Gecko Sec and Y Combinator

Investing.com – Meet Gecko Sec, a team of "gigabrains" emerging from the EasyA hackathon circuit, heading to the Silicon Valley incubator Y Combinator.

Gecko Sec assists Web3 developers in coding securely, eliminating the hassle of ineffective tools or fleeting security tests. Their focus is on supporting projects on Polkadot, tackling one of Web3's largest challenges. The significance of security audits is highlighted by the millions spent monthly on these checks.

Founded in 2005, California-based Y Combinator is renowned for helping startups grow, with nine of its companies acquired by Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL) and seven by Facebook (NASDAQ:META).

Reflecting on their journey, Jeevan Juttla, a former Security Engineer at Binance, credited EasyA for their transition from hackathon participants to Y Combinator-backed founders.

Artemiy Malyshau stated: "What began at an EasyA hackathon has secured us backing from Y Combinator. Huge thanks to Phil and Dom for motivating us out of our comfort zone!"

EasyA has emerged as a launchpad for Web3 talent, claiming to have educated over 100,000 developers on the Polkadot ecosystem. During the EasyA x Polkadot hackathon in London, over 400 developers were selected, leading to the creation of 56 startups.

After the London event, EasyA hosted a second Polkadot hackathon at Harvard University. Over 300 developers launched 55 games utilizing NFTs on Unique Network’s parachain. The event had a $20,000 prize pool and featured a guest appearance by INDY500 racer Conor Daly.

EasyA’s alumni are reported to have founded startups valued at over $3 billion and have gained funding from leading venture capital firms. Cognition AI, founded by EasyA hackathon winner Walden Yan, reached a $2B valuation in April. Walden initially pitched his blockchain-based DALLE idea at an EasyA hackathon at Harvard in 2022.