September 3, 2025
Expedition 31: Join Developers From Around the World For A Special Season of Climbing |
A new slate of Meetups, workshops, and events are here for developers looking to learn how to summit crypto’s biggest mountain, the Bitcoin economy!

For those of you new to the mix, Stacks Ascent has been powering builders to new heights for the past few months. Now, we’re looking for more of you to join this mission as part of ‘Expedition 31’, a special mission to reach the exclusive Stacks Hacker House dubbed the 'Legendary Lodge'. Sherpas are telling us the secluded cabin is going to be reachable in early Fall, but only for the prepared!

Join this special season of climbing and you'll build skills, meet awesome people, launch projects, and contribute to the next wave of Bitcoin innovation. Specifically, developers will learn and apply Clarity smart contracts, receive hands-on support from peers and mentors, and find fuel for their projects! As with any good climb, there will be regular chances to get together and practice, detailed instructions for technical 😉 aspects of the climb, and of course, great companions!
How can I join the climb?
There’s no single way to do this right, just like a real climb, it's about choosing the path that best fits your skills and interests. Expedition 31 is made up of a series of events, competitions, and programs -- and any could end up being your ticket to the exclusive Hacker House.

Choose your route(s):
Any good mountaineer with tell you, it's important to communicate before, during, and after your climb. We have Sherpas standing by to help you, we just need a bit of information about you so we can track your progress throughout Expedition 31!

Register Now
An online recurring builder competition uniting developers to prototype and launch solutions that expand Bitcoin utility with Stacks while entering prize pools. The current builder competition is nearly complete, but the next challenge will be opening shortly (the perfect time to start your climb). Check out details for August's challenge below and keep an eye out for the next!

Dates: August 7 - Sept. 12
Prizes: $3,000 USD prize pool
Registration: Register with DoraHacks
The Vibe Coding hackathon is a new competition where builders learn to supercharge Stacks apps with AI tools like Cursor and Claude Code. Vibe Coding is your chance to accelerate with AI and bring something to life on Stacks.

This hackathon is structured into three sprints, each designed to guide you through a critical stage of your project:
  • Sprint 1 – Validate (Sept 26–Oct 2): Test your ideas, refine your concepts, and make sure you’re building something people want.
  • Sprint 2 – Build (Oct 3–Oct 9): Move from concept to code with the help of workshops and hands-on support.
  • Sprint 3 – Pitch (Oct 10–Oct 16): Package your work into a compelling story and present it for feedback, visibility, and prizes.
Each sprint comes with dedicated workshops, tasks, and resources to help you stay on track.

Prizes: $25,000 prize pool with tiered amounts for 1st - 3rd place and two special recognition awards
Registration: Register with DoraHacks
Developer-focused workshops and courses, hackathons, bootcamps, and more events around the world. If you're a new climber, a great way to get started on your Expedition 31 route is to register online for a free Rise In Stacks course.

The next Rise In x Stacks Build on Bitcoin hackathon is right around the corner and will be hosted in Istanbul (online participation welcome). Registration is still open -- see details below.

Dates: Sept. 15-20
Prizes: $2,500 prize pool
Registration: Register with Rise In
A series of "Bitcoin is More" workshops are underway in multiple cities around the world. Catch an event near you to unlock new ways to put your Bitcoin to work. In this hands-on session, you’ll set up a Stacks wallet, earn Bitcoin-native yield with sBTC, and walk away ready to explore the next wave of Bitcoin DeFi—with pizza, merch, and community included.

In September, Bitcoin is More will land in Istanbul followed by an October NYC workshop.

Dates: September 30th (Istanbul); October 8 (NYC)
Prizes: Free food and drinks, learning, networking, and some STX tokens!
Registration: Link here
LearnWeb3's latest Stacks course, DeFi on Stacks, just launched! Through this course, you’ll explore core primitives and building blocks, then apply them by building a multisig vault, a flash loan protocol, and a dual-asset lending pool. By the end, you’ll have practical experience creating real DeFi applications on Bitcoin.

Dates: Open course -- start anytime!
Registration: Sign up here
Join us for a three-part DeFi webinar series. We’ll start with the basics (Sept 2), move into strategies (Sept 9), and finish with advanced tools (Sept 16). Whether you’re new to DeFi or ready to level up, this series will give you the knowledge to navigate and build with confidence.

Dates: September 2, 9, and 16
Registration: DeFi Basics (complete), DeFi Strategies Session, Advanced DeFi Session
Always Available Opportunities:
Can't make any of the events above, but still want to climb with us? No worries, Expedition 31 is just one more fun way to engage that is offered in addition to our ongoing programs for developers. Try out Code4STX or Stacks Ascent today or start simple by joining our 5 day getting started email course you can do at your own pace!
🏔️ Stacks Ascent: The baseline Stacks Ascent program guides developers through their journey from entering the Stacks ecosystem through building a full-time career, either as a technical founder or a developer. Upcoming "Peaks" are designed to help new developers grow their skills and reputation, and more experienced builders grow their projects in the ecosystem while earning grants and prizes along the way.

🟠 Code4STX: A favorite among developers, Code4STX pays developers every month to keep up with their projects.
Trail Markers (Timeline)
  • Season kickoff: September 3rd
  • Hacker House Retreat: November 15–20
Rewards
Each event and program comes with its own prizes and recognition as outlined above, but the ultimate prize is entry to the Hacker House, the much sought after destination for Expedition 31. Stacks events and challenges along the path to the summit include prizes such as:

  • $3k prize pool for each DoraHacks Builder Competition
  • Total prize pool of $25k for the Vibe Coding Hackathon
  • 1:1 mentorship on design, growth, and other skills to help you succeed as a Stacks builder
  • Cash prize tiers for Stacks Ascent "Peaks"
The Hacker House aka the Legendary Lodge
An exclusive, all-expenses-paid retreat where the top builders gather for a week of hacking, collaboration, and celebration. You can expect:
  • Parties and community bonding.
  • A chance to demo your work to peers and mentors.
  • A space to connect with some of the most ambitious Bitcoin builders in the world.

How do I get into the Hacker House?
The Hacker House is designed for developers who show commitment, creativity, and impact during Expedition 31. Participation in Expedition 31 programs and events is the main path to consideration.

  • Competition winners: Winners of the Builder Competitions and Vibe Coding Hackathon will receive spots.
  • Progress in Ascent matters: Developers making the most progress in Stacks Ascent, or working on projects with unique potential to grow the Bitcoin economy, will be strong candidates.
  • Quality counts: We’ll be looking for projects with exceptional technical execution (clean, high-quality code), as well as standout non-technical contributions (design, copy, community engagement, etc.).
  • Community leadership is rewarded: A spot will be reserved for someone who consistently helps their peers by answering questions, sharing resources, and contributing to the community.

Eligible projects can come from competitions, Stacks Ascent, Code for STX, or other Expedition 31 activities. We’ll be sharing the exact selection criteria soon -- be sure to register to get on the list for more information about the Expedition.
Find us on the mountain
In addition to these core programs, look for Stacks at these key events as another great way to connect with fellow Stacks and builders or start your climb.


Learn more about all the places where Stacks is showing up around the world here.
Ready to climb?
Expedition 31 is your chance to join a global mission, sharpen your skills, and help scale Bitcoin to new heights. Whether you join through a hackathon, workshop, or builder challenge, the routes all lead upward. Register below to stay in the loop about Expedition details and next steps.
Register Now