiatives in the pipeline, and I believe we have covered most of them. We won’t take up too much time!
Participate in EDU Chain Semester 3 Hackathon
Don: Harry, how can people get involved in this hackathon?
Harry: Since Yan is based in Indonesia, he will be on-site for many IRL initiatives across Southeast Asia, so we want to ensure he has time to cover those. To get started, we’ll drop the link to the hackathon page—it would be great for you all to check it out. You can also pin it in our space.
At a high level, the most important step is to visit the hackathon page. It contains all the key information about EDU Chain, its mission, and the organizations supporting it—such as Binance Labs, Sequoia Capital, Animoca Brands, and other major leaders in the education space, including New Campus, RiseIn, and, of course, HackQuest. We want to ensure you have every opportunity to succeed in our hackathons. There is also a Resource section where you can find additional information to help you get started.
If you're a developer new to the EDU Chain ecosystem, you can start by exploring the Dev Docs and the full end-to-end learning track provided by HackQuest. I highly recommend checking it out, as it includes five different projects ranging from beginner to advanced levels, helping you learn and build within the ecosystem.
From there, you can begin contributing and diving deeper into the ecosystem. If you need test tokens or want to explore further, the Resource section provides direct links to access them.
For experienced developers, the RPC details are also available, ensuring you have everything you need to start building. Of course, I may be a little biased, but HackQuest's structured learning track offers a great way to understand EDU Chain and get started with development.
If you're interested in integrating AI into your learning process, we also have upcoming workshops. Even if you're new to Web3 development, you're more than welcome to join and try them out. For this hackathon, the priority tracks are AI, DeFi, and Earn, each with at least $60,000 in prizes, totaling nearly $200,000 across these three tracks alone. Additionally, there are Play, DeSci, and Miscellaneous tracks, which offer more general categories. So whether you're an experienced developer or someone looking to get started, there is something for you in this hackathon, along with plenty of resources to help you along the way.
Yan, if you could also elaborate a bit on some of the Indonesia and SEA, specific activities. I know there's also like a co-learning camp or something.
Yan: To support students in building their Web3 skills, HackQuest offers a Co-learning Camp, where structured learning tracks guide participants through the fundamentals of blockchain development. In addition to these tracks, HackQuest introduces a unique gamified learning experience to keep engagement high.
This initiative is called Zealy (Z-E-A-L-Y). Learning can sometimes lead to dips in motivation, and Zealy adds a gamification layer by incorporating daily challenges where participants earn XP points. These points can be redeemed for developer gear, but only the most active participants are rewarded.
Beyond incentives, XP points serve as a reputation indicator within the HackQuest ecosystem. Highly engaged learners may be invited to become Community Advocates, and those looking to transition into a Community Manager role can use this engagement as a stepping stone toward that opportunity.
Specifically for Indonesia’s Co-learning Camp, the program consists of four structured sessions:
1.Introduction to HackQuest – Overview of the platform and its resources.
2.Deep Dive into Learning Tracks – Exploring Web3 development pathways.
3.Mentorship Session with a Funded Startup Founder – Featuring an Indonesia-based founder backed by Dubai investors, with experience across Solana, Ethereum, and Sui.
4.Graduation & Zealy Leaderboard Recap – A final session recognizing the most active participants.
Links to these sessions will be shared in the chat. Join us to learn, engage, and take your first step into the Web3 space with HackQuest!
Q: Alright, so Yan, can we say this is similar to a "learn-to-earn" model? Since we earn XP when we learn something, right? I’m familiar with Zealy, and from what I know, it works by rewarding people with something when they complete tasks. Is that the idea here?
A: It’s not exactly a "learn-to-earn" model; rather, it’s a tool designed to incentivize learning. Instead of earning coins or tokens, you accumulate XP points, which cannot be directly exchanged but can be used to unlock rewards. As I mentioned, earning XP can also help you gain recognition and opportunities, such as becoming a Community Associate in HackQuest, which can eventually lead to leadership roles within the community. That’s correct. You can also think of Zealy as a way to build your reputation. For example, if you're highly active on Zealy, you can even request to host a hackathon. Of course, there are specific terms and conditions for that, but if you demonstrate a strong passion for learning and engaging with Zealy, it’s definitely a big advantage. That’s really great!
