Writing a Blockchain Whitepaper
The whitepaper entries for the 2019 International Blockchain Olympiad shall be evaluated based on the following criteria:
Problem
- Significance: how important is it to solve this problem
- Merit: what compelling reasons are there to solve this problem
- Market: how big is the problem and is it worth solving
Solution
- Realistic: how feasible is the solution and why blockchain is used
- Value Proposition: how the solution generates value to stakeholders
- Competitors: how other solutions address the problem
Business
- Partners: who must you work with for your system to go live
- Differentiators: how the system is different and better than competitors
- Revenue model: how the system will be financially sustainable
Legal
- Privacy: how the system handles privacy, especially personal data
- Compliance: how the system handles legal and regulatory compliance
- Identity: how does the system handles identity and access control
Tech
- Blockchain: justification of using selected networks or infrastructure
- Cryptography: justification of using selected cryptographic features
- Legitimacy: how does the system derive and maintain legitimacy
Execution
- Distribution: how to go-to-market and get users using the system
- Governance: how are problems and unknown unknowns addressed
- Risks: what the weaknesses and threats are and how to address them
Bonus
- Financials: projections of profits and cash flow over three years
- Next Steps: what is needed to proceed if implemented in real life
It is strongly advised that chapters be structured to best tell the story of the project, hence the open-ended nature of the whitepaper challenge, rather than forcing conformity to any “template” structure.
Additionally, these aspects will not factor into evaluation:
- Page length: no minimum, no maximum.
Recommendation: shorter is better. - Language: nothing fancy. This is not a novel or play or poem!
Recommendation: simple language and concise sentences - Graphics: diagrams, tables, graphs are not necessary unless…
Recommendation: use only if it enhances the explanation of your project - Formatting: as long as it is readable, it does not have to be pretty!
Recommendation: use default formatting from MS Word or Google Docs - Citations: this is not an academic paper. Any standard is good!
Recommendation: use footnotes or whatever you’re comfortable with, but facts need to be backed by some sources, otherwise it’s just #fakenews - Team: no one expects students to be experts!
Recommendation: be candid and transparent about your experiences - Grades: no one cares if you’re a star student or a failure in school!
Recommendation: transcripts are for verification of student credentials only, you may choose to redact the grades if you wish.
Please submit through ibcol.org/registration or if there are submission issues, please send your paper to wp@ibcol.org along with the names of your team, your affiliated academic institution(s), and advisors if applicable (credential verification can be done retroactively with the Student Relations Team). Please reference a submission number if applicable.
Other enquiries may be addressed to the Project Management Office of the International Blockchain Olympiad Organizing Committee: pmo@ibcol.org
Best of luck!