Illinois Government Sponsors Month-Long Blockchain Hackathon

The state of Illinois is continuing to engage with blockchain innovators, this time by throwing a month-long hackathon.

AccessTimeIconJun 20, 2017 at 6:00 p.m. UTC
Updated Sep 11, 2021 at 1:28 p.m. UTC
10 Years of Decentralizing the Future
May 29-31, 2024 - Austin, TexasThe biggest and most established global hub for everything crypto, blockchain and Web3.Register Now

The state of Illinois is backing an upcoming blockchain hackathon.

The IBI Hack, a month-long virtual hackathon set to begin on 1st July, is being organized by the Illinois Blockchain Initiative along with blockchain technology startup Fulcrum. The event is open to students and recent university graduates from around the world, with all entries due on 31st July.

IBI Hack is part of the Illinois Blockchain Month, a month-long initiative that will see a series of educational events hosted across the state focused on the tech. The events are aimed at trying to teach people what blockchains are and what they can do. 

State governor Bruce Rauner said in a statement:

"Illinois is the state of innovation, and I am proud to see our young men and women getting involved in the Illinois Blockchain Initiative Hack. Empowering our youth is empowering the future of Illinois."

The Illinois Blockchain Initiative was unveiled in November as part of a wide-ranging effort among state officials to tap the tech for public-sector applications. The initiative is backed by a number of state agencies, including the Cook County Registry of Deeds, which had previously looked at the concept of time-stamping documents with the bitcoin blockchain.

The hackathon represents the latest development in the blockchain experiments at the state of Illinois. Two weeks ago, several of Chicago’s largest enterprises have joined forces with the state government to launch a new blockchain center. In March, Illinois joined R3, the distributed ledger consortium that includes dozens of banks worldwide. 

Image via Shutterstock

Disclosure

Please note that our privacy policy, terms of use, cookies, and do not sell my personal information has been updated.

CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. In November 2023, CoinDesk was acquired by the Bullish group, owner of Bullish, a regulated, digital assets exchange. The Bullish group is majority-owned by Block.one; both companies have interests in a variety of blockchain and digital asset businesses and significant holdings of digital assets, including bitcoin. CoinDesk operates as an independent subsidiary with an editorial committee to protect journalistic independence. CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive options in the Bullish group as part of their compensation.


Learn more about Consensus 2024, CoinDesk's longest-running and most influential event that brings together all sides of crypto, blockchain and Web3. Head to consensus.coindesk.com to register and buy your pass now.