The 2024 Q4 BNB Chain Hackathon, dubbed the “Ultimate Battle of Hacker Heroes,” has concluded, celebrating groundbreaking innovations across the Web3 ecosystem. With a total prize pool of over $458,000, the event attracted more than 200 applications, showcasing the brightest minds in blockchain development.Out of 204 project submissions, the top 10 finalists competed in a demo round, culminating in the announcement of three winners.Winning Projects1st Place – $15,000: PayNovaA blockchain-based payroll platform streamlining global payroll management.Secure, automated, and transparent cross-border payments.Smart contracts for seamless payroll automation.Future enhancements include AI-powered payroll agents and Zero-Knowledge Proofs for enhanced privacy.2nd Place – $10,000: Outrun & AgentArcadeOutrun: A DeFi ecosystem with yield tokenization, staking derivatives, and decentralized exchanges.AgentArcade: A decentralized AI agent launchpad offering no-code AI agent creation for social media, companionship, and gaming.3rd Place – $5,000: Rhythm Mural, StarBridge & DoubtEarnRhythm Mural: A blockchain-powered music contest platform fostering creativity and fair rewards distribution.StarBridge: A Telegram bot enabling seamless conversion of Telegram Stars into cryptocurrencies.DoubtEarn: A blockchain-powered Q&A platform that incentivizes knowledge-sharing with BNB-based bounties.Honorable MentionsThirteen projects received special recognition for their innovative solutions, including BNB Market, Chainchirp, SkillRoom, and more.Special Sponsor Track WinnersWinners were selected for sponsor-specific categories, with support from key partners such as Polyhedra Network, Dora Factory, and TUSD.Opportunities for WinnersBeyond prize money, winning teams will receive:A $50,000 Kickstart package, including AWS and Google Cloud credits.Consideration for BNB Chain's Most Valuable Builder (MVB) program, opening doors to further investment and growth opportunities.Additional milestone-based rewards of up to $10,000 per project.Fostering Innovation with BNB ChainThe hackathon aligns with BNB Chain’s broader initiatives, including:Stablecoin, DeFi, and Payments – Driving liquidity and efficiency.AI-driven dApps and Infrastructure – Expanding AI applications within Web3.Memecoin Innovation & Decentralized Science (DeSci) – Encouraging creativity and real-world utility.