Success Stories/Case Studies From Previous Hackathons
Q: Now Manish, I will ask you a different question: can you share any success stories or case studies from previous hackathons?
Manish: Yes, sure. Many projects were built during Semester 1 and Semester 2 of the hackathon, and some of them have already secured funding and are performing well. Considering the audience, I’m not sure if most participants here are students, but we’ve worked with many students and newcomers to the space who are now doing exceptionally well.
One notable project is Blend, which recently reached a $30 million market cap. It originated from our community of hackers and went on to win in Semester 1. They have continued to grow and progress successfully. I think Harry can provide more details on this, as he works closely with the founders.
Harry: I’d like to highlight a few more projects. Open Task AI and Infinity Ground, for example, have secured backing from major players like Google and Binance Labs. Several top projects that graduated from our program have successfully raised capital.
Earlier, we mentioned Blend Protocol, which is now listed on the MEXC Exchange and has stabilized at a $30 million market cap in tokens.
Additionally, several projects from Semester 3 are actively building and are part of the current cohort. For instance, Denny is developing a project called Alpha Network, which has already raised $2 million from top investors in the space.
Another project, MoveFlow, secured over $500,000 in funding. Many projects that go through the hackathon enter our incubator program, where they receive continued support from the ecosystem, portfolio founders, and mentors within the Animoca Brands network. This support enables them to raise hundreds of thousands—sometimes millions—of dollars while helping their projects scale and reach more users. For example, Infinity Ground now has 650,000 users, and projects like Selfish—a DEX on EDU Chain—have gained significant traction. It has nearly 10 million wallets signed up within just a few months.
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Whether you're looking for users, liquidity, venture capital, or even a token listing, EDU Chain Semester 3 offers a strong pipeline of opportunities.
Looking at past participation:
●Semester 1 saw 4,600 registrations and around 700 project submissions.
●Semester 2 increased to 5,100 registrations and 800+ submissions.
●For Semester 3, we aim to surpass these numbers, targeting 6,000 to 7,000 registrations with a strong lineup of high-quality projects.
Our goal is to see at least 1,000 project submissions, with 50 to 100 standout projects securing venture funding and continuous grant support, eventually growing into sustainable businesses.
If you're a developer interested in building on EDU Chain, you'll find plenty of capital, resources, and networking opportunities to help you succeed.
Yan:
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When it comes to projects, we are definitely looking for high-quality submissions, but more importantly, we want to encourage you to try.
What I’ve observed in Indonesia is that there are many talented individuals, but many hesitate to take the leap. My goal here is to be your voice and encourage participation. If you commit to this process through HackQuest, you can reach the levels that Harry mentioned—starting as an unknown team but, through co-learning camps, direct mentoring, and hands-on experience, unlocking incredible opportunities.
Beyond the financial benefits, Harry has already outlined what the journey looks like after winning. To get you even more excited about participating—if you win (and I’m 100% sure there will be Indonesian winners)—you could qualify for grants of up to $100,000. But it’s not just about funding. We won’t leave you behind. As Harry mentioned, winners will be inducted into the Open Campus incubator, where multiple mentors will guide you. Some of the most well-known mentors include Animoca Brands, Rising, and 8Coin, among others. However, instead of just focusing on the big names, think about how much support you'll receive in terms of mentorship and development.
To all Indonesian developers—don’t be afraid to take this step. I’m here for you. If you have questions, concerns, or need guidance, you can reach out to me anytime—you have my contact, you have my Twitter. My goal is to push for greater participation from my fellow Indonesians. Of course, I don’t want to sound biased, but since I’m involved in multiple developer communities, I also encourage Vietnamese developers and other SEA communities to join. As Harry mentioned, we are hosting in-person events in Vietnam as well, and plans are already in motion.
So don’t hesitate—be confident and join HackQuest.
