Vitalik Buterin's speech and the new coding culture: how the ETHKyiv 2025 hackathon went
How Ukrainian specialists synthesize development and culture, gaining international recognition
How Ukrainian specialists synthesize development and culture, gaining international recognition
From June 13 to 15, over 100 builders gathered at the Creative State of Arsenal for the ETHKyiv 2025 hackathon to create products from scratch in 36 hours and compete for a $40,000 prize pool. Participants worked on real-world challenges — from crypto-charity to convenient storage of digital assets.
Speeches by top Ethereum speakers — including Vitalik Buterin and Ethereum Foundation Co-CEO Tomasz Stanczak — set the bar high for the event. But the program wasn’t limited to development: a violin performance by Moisei, an art lottery in support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and tactical medicine training added new meaning to the event.
This year, ETHKyiv transformed from a hackathon into a true laboratory of cultural technologies: here code intertwined with art, and technology became part of a big idea.
Next, we will talk about the brightest moments of the hackathon that confirmed this.
Speeches by Vitalik Buterin and Ethereum Foundation leadership, art collaboration with Vidro
The main surprise of ETHKyiv 2025 was the online inclusion of Vitalik Buterin, the co-founder of Ethereum. His speech was not announced in advance, and the effect was even stronger when the co-founder of Ethereum appeared on the screen right after the final development.
Together with Rostyslav Bortman, founder of Ethereum Ukraine and ETHKyiv, Vitalik announced the winners and also signed an art poster created by Lviv studio Vidro specifically for the event live. This poster and signed merch became the lots of a charity raffle in support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
«For us, charity is not an additional activity to the hackathon, but the heart of its mission. Web3, building culture, social responsibility are our main priorities,» says Rostyslav Bortman.
Also, on the first day of the hackathon, Tomasz K. Stańczak, Co-CEO of the Ethereum Foundation, spoke on the ETHKyiv stage. He talked about how the network is changing after The Merge and the challenges facing developers of L2 solutions.
A special sign of support for the entire community was the speech of Leona Hioki, co-founder of INTMAX. He came to Kyiv and took to the stage in an embroidered vyshyvanka, dedicating his presentation to the scalability of Ethereum.
Moisei’s speech and tactical medicine training
The first day of ETHKyiv 2025 began with a minute of silence in honor of the defenders of Ukraine.
«This is a tribute to our defenders and another reminder of the realities we live in and the future we strive for,» emphasizes Rostyslav Bortman.
Immediately after that, the hall was filled with music: Moisei Bondarenko, a military man and violinist known to the general public for his videos in which he performs musical works in liberated Ukrainian cities, took the stage.
One of his most famous videos is a performance in the city of Izyum, Kharkiv region, which was published by the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine, as well as by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken .
A separate block was a session on tactical medicine from Artem Rudy, known by the nickname «Rudy 114». As a combat medic, he conducted training for participants and guests on the main first aid protocols.
«Technology is not primarily about innovation, but about people, about community, about mutual support,» comments Rostyslav Bortman.
Interactive charity and Web3 without barriers: the main projects of the hackathon
ETHKyiv 2025 once again proved that the main goal of Ethereum Ukraine events is to create solutions that can be used right now. From more than two dozen projects, the jury selected 15 winners — and each of them was an answer to a specific request from the community.
Among the favorites is MapMapMap, a charity service in the form of an interactive map. Everyone can leave their own «pixel» — a drawing, a tag or a logo — and make a crypto donation to support Ukrainian foundations. Part of the collected funds is raffle among participants to make charity even more lively and engaging.
Another striking example is Normie Wallet. The project made cryptocurrency as simple as possible for the «ordinary» user: a wallet is created immediately after logging in via a social network, without seed phrases or transaction fees. This solution opens up Web3 to those who previously simply did not dare to try it.
Improver-H, the project that won first place, has taken business-customer engagement to a new level. Instead of classic loyalty programs, the product offers bonuses and anonymous tips on the blockchain that work quickly, securely, and privately. Customers receive instant rewards, and businesses see what their audience really values and can flexibly respond to their needs.
At the same time, one of the winners, Paper Protocol, has become a challenge for true holders: here, users can lock their ETH in a smart contract until a desired price is reached and receive an NFT that shows how «cool» they are in their belief in the future. The more ambitious the goal, the more valuable the reward.
For Ethereum Ukraine, the completion of ETHKyiv 2025 was another start. The community promises more events and opportunities for those who strive to create the future.
«We don’t wait for better times — we create them ourselves,» emphasizes Rostyslav Bortman. «Ahead are new challenges, even more ideas, and people who don’t stop, even when the world around us is changing so rapidly.»
