ETH Sofia 2024 Hackathon recap: Building SafeHawk in 72 hours

October 17-19, 2024. Sofia Tech Park. Three days that proved you can ship real solutions when you focus on actual problems.

While most conferences are just fancy networking events with overpriced coffee, ETH Sofia 2024 was different. This wasn't another blockchain circle-jerk - it was where real builders gathered to push the boundaries of what's possible in Web3.

And goodmorning? We didn't just attend. We came to build.

Why ETH Sofia caught our attention

We were curious to see what ETH Sofia had to offer - this was the first edition of the event, so nobody knew what to expect. Would it lean technical or take a broader industry approach?

The agenda looked promising: zero-knowledge proofs, account abstraction, AI integration, Layer 2 scaling solutions, security best practices, and decentralized infrastructure. Not just buzzwords - the actual building blocks we work with daily.

But what really caught our attention was the hackathon component. Three days to collaborate with other developers and build something real. For a team that believes actions speak louder than slide decks, this was exactly what we came for.

The hackathon that reminded us why we build

Three days. One problem that needed solving. Petar, Tim, Simeon, Kaloyan, and Miro (a mate from Ambire’s gang) stepped up to the challenge - a Web3 development team who refuses to accept "good enough."

SafeHawk wasn't just a hackathon project - it was a reminder of why goodmorning exists. We don't build for the sake of building. We build because the current state of DeFi UX is frankly embarrassing, and someone needs to fix it.

The fact that we deployed on the Internet Computer while integrating iExec's Decentralized Confidential Computing tech shows what's possible when you stop making excuses and start shipping.

SafeHawk: DeFi safety that doesn't suck

Imagine you take a DeFi loan. You overcollateralize to play it safe. Weeks go by without checking your health factor. The market shifts, but you don't notice. One day, you wake up and suddenly realize something's off... You log in, panicked, and see your health factor dangerously low.

Sound familiar? Yeah, it happened to us too.

That's exactly why we built SafeHawk during the ETH Sofia 2024 hackathon - a safety module for DeFi loans that actually works the way humans do. Started as an idea to safeguard our own investments, it evolved into a solution designed to help others secure their DeFi positions.

What SafeHawk does (and why it matters)

SafeHawk monitors your open loan positions effortlessly through:

• Privacy-first weekly emails with your health factor, powered by iExec's Decentralized Confidential Computing tech for ultimate privacy
• Real-time monitoring via our web dashboard deployed on the Internet Computer, leveraging decentralized infrastructure for enhanced security and scalability
• Browser extension that displays your health factor in your bookmarks and sends push notifications when sudden drops happen

No more waking up in a cold sweat wondering if your position got liquidated. No more checking DeFiPulse obsessively. Just clean, private, reliable monitoring that keeps your assets safe.

Because honestly? If you're going to build DeFi infrastructure, it should work for people, not against them.

The conference that actually delivered

ETH Sofia wasn't your typical blockchain conference. The cypherpunk aesthetic was on point - neon lights, glitchy visuals, and an atmosphere that screamed "we're building the future, not just talking about it."

The speaker lineup was stacked with people who actually ship code:

• Lyn Alden delivered a livestreamed talk breaking down how digital assets fit into the broader financial system (spoiler: better than most people think)
• Binance's David Prinçay dropped alpha on regulatory navigation in Europe
• MANTRA's Nicholas Krapels talked RWAs and cross-chain liquidity

ETH Sofia had something worth mentioning: a dedicated Web3 marketing panel. This conference managed to acknowledge that building great tech means nothing if nobody knows about it.

Frequently asked questions

What is SafeHawk?

SafeHawk is a privacy-first DeFi loan monitoring tool that tracks your health factor and sends alerts via email, browser notifications, and a real-time dashboard to prevent liquidations. Built during the ETH Sofia 2024 hackathon, it helps DeFi users avoid the nightmare of waking up to liquidated positions.

How does SafeHawk protect my privacy?

SafeHawk uses iExec's Decentralized Confidential Computing (DeCC) technology, ensuring your wallet data and loan positions are processed off-chain without exposing sensitive information to centralized servers. Your financial data stays private - no centralized database, no data leaks, no surveillance.

What DeFi protocols does SafeHawk support?

SafeHawk currently monitors loan positions on major DeFi lending protocols including Aave, Compound, and MakerDAO across Ethereum mainnet. We're expanding support to additional protocols and Layer 2 networks based on community feedback.

How long did it take to build SafeHawk?

The goodmorning team built SafeHawk's MVP in 72 hours during the ETH Sofia 2024 hackathon, including privacy layer integration with iExec, email notifications, web dashboard deployment on Internet Computer, and a fully functional browser extension. That's the power of focused execution and deep Web3 expertise.

Is SafeHawk open source?

Yes, SafeHawk is open source. You can view the code, contribute improvements, and fork it for your own projects on our DoraHacks project page. We believe in transparent, community-driven development.

What was the biggest challenge building SafeHawk at ETH Sofia 2024?

Integrating iExec's Decentralized Confidential Computing while maintaining real-time monitoring capabilities and deploying on the Internet Computer - all within the 72-hour hackathon timeframe. The technical complexity of combining privacy-preserving computation with instant notifications required careful architecture decisions and zero room for scope creep.

Can I use SafeHawk for my DeFi positions right now?

SafeHawk is currently in beta. You can test it with your DeFi positions, but we recommend using it alongside your existing monitoring tools until we complete full security audits and expand protocol support.

How much does SafeHawk cost?

SafeHawk is free to use. You only pay standard gas fees for on-chain transactions. No subscriptions, no hidden fees, no data monetization. We built it to solve a real problem, not to extract rent from DeFi users.

Ready for the next challenge

Building SafeHawk reminded us what goodmorning brings to every project: the dedication to solve real problems and the technical expertise to build Web3 solutions from scratch that actually work. Whether you need a complete Web3 application, smart contract architecture, or a Web3 technical co-founder who can bridge the gap between your vision and reality, we're ready for whatever challenge comes next. Got a Web3 idea that needs building? Let's talk.