Tips For Hackers
Don: Thank you! That was really great. When I previously hosted a space with developers, I told them: Instead of worrying about joining another project, why not build your own? If you have the skills and connections, don’t just work for someone else—create something yourself. I see some familiar developers here, and I strongly encourage all of you to take that step.
Now, Harry, to be honest, I still have many more questions for you. I've also received a lot of questions on Twitter, and I see several people raising their hands to ask you directly.
So, instead of going through all of them, I’ll jump to one final question:
Can you share some tips for hackers who want to participate in a hackathon?
Harry: Sure, sure. I'll keep it simple—just a minute or two. I think Manish can add more since he has written articles on how to win hackathons, how to qualify as a strong project, and what it takes to be a top contender. He has been hosting hackathons since 2019-2020 and is still the founder of one of the largest hackathons in the space. So, I’ll let him take the lead on this.
From my experience after hosting 70+ hackathons, I’ve identified three key factors for success:
Strong UI/UX Wins
It may not sound fair, but it’s the reality—projects with great UI/UX tend to stand out more. Many projects have solid backends, well-written smart contracts, and innovative business models, but they often go unnoticed if they lack a good user interface.
If you want to rank at the top, your UI/UX needs to be strong. At the very least, your landing page should be polished and visually appealing. I remember when we helped launch Ethereum Chicago in 2023, the top three winners had less than 50 lines of smart contract code, but their projects stood out because they visualized their concepts well. While they weren’t revolutionary, their presentation and user experience made them shine, leading judges and users to explore their repositories further.
If you’re competing among 1,000+ projects, a strong UI/UX is crucial to get noticed.
Build a Social Presence
Once you have a great project, the next step is getting people to see it. Even if you build something incredible, you might not make the top three without visibility.
Here’s how to increase your reach:
●Set up Twitter (X) and engage with the Web3 community.
●Create a Farcaster page or even a TikTok/Instagram account.
●Regularly post updates about your project to onboard followers and attract interest.
Building an online presence helps users discover your project and also demonstrates traction to judges and investors.
Have a Well-Written README in GitHub
Your GitHub README file should clearly showcase that your project is designed for EDU Chain. This isn’t just about deploying a random project on any blockchain—it should be clear that this project was made specifically for EDU Chain.
When our team evaluates projects, we want to immediately see that:
●Your project is original and tailored for EDU Chain.
●It isn’t a re-submitted project from another hackathon.
●It provides a clear description of its purpose and features.
A well-structured README can make a huge difference in standing out and pushing your project to the next level.
Manish: Harry has already covered many great points already. I’d love to extend on a few key points for winning hackathons. When participating in a hackathon—whether as an organizer or a participant—there are several crucial factors to consider. For our EDU Chain hackathon, we currently have three priority tracks: AI, DeFi, and Earn.
The Idea is Important, but Execution is Key
While having a great idea is essential, it’s only about 20% of the equation. Execution is what truly matters. The way you build, present, and bring your project to life is what will set you apart.
Build a Diverse Team
To increase your chances of winning, you need a well-rounded team. Ideally, your team should include:
●A designer to ensure a strong UI/UX.
●A presenter who can pitch the project effectively.
●Developers who can actually build and implement the solution.
Having a strong and balanced team is not just about the hackathon—it also positions you well for grants and incubation rounds later on. Investors and incubators always evaluate the strength of the team, not just the project itself.
Focus on Step-by-Step Development
Many teams try to do too much at once and end up with an incomplete project. Instead of building multiple features at the same time, follow a step-by-step approach:
1.Start small.
2.Integrate one feature at a time and ensure it works properly before moving on.
3.Polish and refine your project before adding more features.
A fully functional project with fewer features is far better than an unfinished project with multiple incomplete features.
Smart Contracts & UI Should Be Clear:
●If your project involves smart contracts, deploy them properly and ensure the contract address is visible.
●Your UI should be clear and intuitive. A good user interface should speak for itself, meaning:
●Judges and users should understand your project immediately just by looking at it.
●They shouldn’t need a long explanation to grasp what it does.
A well-designed UI/UX can make a massive difference. In fact, many hackathon winners don’t necessarily have the most complex projects, but they win because their presentation and user experience are outstanding.
