Midnight Offers Three Active Programs for Privacy App Builders

Midnight has three active programs for developers building decentralized applications with data protection features. Two are approaching closing dates, while the third is entering a new development window. For the broader Cardano ecosystem, the schedule brings education, prototype delivery and continued product development into the same period.

Midnight Korea Hackathon Closes September 28

The Midnight Korea Hackathon 2026 is a four-week virtual program that opened on September 1. Participants can work individually or in teams of up to four to produce a functional dApp using Midnight’s privacy features and zero-knowledge proofs.

Each submission must include a public GitHub repository with a README, instructions for running the application or following its demo flow, and an explanation of how the project uses Midnight. Projects can be developed on the Preview or Preprod testnet or through a local development environment. A demonstration video is optional.

The review process examines whether the repository can be cloned and compiled, whether the project description matches its documentation, and whether the application’s use of Midnight can be verified. The format therefore requires working and reproducible software rather than an idea-only presentation.

Submissions close on September 28 at 00:00 KST, which is September 27 at 15:00 UTC. The event lists a $6,000 total prize package for the three highest-scoring teams, combining cash awards and AI Auditor credits. Winning teams will also receive access to a follow-up Demo Day and may be considered for Midnight’s Build Club incubation program.

New Moon to Full Remains Open Through September 30

New Moon to Full: Monthly Moonshots on Midnight is a free online builder program presented by Midnight and Rise In. The program began on June 29, but its official page continues to list applications as open, with registration closing on September 30.

The program follows a six-phase development path. Initial stages cover tool setup and the first Compact contract. Later phases introduce front-end integration, Lace wallet connectivity, testing, continuous integration and deployment workflows, and deployment on Preprod.

The remaining stages move participants toward a functional minimum viable product, public documentation, user feedback and a mainnet launch. The program is open to everyone, including front-end, back-end and full-stack developers, as well as participants beginning to explore privacy-focused application development.

The program page lists an $8,000 monthly prize pool. Its structure connects education with technical outputs, including Compact contracts, integrated interfaces, tested applications and deployed products.

Midnight Buildathon Wave 2 Starts September 27

The Midnight Buildathon is a three-month online program hosted on AKINDO. It is divided into three connected waves in which teams build, submit progress, receive evaluations and return with updated versions of their products.

The Wave 2 building period runs from September 27 through October 17. Judging follows from October 17 to October 27, with a $4,000 prize pool assigned to the second wave. Wave 3 then runs from October 27 through November 16, followed by another judging period and a $5,000 prize pool.

September 27 is the beginning of the next development window, not a submission deadline. The Buildathon format is designed to move early concepts toward stronger implementations through repeated development and evaluation cycles.

Across the three programs, the expected outputs include public repositories, testnet deployments, working user interfaces and continued product iterations. The Korea Hackathon tests what teams can deliver within four weeks, New Moon to Full ties education to release milestones, and the Buildathon extends development beyond the first prototype. Wave 2 reaches its submission checkpoint on October 17, with Wave 3 beginning ten days later to continue that product cycle.