Tracks
Status: Planned (programme)
Season 1 of Humanathon runs 3 core tracks, Builders, Artists and Independents, and opens more only when a partner funds them. One rule applies to every track: its income must be something the oracle can attest. No attestable income, no track.
A programme, not software
Humanathon is a programme that Merces runs, with rules and events. It is not part of the Merces software, and entering never obliges anyone to raise. Programme rules marked as planned may change before the season opens.
The core tracks
| Track | Who | What is measured |
|---|---|---|
| Builders | Developers, designers, protocol engineers | Shipped releases and deploys, plus paid work from independent counterparties: bounties, grants, contracts, revenue shares |
| Artists | Visual artists, musicians, writers, filmmakers | Sales and commissions from independent buyers, on-chain primary sales and platform payouts, plus the body of work promised in the mandate |
| Independents | Freelancers, consultants, creators with clients | Verified client revenue, and delivery against the mandate |
The landing page puts each track in a sentence. Builders: ship software people use and pay for, scored on releases, deploys and paid work from real clients, bounties and grants. Artists: make work that sells, scored on verified sales, commissions and royalties, and on the work itself, judged by working artists. Independents: scored on verified client revenue and on delivering what you promised.
Partner tracks
A partner track opens when a partner funds its prize pool and provides 1 jury seat. The landing page lists the kinds that may open: operators, researchers and ecosystem challenges. Each carries its own prize pool. The season plan names four candidates, and none opens without a partner:
| Track | Who | What would be measured | Opens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operators | People running a book, vault or strategy | Profit and loss, drawdown, rule-breaks | With a partner, after counsel clears managing others' capital |
| Researchers | Analysts, protocol researchers | Paid research engagements, plus falsifiable notes with a replication package | With a partner |
| Growth | Community, marketing, business development | Paid engagements, plus measured conversions on one surface | With a partner |
| Partner-defined | Whatever a partner wants to back | Must pass the attestable-income rule | With a partner |
For partners explains the Track Sponsor tier.
The attestable-income rule
Every score input is something the ProofOfIncome oracle must attest: one human per identity, income events, and counterparty independence. A track whose income the oracle cannot attest does not open. This is also why the core tracks are the core tracks: their income can be attested today.
How tracks compare
Scores are percentiles within each track, so tracks compare fairly. Fellows are the top 5 overall, with at least 1 from each core track. The Artists jury includes working artists.
Choosing a track
The mandate you file to qualify names your track. The waitlist form on the Humanathon (not live yet) page offers Builders, Artists, Independents and Other.
What can go wrong
- A partner track that no partner funds does not open. Only the three core tracks are certain for Season 1.
- The Operators track also waits on counsel clearing managing other people's capital.
- Income the oracle cannot attest earns no points, whatever the track. Fair play lists what is excluded.
- Prize pools for partner tracks depend on the partner. No amount is published.