NZ’s First Ever Web 3 Hackathon Aims To Design A ‘Government Department Expenditure Tracking System (NZ’s DOGE)’

Welfare distribution, attracting talent and remote workers, tax, council based consent processing and public spending are amongst the problem statements that a group of 200 will try to solve at NZ’s first ever Web 3 hackathon in March. Under the theme ‘Code, create, conquer’, Kiwis of all skill levels are being invited to apply for the three-day event held at the University of Auckland. The hackathon is already half full, with places filling up fast. (Sign up.)

“That's the spark we need to ignite a Web3 revolution right here at home. This hackathon isn't just an event – it's a launchpad. It's where budding developers meet industry leaders, where ideas transform into real-world solutions, and where a participant’s next big career opportunity might be waiting,” says Kevin Whitmore, Business Innovation Advisor at Callaghan Innovation.

Web3 hackathons are events where developers, designers and innovators collaborate to build innovative applications using blockchain technology. The kiwi event has been modelled after the popular ETHGlobal events at which participants build Ethereum-based applications. ETHGlobal has held over 40 hackathons globally, welcoming tens of thousands of attendees from over 100 countries and at the Sydney event in 2024, Kiwi developers from two teams landed in the top 10.

Leading a shift in capability

Web3 is the next evolution of the internet, enabling peer-to-peer interactions without intermediaries. Powered by blockchain, it ensures transparent, secure and tamper-proof records, making it ideal for streamlining public services and tackling major challenges in New Zealand. According to MBIE, blockchain adoption in New Zealand is led by entrepreneurs and early adopters, with low awareness across business, universities and government. Companies need both strategic understanding around where the blockchain adds value; and the technical expertise (coding and software engineering skills) to take full advantage of this potential and while NZ has pockets of excellence, broader capability is lacking.

The Web3 Hackathon New Zealand has been designed to build the future of New Zealand's Web3 landscape by leading a shift in this capability on local shores. “We want to prove that innovation doesn't need a plane ticket. Let's keep our talent local, our ideas fresh and show the world what Kiwi ingenuity can do in the decentralised space,” adds Whitmore.

Solving our nation’s biggest challenges

Just one of the problem statements that will be presented to participants is the possibility of a ‘Government department expenditure tracking system (NZ’s DOGE)’ in which all government departments would be subject to storing their expenditure on a distributed ledger with a publicly available reason for the expenditure.

Additional problem statements include the possibility of ‘Decentralised welfare distribution and food security’. This platform would use smart contracts to automate eligibility checks and payments. It could include tokenised food vouchers tied to local suppliers, reducing fraud and ensuring funds are spent on essentials.

The IRD has also unofficially suggested an interest in how web3 can help divert and process tax including income tax and GST at point of sale or at time of payroll to simplify the tax collection and processing of end of year forms.

Also on the table is an international marketplace for New Zealand’s dairy and produce price setting so that farmers get the best prices and don’t have to depend on a conglomerate for prices.

A future-focused journey for all skill levels “We’re interested in how we can help foster the next wave of Web3 businesses, projects and products and support the commercialisation of these rather than see our computer science students go overseas and switch industries due to a lack of local opportunity,” comments Paul Quickenden, Chief Commercial Officer at Easy Crypto who is also a major event sponsor. Paul and other representatives from Easy Crypto, GD1, Web3NZ, UAT, UniServices and FireEyes DAO will serve as mentors for participants as they work through concept development, build and ultimately showcasing their projects.

The event is open to students and professionals of all skill levels from a variety of backgrounds including front and backend developers, Data Analytics, UX/UI Designers, Business and Web3 curious and newbies alike. The winning team will be flown to any global ETHGlobal event of their choice, with both prizes and pathways for potential investment up for grabs too.

Discover more about the Hackathon > https://hack.web3nz.xyz/

NOTES

About Web 3 and blockchain technology >

Web3 represents the next evolution of the internet. Unlike traditional systems where data and transactions are controlled by intermediaries (third parties like governments of banks), Web3 enables peer-to-peer interactions, providing greater transparency, security and user ownership. Blockchain - its underlying technology - acts as a tamper-proof digital ledger (record) ensuring that records - from government spending to welfare distribution - remain verifiable and immutable. Web3 has the potential to streamline public services, enhance financial inclusion and create more efficient, trustless systems - making it an ideal framework for tackling some of New Zealand’s biggest challenges.

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