Seoul, South Korea, January 14th, 2026, Chainwire
Selective global builder program spotlights next-generation AI and DeFi protocol projects
During the demo day, first-, second-, and third-place teams were selected across two tracks. Key partners including SMBC Nikko Securities and Bitkub, along with contributors from various Web3 projects, participated to support participating teams in refining their technology and business strategies.
Protocol Camp is an intensive, small-cohort program that selects approximately 20 participants from around the world. Participants receive advanced education and mentorship across Web3 protocols and infrastructure, working in teams to develop projects that are ultimately presented at the final demo day.
For the final showcase, teams applied to either a Web3 General Track or the SMBC Nikko Track (DeFi & AI), with one winning team selected from each track.
The winner of the Web3 General Track, GenRank, addressed the growing challenge faced by enterprises and brands in understanding how they are perceived and surfaced within generative AI environments. The team developed the “GenRank – Gen AI Context Scoreboard,” an open scoreboard that visualizes how brands and companies are referenced and interpreted across generative AI search and response systems.
The project was recognized for clearly defining a new problem space—brand visibility in generative AI contexts—and for designing data-driven metrics that enable measurable comparison. Judges highlighted the team’s strong problem definition, differentiated product vision, and scalable market potential.
The winner of the SMBC Nikko Track was Daiko, which focused on the difficulty individual investors face in making informed trading decisions amid complex on-chain data and rapidly changing market conditions. Daiko introduced an AI-powered trading application concept, the “Vibe Trading App,” where AI agents deliver personalized trading signals based on a user’s portfolio composition and risk profile. Users can receive alerts related to memecoins, technical analysis, and macro events based on predefined conditions, enabling a more intuitive and proactive trading experience.
Projects were evaluated based on a comprehensive set of criteria, including depth of problem insight, solution differentiation and product completeness, market potential and scalability, early traction and validation signals, team execution capability, and pitch quality from an investor’s perspective.
“Protocol Camp is not simply about acquiring technical skills within a limited timeframe,” said Simon Seojoon Kim, CEO of Hashed. “It is designed to help builders grow by defining real problems and seeing them through to the end. This camp reaffirmed that strong protocols are not built by code alone—they come to life through peers, communities, and people who think through problems together.”
Hojin Kim, CEO of ShardLab, said, “The external recognition earned by teams in the camp demonstrates that the capabilities built throughout the program can remain competitive on broader stages. Going forward, Protocol Camp will further strengthen its specialized education and founder incubation focused on AI and vibe coding, with the goal of creating tangible market value.”
About Hashed
Hashed, established in 2017, is a web3 venture capital that focuses on investment and research in global startups and decentralized protocols. Hashed team operates offices in Seoul, San Francisco, Singapore, Bangalore, and Abu Dhabi. Hashed has been the earliest supporter of many pioneering blockchain teams globally. Hashed supports its portfolio companies as a ‘second team,’ helping web3 founders build global mass adoption.
About ShardLab
ShardLab is the innovation arm of Hashed, a leading global Web3 venture capital firm based in Asia. Under the strategic partnership between Hashed and SCBX (the mothership of Thailand's leading financial technology group and the parent company of Siam Commercial Bank), ShardLab is having various innovative activities, such as Web3 R&D, venture building, and ecosystem building. The firm’s vision extends to fostering mass adoption of Web3 in Southeast Asia, making technology accessible, and empowering communities in this dynamic digital frontier.
Community LeadWooster HanHashed
