Frequently Asked Questions
About the Zama Developer Program
General Information
What is the Zama Developer Program?
A monthly program that rewards developers to build confidential dApps using the Zama Protocol.
Zama Developer Program includes two main tracks:
Builder Track – Monthly program for developers building dApps with FHEVM.
Bounty Track – Monthly program for developers tackling specific technical challenges.
Who is it for?
Developers and engineers with the knowledge to build dApps on the blockchain.
Is the program currently live?
Yes – in BETA. We're testing and iterating based on feedback to improve the experience and reward structure.
What are the rewards?
A share of the monthly reward pool
Exclusive collaboration opportunities
Startup support and mentorship
Access to VC and funding networks
Early access to Zama technologies and updates
Social media features and promotional support
Exclusive Discord roles and channels
Where can I join the program?
Join here: https://guild.xyz/zama/developer-program
Explore previous winners' projects: https://www.zama.ai/programs/developer-program
Getting Started
How does it work?
Join via Guild.xyz and connect your wallet & GitHub
Verify your Github account on Guild to access to tech support channels on Discord
Submit a confidential dApp or bounty project to qualify as a Contributor
Zama team reviews monthly submissions
Earn rewards if selected among the monthly Top 5 builders or Top 3 bounty submissions.
What's the monthly timeline and process?
Program Opens – 1st day of the month: New season begins
Creation Period – 1st day to the last day of the month: Build your dApp demo
Submission Deadline – Last day of the month @ 23:59 AOE: Snapshot taken for the review and ranking
Review period: Zama reviews submissions, validates levels, and selects winners
Winner announcement : Winners announced in Discord #developer-program channel during the following month
Requirements
What are the tasks and roles
Developer Program - Access : Verify your GitHub account on Guild
Developer Program - Contributor: Submit valid solutions to the Developer Program
Developer Program - Winner: Be selected as top monthly winners
What counts as a valid submission?
For the Builder Track:
A functioning dApp demo using the Zama Protocol
Includes both smart contract + frontend (demo video optional but recommended)
Clear documentation explaining the project
For the Bounty Track:
Follow the specific requirements listed in the bounty announcements on zama.ai/programs/developer-program
What are the judging criteria?
Every submission will be evaluated based on the following aspects:
Baseline Requirements (50%)
Original tech architecture with solidity contracts – 35%: Unique logic, meaningful use of FHE, not just boilerplate.
Working demo deployment – 15%: Live, functional deployment that demonstrates the project in action.
(If either is missing, the project is not considered valid.)
Quality & Completeness (30%)
Testing – 10%: Unit/integration tests showing reliability and correctness.
UI/UX design – 10%: Intuitive, polished, and user-friendly interface.
Presentation video – 10%: Clear walkthrough of the idea, flow, and usage.
Differentiators (20%)
Development effort – 10%: Depth of technical work, completeness of the solution.
Business potential – 10%: Possibility to evolve into a sustainable product, attract users/partners.
Can I submit multiple projects?
There's no restriction on the number of submissions, but only your best submission will be considered for the reward each month. We strongly encourage you to focus on one project per cohort, as rewards are based on the overall quality of a project.
Can I participate more than once?
Yes. You can submit a new project every month and compete again, even if you’ve won before.
Can I submit the same project again if not won?
Yes. We encourage you to refine your work based on the judging criteria and submit again in the following month.
Rewards & Rankings
Who gets the rewards?
Each month, up to 8 top projects are selected as Developer Program Winners:
Top 5 projects of the Builder track
Top 3 projects of the Bounty track
How are winners selected?
Valid submissions are evaluated based on these criteria:
Technical execution: Correct, secure use of FHEVM and Solidity best practices.
Completeness: End-to-end workflow from smart contract to front end.
Innovation: Originality and potential impact of the project.
Usability & Clarity: Clear documentation, clean user interface, and easy-to-follow testing instructions.
Presentation (Optional): A clear demo video or walkthrough that explains the project.
How much can I earn?
During the BETA phase, the monthly reward pool may change according to the quality of the contributions. The reward amount of each month will be announced alongside the final leaderboard here.
How do I claim my reward?
All rewards accumulate until TGE and you can claim accumulated rewards afterward.
Note that your Guild connection is required to track and attribute rewards. Please make sure you’ve connected the following in Guild:
Wallet
Email address
GitHub account
Once everything is connected, follow Zama on social media and Discord to stay updated on reward announcements.
Support & Community
Why is the Guild not verifying my commits?
If you’re a legitimate developer and have trouble meeting all the Guild requirements, please send an email to marketing[at]zama.ai with the following information:
GitHub username
Email connected to Guild
Discord user name
your personal information, such as CV, past projects, demo, etc. that could help us to verify your profile.
What is the Developer Program Fast Track?
The Developer Program Fast Track is an exclusive tier designed for professional teams who have already built or are currently building functional applications using the Zama Protocol. To join or learn more, please contact marketing[at]zama.ai.
Where can I get help?
Discord: Go to #creator-program channel to ask questions or give feedbacks
Guild.xyz: Check your role status and requirements
Can I collaborate with other creators?
Yes! Community collaboration is encouraged. Just ensure each creator's individual contributions meet the program requirements.
Terms and conditions
Zama reserves all rights to determine submission eligibility
Zama has final say on winner selection and reward distribution
Program rules, requirements, and rewards may change during BETA
Violations (spam, plagiarism, fake engagement) result in disqualification
Note: This program is in BETA - terms are subject to change based on participant feedback.
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