Make Your Project Easy to Understand! One important test is: Can someone understand your project without watching a full demo video? If the answer is yes, then you are on the right track.
This is where designers play a key role—a visually appealing and well-structured project can make or break your chances.
Even if someone develops strong technical features, if the project isn’t visually appealing, it may not resonate with judges or mentors. If they can’t immediately understand or feel the impact of the project, they might not give it the highest scores. I’ve seen this happen in multiple hackathons—a project with fewer features but a great user experience often wins over a project with many features but a poor UI/UX. In some cases, a team with an excellent product but weak presentation didn't win, while another team with fewer features but a polished and intuitive interface secured the top spot. It happens a lot. The ideal scenario is to have both strong functionality and a great user experience.
Make Sure to Build in Public! As Harry mentioned, it's important to talk about your project and share your progress. If you’re not promoting it, who will?
Here are some simple but effective ways to build awareness:
●Post updates on Twitter/X.
●Create a dedicated Twitter account for your project and share milestones.
●Engage with the community by discussing your progress and seeking feedback.
Optimize Your Demo Video! Another key factor is creating an effective demo video. Many participants make long, 5-7 minute videos, but judges don’t have time to watch the whole thing. They will typically skip to the core demo section.
To maximize impact:
●Keep it short—ideally 2-3 minutes max.
●Even better, aim for 60-120 seconds to make it compact and engaging.
●Showcase the most important features upfront so the judges immediately understand your project.
These are just a few key things to focus on when building your project. They significantly increase your chances of winning the hackathon.
Also, we have a couple of blog posts that go deeper into these topics. I’ll drop them in the chat for reference.
Q&A
Don: I'm really impressed with the phrase on HackQuest's homepage: "Web3 programming from 0 to 1." My question is: What kind of support does HackQuest provide for developers who want to transition from learning to actual Web3 project development?
Harry: Absolutely. I want every single person in this space to have a clear understanding of these opportunities.
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At a high level, HackQuest provides four key types of support to help developers transition from zero to one:
1.Education
2.Hackathons
3.Community Events
4.Founders Programs
We have extensive experience helping early-stage developers, whether they’re coming from Web2 or are completely new to Web3, transition into venture-backed founders with listed tokens and even successful exits.
To support this, we offer self-guided learning tracks that are:
●Available anytime, anywhere.
●Accessible on mobile, iPad, or any electronic device.
For those who prefer a collaborative learning environment, we also offer Oracle Learning Camp, where you can learn alongside others.
Hackathons
We’ve hosted 70+ hackathons, both virtual and IRL, distributing over $600,000 in prizes.
This year, we are set to distribute over $2 million, with that number likely increasing by the end of the year.
Hackathons are ideal for intermediate-level developers who want to:
●Kickstart their projects.
●Build an MVP (Minimum Viable Product).
●Gain traction and take their ideas to the next level.
Community Events & Networking
Another major way to get involved is by attending events. We host:
●Meetups
●Bootcamps
●Build stations
These sessions help developers connect with founders, investors, and potential co-founders.
Last year alone, we hosted 200+ events, and we plan to match or exceed that this year. We’ll be expanding into more regions, including Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand, with Southeast Asia as a primary focus.
Founders Programs
For those who want to take things further, we run:
●Founders Fellowships
●Incubators
●Accelerators
Many successful projects started through our hackathons before moving into our incubator and accelerator programs. These programs are designed for teams that have already raised some capital or built an MVP and need:
●Investment opportunities
●User traction and scaling support
●Guidance on turning a side project or passion into a full-fledged business
No matter what stage of your career you’re in—whether you want to:
●Become a Web3 developer
●Start your own business
●Land a job in the industry
HackQuest provides the tools, network, and opportunities to help you accelerate that journey. That’s what we’re doing, and that’s how HackQuest can support you.
Don: The next question is quite basic, but I hope you enjoy answering it. Is it really effective to learn complex blockchain skills in a short time through this hackathon education?
Manish: I believe it is completely dependent on you. We have about one and a half months, which is enough time to learn and build if you approach it the right way.
