What would you build with a fresh set of tools for the EVM?

The Fe Builders Challenge runs from November 3 to November 24: three weeks to explore Fe, build something worth sharing, and compete for $5,000 in prizes. Bring a protocol you want to rethink, a library you wish existed, a cryptographic idea, or a game you have been meaning to make.

Fe brings expressive types, generics, traits, and compile-time execution to EVM development. Fe 26.5, our biggest release so far, adds a simpler borrowing model, closures, typed ETH amounts, Solidity-compatible storage, and a much larger standard library. The release binaries can now also build native programs. This challenge is an invitation to put those capabilities to work: build something useful, test an ambitious idea, or show a clearer way to solve a familiar problem.

The contest is fully online, open to individuals and teams, and welcomes first-time Fe developers. You have until November 24 to finish your project. Register it by November 17 so we can check the details and reach you before the final deadline.

Dates at a glance

$5,000 in prizes

The Argot Collective is funding a $5,000 prize pool, awarded to the top three projects:

All eligible projects compete in the same pool, and all three prizes will be awarded. Prizes are paid in USDC on Ethereum Mainnet to one payout address per winning project; teams split their prize internally.

What can you build?

Build something whose core technical contribution is written in Fe. Frontends, scripts, agents, benchmarks, and other supporting components can use any language. Projects can target the EVM or native code: since Fe 26.5, the release binaries build native executables, so a developer tool written in Fe is just as welcome as a smart contract.

Here are a few directions to get you thinking. They are inspiration, not separate tracks, and you do not have to pick one.

Rethink a protocol

Revisit an auction, exchange, governance mechanism, or another onchain system. Can Fe make its implementation easier to understand, its assumptions more explicit, or its code more reusable? Can you improve its runtime or gas usage?

Explain what changed and demonstrate the benefit with tests, benchmarks, code comparisons, or a clear technical argument. A thoughtful redesign can be just as interesting as a new mechanism.

Build mathematical and cryptographic tools

Explore advanced arithmetic, proof verification, or reusable cryptographic building blocks. Use types and abstractions to make complex code easier to reason about. Make your assumptions explicit and include test vectors and known limitations.

Give the next Fe developer a head start

Build a library, a standard-library addition, or a developer tool with a meaningful Fe component. A focused, well-tested library with a clear API can be a strong submission. Standard-library work does not need to be merged upstream before the deadline. Pure compiler contributions are outside this contest's scope.

Surprise us

Games, art, agents, social applications, and unusual experiments are welcome. If you have an idea that does not fit the examples above, we want to see it. Show us what Fe lets you express and why the result is interesting.

How to take part

1. Start building on November 3

The build window opens on November 3, 2026, at 00:00 UTC. You do not need to register before you begin, and you can explore Fe before the window opens. Start with the Fe documentation and the first-contract guide.

Contest toolchain: Any Fe release from 26.5.0 on. Install it with feup as described in the installation guide, and state the exact version you used in your submission so the judges can reproduce your work.

Starter repository: The builders-challenge-starter contains a small, tested Fe project, a CI workflow, the submission checklist, and a template for your final README. Clone it to get going in minutes.

Existing projects may enter, but only substantial work completed during the contest window will be judged. Clearly identify your starting point and what you added or changed.

2. Register your project by November 17

Register by November 17, 2026, at 23:59 UTC. We ask for a project name, a one-sentence idea, team members, and one responsible human contact we can reach. Include a repository link if you already have one; a finished project is not required.

Registration helps us resolve missing information before the final week. Your idea can evolve as you build. Your confirmation will explain how to update your details and make your final submission.

Register your project

3. Submit your finished project by November 24

Final submissions close on November 24, 2026, at 23:59 UTC. Submit a public GitHub repository and identify the exact commit the jury should review.

Include:

• An OSI-approved open-source license.
• Your project manifest, exact Fe version, and reproducible build and test instructions.
• Automated tests appropriate to the project.
• A README explaining the problem, your approach, how the code fits together, and any limitations.
• A one-sentence pitch and one Fe-specific technical highlight or code example.
• A short demonstration: a video, screenshots, or a reproducible CLI example, as appropriate for your project.
• A declaration of pre-existing work, reused third-party code, and AI assistance.

Mainnet deployment is not required and does not give a scoring advantage. A testnet deployment is sufficient where a deployment helps demonstrate the project.

Submit your project

Use the personalized submission link in your registration email to prefill your project ID, private submission code, and contact email. If you use the link above, enter those details yourself. Keep your submission code private. You can submit again before the deadline; your latest valid submission counts.

Full rules: The contest page covers eligibility, deadlines, judging, and prize payment.

AI assistance is welcome

You can build solo, with teammates, or with AI agents. AI use is permitted and is not scored negatively. Briefly describe how you used it, and make sure you understand and can explain the resulting code. The jury may ask technical questions about your submission.

We judge the project, regardless of the number of people or agents involved. Each submission needs one responsible human contact for communication and prize payment.

Meet the jury

Eight judges will review the projects:

• Austin Griffith, BuidlGuidl, builder and educator
• Ahmed Castro, Filosofía Código, developer and educator
• Marius van der Wijden, Ethereum Foundation, core developer
• Philogy, security researcher and creator of Plank
• Rahul Kothari, Ethereum Foundation, dev tooling lead
• jistro, EVVM, smart contract developer
• Grant Wuerker, Argot Collective, Fe core developer
• Micah Scopes, Argot Collective, Fe core developer

You can read more about each judge on the contest page.

How projects will be judged

The jury will assess each project using the same public rubric:

The evidence should fit the project: a cryptographic library needs test vectors; a claim about gas efficiency needs benchmarks; a developer tool needs a clear workflow. Explain what your project demonstrates and give the jury a way to verify it.

After eligibility checks, judges will review submissions independently. The jury will then review a shortlist and select the three winners. Judges will declare conflicts of interest and recuse themselves where necessary.

Judging takes place online over one week. We aim to announce the winners on December 1 on this blog and on X. The jury's decisions are final, and individual feedback is not guaranteed. There is no public-vote component; social reach does not affect your score.

Get help as you build

Join us on Fe Zulip to ask questions, discuss ideas, and share progress. You do not need previous Fe experience to take part.

Contest discussion: Ask questions in the office-hours channel on Fe Zulip. If something blocks your entry, email hello@fe-lang.org.

Pick an idea, explore what Fe can do, and make something you want other developers to try. Three weeks. $5,000 in prizes. Show us what you can build.