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If you’re reading this, chances are you're already building or tinkering with your app. So, why not snag some prizes while you're at it? South Africa's been on a proper winning streak lately, hey? Our Boks are world champs, the Proteas bagged the ICC World Test Championship and Dricus brought home UFC gold. All that's missing now is someone to put Mzansi on the map for app development. And that’s where your app comes in…
So, What Exactly is Shipaton Hackathon?
We just heard about Shipaton through our awesome partners at OneSignal, and we knew we wanted to share the love. It is an annual global hackathon run by our friends at RevenueCat, with OneSignal as a headline sponsor. It's designed to give developers that final push to build and launch a brand-new app. Think of it as a supportive challenge to get your awesome idea out there, compete for some incredible prizes, and connect with a global community. It's all about shipping amazing apps and seeing them grow.
At YOUKNOW, we're all about helping product teams and app builders grow their apps properly. That's why we're seriously keen on Shipaton 2025. If you're in the app space, this is definitely one to watch. You know how it goes: you've got a banging app idea, but then the real mission starts, getting it out there, finding your audience, and keeping them hooked. Shipaton’s designed to help you smash those hurdles, with solid support and some proper prizes on the line.
What's the Challenge?
This global hackathon is for developers building the next generation of mobile apps. It's your opportunity to create a new app for the App Store or Google Play.
- Build a brand-new app on the App Store or Google Play.
- Use the RevenueCat SDK to handle subscriptions or in-app purchases (Afterall, a good revenue model is key for sustainable growth).
- Integrate OneSignal to engage, retain, and connect with your users. Effective messaging is crucial for lasting user engagement, and OneSignal provides the tools to connect with your audience.
Need help with OneSignal integration? Chat to us :)
You can win HOW MUCH?
Wanna be as big as Apple in the Big Apple? We're talking over $355,000 in prizes. Yes, dollars. This includes a $65,000 (Over R1,1 mil) grand prize and, notably, a Times Square billboard feature for the 1st place winner.
OneSignal Boost Award: Master Messaging, Win More
We're particularly thrilled about the OneSignal Boost Award. Our partner OneSignal is offering over $50,000 in additional prizes to apps that use messaging most effectively and creatively.
Why are we so into OneSignal? They’re our partners and their platform solves omnichannel messaging headaches. No need to jump between a bunch of different tools just to talk to your users. It just makes building those slick, automated customer journeys so much easier, and it helps your app look good and keep your users happy.
Whether you’re keen on push notifications, a slick omni-channel strategy, or crafting clever user journeys with OneSignal Journeys, this is your chance to show off some seriously powerful messaging. NB: Just make sure OneSignal is integrated before you submit, so you qualify.
Need Help? Join Office Hours
Sometimes you need a quick answer or some guidance. The Shipaton support team is hosting two open Q&A sessions to assist with setup, strategy, and any competition-related questions:
- Session 1: Wednesday, August 13th at 3:00 AM SAST
- Session 2: Wednesday, September 3rd at 5:30 PM SAST
Important Dates
Submissions open on August 1st, 2025, and are due by September 30th, 2025. This is a significant opportunity for app builders, product managers, and SaaS brands to innovate, gain visibility, and potentially win substantial awards.
Ready to take your app idea further?
- Register now to receive all Shipaton updates, resources, and perks.
- Find more details on the official website: Shipaton Official Website
- Check out the full details and register your team: RevenueCat Shipaton 2025 Devpost
We're looking forward to seeing what you build.
