Foundation News

Better on Stellar Challenge: From 'What If?' to 'What Now?'

Author

Gabriella Pellagatti

Publishing date

Remember when we asked you to dream bigger? To turn those "what if?" moments into real ideas worth sharing? Well, you delivered – and then some.

We didn't launch this challenge thinking we had all the answers. Actually, we launched it knowing we didn't. Because who are we at the Stellar Development Foundation to tell you what your biggest problems are? You live it. You know it. And we just want to give you the space and tools to build it better.

See, in Argentina, "better" might mean finding a way to protect your savings when inflation hits. For a freelancer in Kenya, it could mean getting paid instantly by clients in Europe without watching 10% disappear in fees. A merchant in California may need a simpler way to pay suppliers than juggling five payment apps. Different places, different problems – all hungry for better solutions.

With over 250 submissions from more than 20 countries, this challenge proved one thing loud and clear—people everywhere know what’s not working, what can be better, and what hasn’t been thought of yet.

But here’s the tough part for us—choosing the winners. The ideas we saw weren’t just innovative; they were bold, practical, and ready to ship to our builders. Narrowing it down to 11 winners was difficult enough. Picking the top 3… even harder. But we did it. And now, it’s time to meet them.

Visionary

Revolutionizing Education Access

The Crypto Oracle (@0xcryptooracle) knocked it out of the park with a vision for democratizing education funding globally. Think crowdfunded scholarships, peer-to-peer student loans, and direct payments to schools – all powered by the lightning-fast, low-cost Stellar network.

What caught our eye most about this submission was the opportunity to connect global donors directly with students in underserved regions while keeping everything transparent and accountable. Not to mention, The Crypto Oracle clearly took a lot of time and effort to produce their video. Great work.

Catalyst

Tap to Crypto Biometric Smart Wallet

José Toscano came in with a solution that makes everyday payments in crypto seamless and secure. This idea leverages passkeys to make peer-to-peer payments a snap. José and his team have already teased out the prospect of documenting their smart wallet build process in a video series, so stay tuned to see this concept materialize.

Awesome job!

Why These Ideas Matter

We'd be remiss to not mention the rest of our winners. Please note that this list is provisional and is subject to change as finalists complete their award qualification requirements.

Each winner captured something essential about what makes Stellar special— it's not just about moving money – it's about creating real-world impact. Whether it's funding education, empowering small businesses, or transforming creative industries, these ideas share a common thread: using blockchain technology to make something fundamentally better for real people.

Now What?

These winners aren't just walking away with prizes – they're walking away with the potential to turn their ideas into reality. In the next couple of months, we will host a virtual hackathon with the Stellar ecosystem; during which our community will review the submissions and do what they do best: build! So our work isn't quite done yet. First comes the chicken, then comes the egg - or however you like to think about it. The point is... ideas without execution are just ideas. Building without a vision is a damn hard task. Luckily, we've got both.

Until then, keep dreaming bigger. Keep building better.

Signed, The team that can't wait to see what problem you solve next.

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