The biggest in person Canton Network hackathon of 2026 is coming to London on Saturday, August 29, bringing university teams, experienced developers, founders and first-time builders together for a full day of hands-on development.
Hosted by Cantor8, the “Build on Canton” Hackathon is being organised alongside blockchain communities from the University of Cambridge, the University of Oxford and Imperial College London. With the event now just one month away, applications are open to participants from these universities and the wider builder community.
The one-day event has been designed for people who want to move beyond discussing blockchain infrastructure and start building with it.
Participants will expand their understanding of Canton Network and Daml, its smart contract language, before working in teams to turn practical ideas into Canton-native applications. The emphasis will be on learning through development: identifying a problem, designing a solution and building a working prototype.
Projects may explore institutional finance, privacy-first workflows and tokenisation. Builders will also be able to develop ideas involving tokenised assets, wallets, registries, settlement systems, developer tools and other forms of real-world financial infrastructure.
These areas reflect a broader challenge within financial technology: creating systems that allow regulated organisations to use blockchain infrastructure while maintaining the privacy, control and interoperability they require.
The hackathon will give participants an opportunity to explore how Canton can address that challenge and to demonstrate what the next generation of applications could look like.
While teams from some of the world’s leading universities will be participating, the event is not limited to students. It is open to developers, founders, product builders, technical creatives and independent teams from beyond academia.
Experienced Canton builders can use the day to test new ideas, meet potential collaborators and push existing concepts further. Participants who are entirely new to the ecosystem will receive a practical introduction to Daml and support as they begin building.
No previous Canton or Daml experience is required.
Mentors and technical experts will be available throughout the day to answer questions, provide guidance and help teams overcome development challenges. Participants can also expect prizes, food and drinks, as well as opportunities to connect with other builders from across the Canton community.
The result will be a full day focused on building, learning, collaborating and shipping.
Registration is approval-based, and the exact London venue will be shared with successful applicants. Attendees should bring a laptop, an idea and the willingness to build.
Whether you are already developing on Canton or encountering the ecosystem for the first time, Cantor8’s London Hackathon offers an opportunity to develop practical skills, meet serious builders and create something with real potential.
Applications are now open through the official event page.
