## We're Making Ethereum Composable Again: Announcing Build and Brew, the first Espresso Hackaton featuring $100k in prizes! We at Espresso believe in a world where thousands of chains seamlessly compose with each other as if they were one. Each chain will have its own stack, applications, culture, and personality, united by the speed and security of Espresso confirmations. The bridges and interop protocols you use today will be powered by Espresso, unlocking a new era of “caffeinated” cross-chain applications. Build & Brew is the first in a series of hackathons designed to bring chains and applications to life on Espresso. More than just an onboarding challenge, this hackathon will engage contributors and builders who will shape the future of composability and developer experience on Ethereum and beyond. We’re giving away $100K in prizes to builders committed to composability. # The Challenges The Espresso Build & Brew Hackathon features two main tracks, each designed to accelerate different aspects of the Espresso ecosystem with a combined prize pool of $100,000. **Track 1: Caffeinate & Code** - Core Challenge: Deploy functional rollups integrated with Decaf, Espresso’s testnet - Mainnet Bonus - Build Something Real **Track 2: Cracking Composability** - Best Composable Apps - Open Intents Applications ## **Caffeinate & Code** This track rewards developers who deploy live, functional rollups integrated with the Espresso Network. Every successful deployment will receive a guaranteed share of the prize pool, making this a unique opportunity for teams exploring development of new chains. - **Core Challenge ($30K shared) -** Deploy a fully functional rollup using Espresso confirmations on our Decaf Testnet and Arbitrum Sepolia. All successful deployments will receive a share of this prize pool. Whether you're building a specialized chain for a specific vertical or experimenting with a novel rollup design, all qualifying deployments earn rewards. - **Mainnet Bonus ($10K shared)** - Take your rollup to the next level by deploying on Espresso Mainnet and Arbitrum One. Teams who successfully launch on mainnet will divide this additional prize pool, showcasing their L2 to real users and applications. - **Build Something Real ($10K for top 5) -** Beyond just deployment, we're rewarding the best L2 ideas that have functional testnet deployments and a compelling pitch/value proposition. Projects will be judged on innovation, technical implementation, and potential impact. ## **Cracking Composability** This competitive track rewards the most innovative cross-chain apps and experiences that leverage Espresso confirmations. - **Best Composable Apps ($35K)** - Develop applications that read from HotShot on an Arbitrum-Decaf rollup, demonstrating real cross-chain functionality. Prizes will be awarded to the most innovative and well-executed projects, with a focus on user experience and technical implementation. - **Open Intents Applications ($30K)** - Build projects that integrate the [Open Intents Framework](https://www.openintents.xyz/) with Espresso confirmations in an Arbitrum-Decaf rollup. We're looking for applications that showcase how intent-based architectures can leverage fast confirmations to deliver superior cross-chain experiences. See some ideas of what you can build here: [https://dorahacks.io/hackathon/build-and-brew/ideas-to-build](https://dorahacks.io/hackathon/build-and-brew/ideas-to-build) # **Important Dates** - **Mar 10** – Opening Ceremony + Hackathon Details - **Mar 13 -** Technical Workshops - **Mar 31** – Final submissions deadline. (Please see [Submission Guidelines](https://dorahacks.io/hackathon/build-and-brew/submission-guidelines)) - **Apr 7** – Top Projects Final Pitches to Judges. - **Apr 10** – Winners Announcement. # **Next Steps: Join the Espresso Builder Community** Our **Discord** is the space for builders to connect, collaborate, and stay updated: [https://discord.gg/gRcJcJsJbR](https://discord.gg/gRcJcJsJbR) - Get the latest announcements & updates in the **Build & Brew** channels. Use #builder-verification to unlock all hackathon channels. - Find teammates, network with community members & judges, and explore more opportunities. - The hackathon begins on **March 10** with the **Opening Ceremony at 5 PM UTC / 12 PM ET**. Ensure you are registered on **Dorahacks** to participate. # **About Espresso Network** Espresso Network is a consensus layer purpose-built to support fast, secure cross-chain transactions. The Network provides confirmations to any chain that integrates with it, regardless of stack or settlement layer. These confirmations are secure enough for anyone to trust and fast enough for everyone to use. Espresso Network supports applications by providing: - **Fast Confirmations:** HotShot, Espresso’s consensus protocol, confirms transactions within seconds with the same security guarantees as Ethereum. - **Decentralized Sequencing:** 100 nodes run the Espresso Network today, allowing rollups to opt into having their transactions sequenced by this decentralized group instead of a centralized sequencer. - **Low-Cost DA:** Espresso provides a cheaper alternative to Ethereum for data availability, improving scalability while maintaining strong availability guarantees. **Build & Brew is your chance to push the boundaries of composability, rollups, and cross-chain innovation.** Whether you're deploying your first rollup or pioneering the next generation of interoperable applications, this hackathon is your launchpad.