The Stellar #BetterOnStellar Contest

The Stellar Development Foundation (SDF) is calling on innovators, dreamers, and changemakers worldwide to participate in the #BetterOnStellar campaign. This is your opportunity to share the problems that you’d like to see blockchain solve and contribute to real-world solutions that will shape the future of how we transact, create, and connect.

What is #BetterOnStellar?

#BetterOnStellar is a global initiative inviting both the crypto community, technologists, and visionaries to share their ideas for how blockchain can improve our lives. Whether you're a seasoned developer with intricate knowledge of decentralized systems, a creative visionary dreaming of new ways to connect and share, or simply someone with a passion for positive change and a good idea, the Stellar Development Foundation wants to hear from you. 

And don't worry, you don't need to be a full-stack developer or a degen trader to participate. This campaign is just about great ideas. Think about problems that you see in your daily life, your community, and the world. How would you solve them? How could blockchain make them better? Share your idea with the world for a chance to win some amazing awards and maybe even see it get built in a future Stellar hackathon.

How to Participate

1. Capture Your Vision: Create a short video or written social post (10 seconds or 20 words minimum) describing your idea for something that you want to see built #BetterOnStellar. Video is preferred.
2. Share Your Idea: Share your post on social media and be sure to use the hashtag #BetterOnStellar.
3. Enter The Contest: Head over to the #BetterOnStellar campaign website to submit your entry and make it official. Don’t forget this step, otherwise you won’t be eligible for awards! 

Get Awarded

The #BetterOnStellar campaign isn’t just about sharing your vision and maybe seeing it come to life. The SDF will be awarding the top entries with a share of an award pool totaling $30k paid in USDC. Here are the award tiers:

Visionary: 1 Winner 

• $10,000 in USDC

Catalyst: 4 Winners

• $2,500 in USDC

Dreamer: 10 Winners

• $1000 in USDC

What Would You Build #BetterOnStellar?

Overflowing with ideas? Great! Not sure where to start? Here are some categories to help guide your thinking:

Better Finance:

With its low transaction costs, global network of ramps powered by the Anchor Platform , and fast-growing DeFi ecosystem, the Stellar network is uniquely positioned to support the future of finance. This category invites you to explore how financial services could be built better on the Stellar network, unlocking new ways of transacting, saving, lending, and more. 

Better Creativity:

Smart contracts have transformed digital ownership and carved out new categories for creators to explore and new ways for them to earn. The Stellar smart contract platform Soroban has enabled builders to deploy smart contracts on the Stellar network, unlocking access for decentralized applications to its global community users. This category invites you to envision how Stellar can enable creators to connect, collaborate, and share their creative vision with that global community in new ways.

Better Access:

Stellar has led the charge in delivering access to low-cost borderless payments and financial services for people in emerging economies. An ever-evolving tech stack makes enabling that access even easier with features like passkeys and the Wallet SDK . This category challenges you to imagine a world where accessing the benefits of blockchain and the Stellar network is made even easier. 

Example Submission

Need some more inspiration? Not sure how to pitch your idea? Check out this example from a Stellar developer evangelist and community member James Bachini: 

This post is commissioned by Stellar Development Foundation  and does not serve as a testimonial or endorsement by The Block. This post is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment, tax, legal or other advice. You should conduct your own research and consult independent counsel and advisors on the matters discussed within this post. Past performance of any asset is not indicative of future results.