Catton: A Rising Star in the TON Giants Series

Catton, a standout team in the TON Giants series, has captivated attention with its innovative blend of AI-powered gaming and decentralized finance (DeFi). By turning traditional gameplay into a rewarding experience and making blockchain more accessible, Catton has shown the potential to attract mainstream audiences to Web3 technologies.

The team made a significant impact at The Open League Summer 2024 Hackathon, where they showcased their focus on user growth and engagement. A key part of their success was simplifying the use of Web3 wallets, a strategy that earned them the prestigious KuCoin prize. In addition, Catton collaborated with notable partners like Wcoin, Bitget, Genesisweb3, TonGifts, and SecondLive, while tapping into the vibrant TON developer community. These efforts led to remarkable results: over 600,000 social media followers, 454,000 active players, and 192,000 on-chain transactions.

For those following the hackathon scene, Catton’s journey offers invaluable insights into building and scaling projects within the Web3 ecosystem. Here’s a closer look at how they achieved their success and what the future holds for their team.

The Team Behind Catton: A Blend of Experience and Innovation

Catton’s team is made up of 10 engineers who have been developing Web3 applications since 2020. Their portfolio includes a wide array of successful projects in the crypto industry, ranging from liquidity platforms to crypto exchanges, NFT GameFi projects, and decentralized perpetual exchanges (Perp DEXs). In addition to their Web3 expertise, the team is also part of one of Southeast Asia’s top game studios, which has amassed over 100 million users and approximately 1 million daily active users (DAU) since its founding in 2015. With a track record of publishing various games on platforms like Google Play and the Apple App Store, Catton’s team brings a wealth of experience to the table.

The Motivation Behind Catton’s Creation

What motivated Catton’s team to participate in the TON Summer Hackathon? According to the team, the potential for mass adoption of Telegram and TON was a driving force. With Telegram boasting nearly 1 billion users, the opportunity to transition this vast user base to TON was too significant to ignore. Catton was designed with this in mind, focusing on attracting users and getting them to engage with Web3 wallets and sign transactions, a strategy that paid off in terms of user growth and engagement.

Overcoming Challenges: From User Acquisition to Execution

One of the key challenges faced by Catton during the hackathon was attracting users. As with many new projects, standing out among the thousands of initiatives on the TON blockchain can be daunting. To overcome this, Catton utilized a combination of partner collaborations and cross-marketing campaigns to attract the initial wave of users. This grassroots approach helped them build momentum, allowing them to scale their user base progressively.

Leveraging the TON Ecosystem: Key Tools and Resources

The team credited several features of the TON blockchain that helped bring their vision to life. Chief among them was the strong developer support community. Engaging with other developers in the TON community, participating in hackathon groups, and attending TON Society events provided valuable insights into what the TON Foundation is seeking from projects. Additionally, the TON SDK documentation was instrumental in integrating the blockchain into their game and demonstrating how users could interact with it.

The Reward of Recognition and Support

For Catton, the most rewarding aspect of the Summer Hackathon was the support and exposure they gained. The team benefited greatly from their connection with TON Nest, participating in AMA sessions with TON Society, pitching to TON Ventures, and engaging with the broader TON Foundation, TON Accelerator, and TON Grants ecosystem. This recognition not only boosted their user visibility but also played a pivotal role in their fundraising efforts. In fact, Catton is now incubated by Forj, a subsidiary of Animoca Brands, a significant milestone for the team.

Advice for Future Hackathon Participants

For those looking to participate in future Hackers League Hackathons, Catton’s team has a few valuable pieces of advice. First, it’s essential to understand the needs of the TON ecosystem and focus on identifying areas where the blockchain is lacking. Engaging with TON Society events like AMAs and Spaces is also crucial for gaining insights and refining your product's direction.

Furthermore, Catton stresses the importance of building traction metrics early on, even when your project is still in the MVP stage. Demonstrating solid metrics, such as user growth and on-chain transactions, can be a significant advantage in proving that your model works and resonates with users.

Conclusion: A Bright Future Ahead

Catton’s journey through the TON Summer Hackathon highlights the potential for success when innovation meets strategy in the Web3 space. With their focus on user engagement, blockchain accessibility, and strong community ties, Catton is positioned for continued growth and success. For anyone looking to participate in future hackathons or build in the TON ecosystem, the team’s story serves as both an inspiration and a blueprint for success.