Join the 8th International Blockchain Olympiad
Bring your best work to IBCOL 2025 held October 29th to November 1st in Hong Kong
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Join the IBCOL 2025 Finals in Hong Kong
Conveniently hosted in Asia's World City and an emerging innovation and technology hub, IBCOL 2025 is hosted at the KBI Eastern Conference during the last week of October this year
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Join our Community of Competent Innovators
The official organizer of IBCOL, the nonprofit Königsberger Bridges Institute (KBI) dedicated to enhancing the competencies of youths worldwide through activities such as competitions
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Contribute to the Inevitable Decentralized Future
Not just any competition, IBCOL is your launchpad to global impact; showcase the change you want to see in the world
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Overview
The International Blockchain Olympiad (IBCOL) is an annual global competition challenging students and recent graduates to practically apply blockchain and trust technologies from first principles to real-world challenges, themed around the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.
Not just any other Competition
IBCOL is not a "case competition" or "hackathon" — the emphasis is on practicality and substance — bring your best work!
Why Join IBCOL
Develop Future-Ready Skills
Gain understanding for what "blockchain" can and cannot do
Connect With A Global Network
Build relationships with peers, mentors, and leaders
Relevant, Practical Problem Solving
Design & develop impactful things rooted in reality
Gain Worldwide Recognition
Showcase your abilities and shine on the world stage
All about IBCOL 2025
Dive into competition details and get ready for an experience of a lifetime
Focus on two different aspects of blockchain solution development:
- Solution Architecture (ARC)
- Developing comprehensive solutions to real-world challenges using trust technologies
- Emphasizing creativity, strategic thinking, and a deep understanding of user needs
- Producing well-designed and impactful projects that demonstrate a clear understanding of decentralized architecture and its potential applications
- Solution Engineering (ENG)
- Designing and implementing of decentralized applications, products, and systems
- Demonstrating technical expertise, precision in engineering processes, and proficiency in relevant programming languages and development tools
- Creating robust and efficient projects that showcase a strong command of blockchain engineering principles
IBCOL welcomes contestants from diverse educational backgrounds, including:
- Secondary Students
- Any age, enrolled in a secondary-level academic institution (UNESCO ISCED Level 2-3)
- Tertiary Students
- Any age, enrolled in a tertiary-level academic institution (UNESCO ISCED Level 4-6)
- Open Contestant
- Any age, neither a secondary schooler nor a tertiary student
Contestant Teams have:
- Minimum 1 and maximum 6 eligible individuals
- May not be more than 50% identical to another team
An IBCOL 2025 contestant may represent a country of their choice by:
- Birthright
- Citizenship
- Permanent Residency
- Academic Affiliation
- Academic Nomination
The first submission is recommended for projects to receive possible feedback from the qualification committees. The second submission is required. The third and fourth submissions are for invited finalists only.
| Technical Competency | Deliverables |
|---|---|
| Solution Architecture (ARC) |
|
| Solution Engineering (ENG) |
|
Contestants may initiate their journey through these nomination pathways:
- Self Nomination
- Individuals from countries or territories without a Local Blockchain Olympiad Committee may register independently by submitting their project materials directly to the International Blockchain Olympiad Committee.
- School Nomination
- To be nominated by your academic institution, contestants must obtain official endorsement from their academic institution via a nomination letter on the institution's letterhead.
- National Nomination
- The nomination process depends on the presence of a Local Blockchain Olympiad Committee in the participant's country. Teams must comply with Local BCOL Committee rules and regulations.
Competition Timeline
Want to know what to expect on your IBCOL 2025 journey? Here’s a clear visual guide to the key stages, from registration to the international finals.
3 February - 19 June 2025
Pre-Registration
Sign up to indicate your team's intent to join IBCOL 2025, hosted at KBI Eastern Conference 2025 in Hong Kong
Pre-Register Now!5 May - 19 June 2025
Registration
Eligible teams will receive detailed instructions on registering for the competition via email.
5 May - 19 July 2025
Qualifier Round
Contestants are to submit their project deliverables to be evaluated whether they are qualified to proceed to the Preliminary Round.
19 August - 3 October 2025
Preliminary Round
Qualified teams from the previous rounds are to submit required project deliverables to be evaluated by the Adjudicator Panel to determine whether they are qualified to proceed to IBCOL 2025 Finals.
19 August - 3 October 2025
Finalist Invitation
Qualified teams will receive a formal invitation to participate in the IBCOL Finals.
24 October - 28 October 2025
Pre-Competition Tour
Innovation & Technology Tours are to be arranged for contestants to enjoy before the Finals. Further details on the tour will be shared on a later date.
29 October - 31 October 2025
Olympiad Exhibition
Projects are setup and exhibited to the Adjudicator Panels and to guests to be thoroughly evaluated.
1 November 2025
Final Pitchery
Top 7 teams from the Solution Architecture (ARC) are to pitch their innovative projects to the adjudicator panels.
1 November 2025
Recognition & Celebration
Winning projects are recognised and awarded based on their performance.
Competition Theme
Contestants are encouraged to develop innovative projects that aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), addressing real-world challenges.
Accolades
At IBCOL, we celebrate outstanding achievements in blockchain innovation through a variety of awards and recognition. These accolades not only honour the winners but also inspire participants to push the boundaries of what's possible in the world of blockchain.
Award Types
IBCOL celebrates excellence by awarding top-performing teams with a range of honors. These awards recognize the creativity, skill, and dedication of participants, inspiring them to push the boundaries of what's possible in the blockchain community.
At the IBCOL Finals, gold, silver, and bronze medals will be awarded in both the Solutions Architecture (ARC) and Solutions Engineering (ENG) streams across secondary, tertiary, and open competitions, recognizing outstanding achievements in these fields.
