The Bitcoin Center is New York City’s premiere Bitcoin and digital currency hub. Located in the heart of lower Manhattan’s Financial District, only 100 feet from the NYSE, the center acts as the region’s premier physical Bitcoin institution.
Dedicated to promoting awareness of Bitcoin and cryptocurrency, it seeks specifically to advance education and innovation in the financial tech space. It has done so since it was founded last year by leading entrepreneurs, policy makers, and thought leaders.
In the spirit of this ethos the center is partnering with BitDevs NYC to host its first hackathon this Saturday, February 22, 2014 from noon to 10:00 pm Eastern. For the uninitiated, a hackathon is an event where coders meet to program together over a short period. It is a collaborative and competitive environment driven towards specific development goals.
How exciting that such disruptive innovation and development should occur only metres from the doors of the New York Stock Exchange, right under the noses of these guardians of the legacy financial order.
The 21st century is here and New York’s Bitcoin Center exists to embrace innovation. They have made this clear with their words and actions. Partners BitDevs are a NYC group tailored towards software and hardware developers interested in the Bitcoin protocol, cryptocurrencies, open source, fintech and cryptography. They hold meetups once a week, alternating between formal and social gatherings.
The focus of the hackathon will be a vulnerable Bitcoin web wallet. Hackers will be asked to put their information security and Bitcoin knowledge to the test as they try to find the vulnerability in an online Bitcoin wallet designed by a BitDevs NYC member.
Players and spectators will contribute funds to this wallet ($5). The winner will be the player who successfully penetrates the server, accesses the working wallet account, and sends the Bitcoin therein to another address. This is a winner-takes-all event.
There are three specific objectives: to have fun, learn about information security as it pertains to Bitcoin, and to capture the coin.
Hackathons are the perfect way to attract smart and passionate people to work on Bitcoin problems and develop solutions. Of course, attracting talented developers is the key to any successful hackathon. Given the Center’s key location and international standing, it will not be a problem attracting experts from the sector and broader Bitcoin community. The more diverse the collection of people, the more creative the solutions.
After the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) hearing, a spectre of regulation looms over the city. There is no better time to return to Bitcoins grassroots, hackers solving problems and collaborating to change the world. New York may soon become among the first jurisdictions to write comprehensive regulations for Bitcoin and virtual currency. Regardless, as long as institutions like the NY Center exist, doing positive work, Bitcoin will survive and thrive.
Please RSVP to the event on the BitDevs event page. If you don’t have a Meetup account please email bitdevsnyc@gmail.com with ‘Hackathon RSVP’ in the subject line and your name in the body of the email.
For a map of Bitcoin Center NYC, click here.
Find Bitcoin Center NYC on Facebook, LinkedIn, Meetup, and Twitter.
All guests of Bitcoin Center NYC are required to sign in. Media must RSVP with James V. Barcia using james@nycbitcoincenter.com.
If you are interested in sponsoring catering for the event, please contact Justin at bitdevsnyc@gmail.com.