If You’re already a developer (even in Web2) that already have coding experience, even if it’s not in Web3, you can definitely pick this up. For example:
●If you have worked with Java, JavaScript, or similar languages, learning Solidity will be much easier.
●Edu Chain is EVM-compatible, meaning it supports Solidity as its smart contract language.
●The syntax of Solidity is very similar to JavaScript, and the coding style feels a lot like Java.
If you're already comfortable with JavaScript or another programming language, you’ll likely find Solidity efficient and easy to work with.
If you’re completely new to programming, even if you don’t have any prior coding experience, you can still learn, but it will take more time.
●You’ll need to start with basic programming concepts, such as Object-Oriented Programming (OOP).
●Unlike Web2 development, where you focus on frontend, backend, and API calls, Web3 introduces smart contracts, which are at the core of decentralized applications (dApps).
So, if you already have some coding experience, the available time should be sufficient for you to pick up Solidity and Web3 development.
However, if you're completely new to programming, you can still try—but expect a steeper learning curve, as you’ll need to build fundamental programming skills first.
Don: Next question: If someone is starting from scratch and has no prior programming knowledge, is it possible to learn through HackQuest?
Yan: It will be challenging for someone starting completely from scratch, but it’s not impossible. Web3 development requires understanding fundamental programming concepts first. If you have no coding experience at all, you’ll need to build a foundation in basic programming before diving into smart contracts and blockchain development. However, HackQuest provides structured learning resources and guidance, which can help beginners gradually transition into Web3 development. With the right effort and dedication, it is possible to learn—but expect a learning curve, especially without prior experience.
Live Q&A
Don: Great, now we jump to the live session. Question: Every blockchain ecosystem wants to attract more developers, but the learning materials on your website are not available in Indonesian. Meanwhile, they have already been translated into Japanese, Korean, and Chinese. Could you provide an Indonesian translation as well?
Harry: That’s a great three-part question. We are currently in the process of global expansion, and I really appreciate you recognizing the need for more language support. Joffrey, I’m not sure if you were following HackQuest two months ago—or even just a month ago—but at that time, we only had content available in Mandarin and English because that’s where most of our user base was, primarily in India, China, and the U.S.
However, more recently, we’ve seen increasing traffic from Japan, Korea, Nigeria, Kenya, Argentina, and now Indonesia and other Southeast Asian regions like Vietnam. That’s why we recently onboarded our first community manager, Yan, who has been doing an amazing job building our network in these regions. We are already in discussions with several local developer communities and organizations that we trust to help us translate content into Indonesian. Similarly, in Malaysia, we’ve set up developer programs where local Dev Rels teach in their native language because we understand how important it is to have learning materials in local languages—not just for online content but also for IRL instruction at events.
While our events are already conducted in local languages, we are actively working on translating our learning materials and expanding language support across different regions. Please give us some time—we’re definitely working on it! Thank you so much for bringing this up, and we truly appreciate your support.
Harry: Thanks so much for the invitation, and a big thank you to everyone for joining. I really appreciate your time. Apologies for the technical difficulties we faced, and I truly appreciate your patience. If you’re a developer interested in building in Web3 or looking to become a founder, please check out HackQuest.io—especially the ongoing EDU Chain Hackathon.
Feel free to DM me on Twitter if you have any questions we couldn’t address earlier. I’d be happy to help.
A special thanks to our amazing local DevRel, Yan, and, of course, our DevRel lead, Manish. Lastly, a huge shoutout to Don for organizing this entire setup—I truly appreciate everything. Thanks again, everyone!
It’s been great interacting with you all—thanks for having us!
Make sure to check out our platform and the hackathon. Even if you feel like you're not ready, give it a try! Many people in Web3 today got their start through hackathons, so don’t hesitate to take that first step.
For learning resources, always check out HackQuest, and if you have any questions or doubts, feel free to join our Telegram group—we’d love to help and have you there.
Thank you very much, and thanks again for having me today, Don!
Don: Alright. Thank you. Thank you so much, Harry. Thank you so much, Manish. Thank you, everyone. For all you guys that need more information, feel free to follow their Twitter and also try the apps. You can join them.