- Gold Medal🥇
- Project ranked 1st out of all teams in their category
- Silver Medal🥈
- Project ranked 2nd out of all teams in their category
- Bronze Medal🥉
- Project ranked 3rd out of all teams in their category
In addition to medals, several general awards are presented to recognize notable achievements.
- Award of Merit🎖️
- Awarded to any project demonstrating notable excellence, quality, creativity, ingenuity, or impact in their work
- Award of Recognition📜
- For all teams considered for the Exhibition
- Country Medal🏆
- Awarded to the top three (3) IBCOL projects of a certain country/territory
- School Medal🏆
- Awarded to the top three (3) IBCOL projects of a certain academic institution
Specialty awards highlight specific areas of excellence.
- Innovation Award💡
- Awarded to any project demonstrating notable quality in innovation
- Privacy Award🔒
- Awarded to any project demonstrating notable quality in privacy
- Sustainability Award🌿
- Awarded to any project demonstrating notable quality in sustainability
- Upstart Award🚀
- Awarded to any project demonstrating significant promise as a startup
- Upscale Award🏢
- Awarded to any project demonstrating significant promise scaling as a SME
Prize Distribution
IBCOL offers a range of prizes to recognize and reward outstanding projects. The prize distribution includes and not limited to:
- Monetary Prizes
- Cash awards will be given to the top-performing teams in each category
- Trophies
- Winners will receive trophies symbolizing their achievement and excellence in blockchain innovation
- Certificates
- All finalists will receive certificates of recognition, and winners will receive additional certificates of achievement
Certificates of Recognition
IBCOL provides certificates of recognition to finalists and winners, formally acknowledging their dedication, hard work, and outstanding contributions to the field of blockchain innovation. These certificates serve as valuable credentials, highlighting your success and enhancing your professional profile.
Got questions about IBCOL?
Please browse our most frequently asked questions to help you get started
The competition covers various themes related to "blockchain" and trust tech, including but not limited to:
- Cryptography
- Layer 1 and Layer 2 protocols
- Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT)
- Privacy-Enhancing Technologies (PET)
- Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI)
- Decentralized Identifiers (DID)
- Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAO)
- Decentralized Applications (dApp)
- Decentralized Physical Infrastructures (DePIN)
- Decentralized Finance (DeFi)
- Non-Fungible Tokens (NFT)
- Digital Assets and Asset Tokenization
IBCOL welcomes projects that offer comprehensive solutions addressing real-world challenges, or comprehensive product design and implementation demonstrating an extensive and exquisite understanding of and the application of tech first principles
Yes, but only if you reach the Finals! Here's the breakdown:
- Who Pays: Only teams who qualify for the Finals are required to pay a registration fee
- Standard Fee: $150 USD per team
- Late Fee: $250 USD per team (applies if you register before September 19th, 2025)
- What's Included: The fee covers:
- Food and beverages during the Finals event
- Potential tour fee subsidies
- Poster board printing for your project presentation
- Exhibition setup costs
- Payment Methods: We accept PayPal, Visa, and Mastercard. You'll receive payment instructions during the Finals registration process.
- Refund Policy:
- If you cancel at least one month before the competition date, you'll receive a 70% refund (a $50 cancellation fee applies)
- No refunds are given for cancellations within 30 working days of the event
You will not be disqualified for using AI as long as it does not infringe copyright. Please properly attribute all sources to avoid issues with copyright.
No! IBCOL welcomes participants from all fields of study. We value diverse perspectives and believe that innovative solutions require a wide range of skills and knowledge. Whether you're a tech whiz, a business guru, or a creative thinker, IBCOL offers a platform to apply your unique talents to real-world challenges.
Testimonials
Since 2017, IBCOL has encouraged and assisted students to pursue academic and professional careers and internships across a plethora of industries, especially in enterprise software architect and developer roles
My experience with the International Blockchain Olympiad was eye-opening.
I realised that there are so many incredibly talented people in the web3 area.
It never felt like a competition, but rather an amazing opportunity to learn and grow.
I am now more confident than ever that decentralized technologies have limitless potential and that our generation is prepared to take them to new heights.
Delia Barbuta
Technical University of Iași
Our team is fortunate to be blessed with the capability to learn and the ability to build, so it is our patriotic and moral obligation to tackle a problem that countless of my people and many more around the world are literally dying from.
We are fortunate to have the chance to go through the International Blockchain Olympiad, which forced us to up our game.
This network is amazing, and our work is just getting started.
Jeremiah Valero
University of San Carlos
The experience of participating in the International Blockchain Olympiad allowed me to showcase my project and passion while gaining invaluable insights on how to improve it.
I found inspiration in the innovative ideas, designs, and diverse backgrounds of other participants.
It was an incredibly motivating journey, as I walked away not only with valuable professional connections but also friendships.
Rebeca Cavazos
University of Monterrey
The International Blockchain Olympiad expanded my horizons and made me realize all the possibilities out there!
Meeting people from around the world and being surrounded by such incredible innovative projects, talents and bright minds will always be a core memory for me.
I was honoured to travel to Hong Kong to present my ideas and it really boosted my confidence.
Niya Abdullahi
Toronto Metropolitan University
International Blockchain Olympiad helped me develop my pitching and networking skills.
By competing in this competition, I learned how to grab the attention of judges and visitors.
This experience greatly helped me learn how to pitch an idea of mine to potential investors.
It also taught me the importance of being active and seeking for opportunities instead of just sitting and waiting.
Tony Chow
Canadian International School
The network I gained through the International Blockchain Olympiad connected me with industry professionals, which helped me get a job in Software Engineering at JP Morgan Chase in Hong Kong.
The experience also inspired me to launch my own startup, which I recently brought to Silicon Valley.
Sakib Rabbani
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University