World Build Hackathon Offers $200,000 Grant, Buenos Aires Retreat for Mini App Developers

The World Build hackathon is set to commence on September 26, 2025, offering a significant opportunity for developers to create innovative Mini Apps for the World App ecosystem. The event, a collaboration between World and Friends With Benefits (FWB), aims to attract builders globally, with options for remote participation or in-person attendance in San Francisco. According to a recent social media post by Leighton, "If you want to meaningfully change your life trajectory in 3 months, this is a really good option."

The World Build program is designed as an immersive initiative for founders and developers to rapidly ideate, prototype, and launch Mini Apps for World App's extensive user base, which exceeds 30 million individuals. Following the initial hybrid hackathon phase, top teams will advance to a multi-month virtual build program, culminating in a fully funded residential build sprint in Buenos Aires, Argentina. This comprehensive structure underpins the promise of a transformative three-month journey for participants.

Participants in the hackathon compete for a share of a $15,000 prize pool, with the winning team receiving an all-expenses-paid trip to Buenos Aires. Crucially, successful teams also gain the chance to secure up to $200,000 in grant funding and present their projects to tier-1 venture capitalists. This substantial financial backing and mentorship highlight the program's commitment to fostering breakout applications.

World App, developed by Worldcoin, focuses on building a more human internet and an inclusive digital economy through its World ID protocol, which verifies humanness. Friends With Benefits (FWB) operates as a social network DAO, supporting creatives and builders with a vision for a better internet. Their joint effort in the World Build hackathon underscores a shared goal of leveraging Web3 technologies to create impactful and user-centric applications.