Pump.fun’s $3M Hackathon Brings in Top Crypto Advisors — as Market Contributors, Not Judges

Pump.fun has launched a $3 million Build in Public hackathon designed to flip the traditional startup funding model on its head. Instead of closed-door judging, founders launch openly, build in real time, and let user participation determine which projects earn support.

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Advisors from Delphi Digital, Pantera Capital, Polymarket, Kraken, Jump Crypto, 6th Man Ventures, Manifold Ventures, Arca, Draper Investments, Helius, and Privy are participating as market contributors, not judges. 

Their role is to engage publicly, surface strong builders, and help promising projects gain visibility, feedback, and distribution — without deciding outcomes.

Since applications opened on January 19, the hackathon has attracted founders across every stage and major vertical, including prediction markets, consumer apps, trading and market infrastructure, DeFi and financial primitives, developer tooling, and AI-powered onchain applications.

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The program supports the full 0 → 100 lifecycle, with three tracks:

• Idea — raw concepts and early experimentation

• MVP — functional prototypes proving core mechanics

• Product — live applications showing traction and revenue potential

AI tools have turned thousands of people into builders almost overnight, but access to funding hasn’t kept pace. This isn’t VCs picking winners behind closed doors. Builders launch first. Markets create the signal. Funding follows what’s already working.

Alon, Co-Founder of Pump.fun

How It Works

• Founders launch a coin on Pump.fun

• Teams build in public and share daily progress

• Advisors and the community engage openly with feedback, attention, and access

• The market becomes the judge, signaling which projects gain momentum

Participating Advisors

• Anil Lulla — Co-Founder & CEO, Delphi Digital

• Hugo Martingale — Head of Markets, Polymarket

• Peter Dimitrakos — Senior Asset Listings, Kraken

• Mert Mumtaz — Co-Founder & CEO, Helius

• Mike Dudas — Founder & Managing Partner, 6th Man Ventures

• Saurabh Sharma — CIO, Jump Crypto

• Aric Chang & Rahul Mahtani — GP & Head of BD, Manifold Ventures

• Max Segall — COO, Privy

• Sasha Fleyshman — Portfolio Manager, Arca

• Tim Draper — Founder & Managing Partner, Draper Investments

• Mason Nystrom — Investor, Pantera Capital

Software is being commoditized fast. Building in public and getting real market feedback is how projects earn traction now — and how new ecosystems actually emerge.

Anil Lulla, Co-Founder & CEO of Delphi Digital

The hackathon is open to founders at any stage, and projects do not need to be crypto-native. Applications are open, with the first winners announced before February 18, 2026.

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Apply and start building publicly: https://hackathon.pump.fun/