It all began on a Friday evening, more precisely, May 16, 2025, at 6PM.

Five students from different backgrounds, three guys and two girls—met for the first time in a beautiful office space in Paris, brought together by a mysterious hackathon.

The theme? Artificial intelligence and blockchain, how to merge the two, and explore blockchain’s potential to address societal and environmental challenges.

From the very first evening, ideas started flying.

After several discussions, they agreed on a first direction and set a meeting for the next morning at 9 a.m. to start coding.

Saturday came fast. A morning workshop gave them guidance, lines of code flowed, and a prototype began to take shape… until dinner.

That’s when one team member had a bold, completely new idea. A brilliant one.

It meant rethinking everything. But no matter, they rolled up their sleeves and kept working until 10PM, then continued into the night from home.

The next day, at 10 a.m., they were back in the office—focused, united, determined to finish the project and prepare their pitch.
The competition was fierce. Each team presented impressive work. Doubt crept in.

Would they measure up? Would their idea stand out? Then came their turn.

A few hesitations, some nerves… then applause.
Did they leave a mark? Hard to say.
An hour later, the results were announced.
Third place… then second… still nothing.
Disappointment loomed.
But against all odds, they won first place!
Cheers, photos, handshakes, a flood of congratulations.

And now? Will they stay in touch?

Will they launch the project for real? Build a startup, raise funds, revolutionize a field?
Nothing is written yet.

But if you want to witness this adventure, or better yet, be part of it, join us on Friday, June 16 at 6PM at XRPL Commons for HAKS Hackathon 2025.

We can’t wait to discover your ideas, your energy, and the projects you’ll bring to life together!