Hackathons are high-octane events that challenge teams to provide solutions using technology
More than 200 hackers from 19 countries converged on Switzerland at the weekend to take part in the Swiss Blockchain Hackathon. Participants were challenged to come up with blockchain innovations in a variety of sectors as diverse as finance, logistics and agriculture.
Switzerland has hosted numerous hackathons over the past few years, designed to stimulate digital entrepreneurship using cutting-edge technologies. Several events have already spun off start-up companies while others have focused on the non-profit sector, tackling humanitarian projects.
Hackathons attract a wide variety of participants from computer programmers

Crypto Valley has attracted business delegations from many countries, such as South Korea, who watch a presentation on blockchain companies.
The number of blockchain companies in Switzerland grew 20% to reach 750 in the last three months of 2018. But the market capitalisation of such firms, measured by the dollar exchange rate of tokens in circulation, more than halved as crypto-assets nose-dived in value.
The uptick in company registrations in the blockchain industry bucked the trend of slightly fewer start-ups setting up shop across all sectors in Switzerland last year.
Switzerland has built a reputation as a global hub for the blockchain industry. Much activity is based around the Crypto Valley of canton Zug and

Pegging cryptocurrencies to traditional currencies is seen by some to be the answer to price volatility.
Cryptoasset trading platform Smart Valor plans to launch a new cryptocurrency pegged to the Swiss franc. The CHFt coin will join a growing list of so-called ‘stable coins’ designed to dampen the huge price swings of cryptocurrencies, such as bitcoin, which limits their everyday use.
Smart Valor said on Monday that it is in talks with Swiss banks and cryptocurrency exchanges to issue CHFt. Having a network of financial institutions pumping out a supply of the coins will provide insurance in case one of them shuts down, the Zug-based firm said.
The company’s platform allows people to trade a wide range of financial