All builders are added to the project's Telegram channel, shared with the community of backers. Post your updates there. The people backing the project want to give you feedback. They are motivated to see you succeed. Use that.
The more visible you are, the better your chances. Builders who communicate regularly, interact with investors and jury members, ask questions, and actively seek feedback stand out. The jury is not just evaluating your code or your growth numbers. They are evaluating whether they want you to lead this project. Engagement, responsiveness, and the ability to take feedback are signals that matter. Show up, be present, and build in public.
USDG integration is optional but recommended. If your product involves payments or transactions, the Spark team can help you integrate USDG (Global Dollar, a yield-bearing stablecoin by Paxos). This is not a requirement.
Each project has a dedicated X account created by Spark before the hackathon starts. (Details on how builders interact with this account during the hackathon are being finalized.)
Your participation is tracked publicly. Your builder profile shows your hackathon history: which hackathons you entered, your ranking in each, and what you shipped. This is your track record as a builder across all Spark hackathons. Even without winning, strong execution builds your reputation for future hackathons.