Meta Pool, one of the leading decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms on NEAR Protocol, recently held a 72-hour hackathon in Lima, Peru, in collaboration with NTT Data and NEAR Dev.
Key Takeaways
- The hackathon revealed the high level of technical talent in Latin America, especially in blockchain and artificial intelligence.
- 17 innovative projects were developed, addressing local issues such as agriculture and digital identity.
- Meta Pool is committed to strengthening the NEAR ecosystem in the region through ongoing support for new developers.
The event brought together over 90 developers and nearly 20 teams to create tech solutions aimed at solving local problems through artificial intelligence and blockchain technology.
Claudio Cossio, founder of Meta Pool, shared his excitement in a post-event interview:
“It’s been 48 intense hours of nonstop work. Personally, I haven’t slept in over 24 hours, but it was completely worth it. What we’ve seen here in Lima is an incredible display of the talent that exists in Latin America. This experience has opened our eyes to what can be built in the region.”
The goal of the hackathon was clear: to encourage participants to develop solutions for local challenges using tools such as NEAR Blockchain, smart contracts, and AI agents.
The response was overwhelming. Seventeen high-quality projects were presented, tackling key areas such as agriculture, digital identity, and the empowerment of communities through technology.
“Many participants had never even heard of NEAR before the hackathon, and in less than 24 hours, they built fully on-chain solutions that combined AI and blockchain. That speaks volumes about the developers’ skill level here,” Cossio added.
One of the main themes of the projects was the development of decentralized digital identity tools, allowing both public and private institutions to verify data without compromising user privacy.
Guillermo, a representative of NEAR Dev emphasized:
“This hackathon was concrete proof of the immense talent in the region. Our challenge now is to help these teams integrate into the NEAR ecosystem, whether through financial, educational, or strategic support.”
The importance of hosting in-person hackathons in Latin America was also highlighted.
“Many of these events are usually held in Europe or the U.S., places that are simply not accessible to most Latin American developers due to visa issues or high travel costs. By bringing the event to Lima, we’ve democratized access to this technology and these opportunities,” Cossio explained.
Meta Pool did not see this event just as a competition, but as the beginning of something much larger.
“We are proud not only to have taught what can be done with these tools, but more importantly, to have shown the potential of the local market with a path toward global scaling. This is just the beginning of something amazing,” he concluded.
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