Hackathons are always a mix of chaos, caffeine, and creativity. But Hackomania 2025? This one was special. Not only did we push ourselves to the limit, but we also got to explore Interledger’s technology—and managed to win while doing it.
Meet the Team
We’re a bunch of tech enthusiasts who love solving problems with code. Our team:
- Ram – Professional hackathoner and expert debugger.
- Ryan – Web development guru and UI/UX wizard.
- Kiah Hong – Algorithms engineer and API developer.
- Wee Leong – Backend Chef.
Hackathons are our way of testing crazy ideas in a short time while having fun (and sometimes, actually sleeping).
The Hackathon Experience
This wasn’t our first hackathon—far from it. We’ve been in quite a few, and each time, it’s the thrill of rapid problem-solving that keeps us coming back. There’s something about the energy of a room full of people sprinting to create something meaningful in just 24 hours. Plus, hackathons give us a chance to experiment with new tech stacks—which is exactly what happened here.
Why We Chose the Interledger Challenge
Before the hackathon, we attended the pre-event talks, hoping to get some inspiration. Interledger’s session stood out—not just because the speaker was energetic (which made it way more fun), but because the tech itself was interesting. We wanted to see how we could use it in a real-world problem—and that’s where our project idea came in.
Tackling Internet Addiction With a Financial Twist
We built a browser extension where users deposit money and set their focus hours. Instead of motivating users with quotes or nice UI, we decided to ransom them. Users deposit money into our service, and here’s how it goes:
- Stay focused? You get part of your deposit back.
- Get distracted? Your money goes into a communal pool.
- Stay disciplined consistently? You earn bonus rewards from the pool.
To make it more engaging, we added a capybara assistant—because let’s be honest, nobody likes a robotic notification telling them to focus. Instead, a friendly capybara nudges you back on track based on your browsing habits.
The Tech Behind It
- Our solution consists of three parts:
- Interledger for payments – Seamless deposits, withdrawals, and transfers.
- Browser extension with JavaScript – To track focus hours and browsing behavior.
- Simple AI-based reminders – Personalized nudges from our capybara assistant.
Pitching Our Idea
Presenting our project was nerve-wracking but exciting. We shared our enthusiasm with chaotic slides and loads of humor. The judges from Interledger appreciated this and gave us the win. Winning felt surreal. We built something fun, useful, and technically sound—all in just 24 hours.
The Role of Mentors
One of the best parts of the hackathon was working with mentors from ILF and the other sponsors. We remember having a chat with the CTO about how the API works and getting mentoring sessions with other Interledger members who helped refine our idea. Integrating the Open Payments API wasn’t easy, and having experts to guide us saved us a ton of time.
What’s Next?
For now, we’re enjoying the win. But looking ahead, we’d love to see where Interledger goes next. Their tech opened up a ton of possibilities, and we’re definitely keeping an eye on how it evolves.
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