The Problem: The Internet's Missing Link For over 30 years, the HTTP 402 "Payment Required" status code has sat unused, reserved for a future digital payment system that never arrived—until now. Today, AI Agents are the new power users of the web. They can browse, analyze, and create, but they hit a hard wall whenever they encounter a paid service or premium API. Current payment rails (credit cards, captchas) are designed for humans, breaking the autonomy of AI agents and forcing manual intervention. The Solution: Arc-Pulse Arc-Pulse is the missing financial infrastructure for the Agentic Economy. It is an autonomous payment gateway that enables AI agents to recognize, negotiate, and settle HTTP 402 requests instantly. We haven't just built a wallet; we have built a protocol for machine-to-machine commerce. How It Works When an Arc-Pulse enabled agent encounters an API returning 402 Payment Required, it doesn't crash. Instead, it triggers a negotiation flow: Analysis: Google Gemini evaluates the payment request (metadata, price, and utility) to decide if the data is worth the cost. Execution: If approved, the agent utilizes Circle’s Programmable Wallets to sign and broadcast a transaction. Settlement: The payment is settled in USDC on the Arc Blockchain, providing sub-second verification that unlocks the requested data instantly. Safety First: Budget-Bound Autonomy The biggest objection to Agentic Commerce is safety: "What if the AI drains my funds?" Arc-Pulse solves this with a "Budget-Bound" architecture. We implement hard-capped daily spend limits and policy enforcement at the wallet level. This allows agents to operate with full autonomy within safe, pre-defined financial guardrails. Why It Matters Arc-Pulse transforms the web from a read-only library for AI into a frictionless marketplace. By reviving HTTP 402, we are enabling a future where agents don't just ask for information—they can value it and pay for it, autonomously.

Qubic Sentinel Qubic Sentinel is the bridge between Chain and Chat. It is an automated "Proof-of-Skin-in-the-Game" system that listens to the Qubic blockchain in real-time and instantly updates a user's Discord status based on their actual holdings. How It Works Seamless Authentication: Users log in via a custom-built, Cyberpunk-themed Next.js dashboard that links their Discord identity to their Qubic wallet. Real-Time Listening: We utilize EasyConnect Webhooks to monitor specific smart contract procedures (like AddBidOrder or token transfers). Instant Reward: Our Node.js backend processes the webhook payload and automatically assigns gamified loyalty tiers in Discord: 🟦 Explorer: Entry-level verification. 🟪 Citizen: Active participant. 🟨 Sentinel: Elite status (Whale/High-value holder). Key Features Zero-Latency Updates: Roles are updated within seconds of a transaction confirming on-chain. Security First: Uses Discord OAuth and generic backend architecture to protect user data. Visual Dashboard: A high-fidelity React frontend that provides users with a premium "Command Center" experience. Tech Stack Blockchain Integration: Qubic EasyConnect SDK & Webhooks Backend: Node.js, Express (Deployed on Render) Frontend: Next.js, Tailwind CSS, Framer Motion Platform: Discord API

⏱️ 15 days to design and ship a working Web3 product or agent. 📅 February 4 to 19, 2026 • Feb 4 – Hackathon opens. Teams can start building and submitting. • Feb 5 to 19 – Build, test, and iterate • Feb 19 – Final submissions due 🚨 Important eligibility reminder To be eligible for prizes, teams must post their submission video on X and tag @lablabai and @Surgexyz_. 🤝 Build solo or with a team. 💰 $50,000 prize pool in $SURGE Token. ⚠️ Self-service hackathon This is a fully self-service hackathon. There are no live streams, kickoff sessions, or scheduled workshops. Participants can register, build, and submit at any time before the submission deadline.

Join our $1,000,000+ startup challenge series powered by Surge ⏱️ 8 days to turn your idea, or existing product, into an investable demo. 📅 February 6 - 15, 2026 • Feb 6 - 14 (Online Phase) - Collaborate and build online with developers and AI innovators from around the world. All projects must be submitted by the end of the online phase on February 14th. 🕙 Doors open at 10:00 AM, first come, first served. • Feb 14 (On‑site Build Day) - Selected participants will be invited to an exclusive in‑person session to refine their projects and connect directly with mentors. • Feb 15 (On‑site Demos & Awards) - Live pitching sessions to a panel of judges and ecosystem partners, followed by the official winner announcement. 🌟 Get feedback from startup mentors and technical experts. 📍 On-site Venue (Feb 14–15): MindsDB SF AI Collective 3154 17th St, San Francisco, California, USA 📲 Real-time on-site updates (SF) For real-time announcements and information during the on-site portion (Feb 14–15), join the LabLab SF Chapter WhatsApp group: 👉 Join the WhatsApp group 🤝 Join solo or with a team. New founders and existing startups are welcome. 🏆 $1,000,000+ in credits, token prizes, perks and funding opportunity. 📍 On-site participation is by invitation only. Travel and accommodation expenses will not be covered. 🧑‍💻 Apply now to build, validate, and pitch with purpose.

In this hybrid hackathon powered by Arc, developers will build the next generation of agentic commerce systems using Arc with USDC. Explore a world where AI agents and web services can pay for APIs, data, compute, and content in dynamic, usage-based ways, while Arc provides stablecoin-native settlement with predictable USDC fees and deterministic, sub-second finality. This hackathon is supported by Google & Google DeepMind, with a dedicated challenge and $40,000 in Google Cloud Platform (GCP) credits awarded for the best use of Gemini models and Google AI Studio. 📅 January 9 – 24, 2026 • Jan 9 – 23 (Online Phase) – Collaborate and build online with developers and AI innovators from around the world. All projects must be submitted by the end of the online phase on January 23rd. • Jan 23 (On‑site Build Day – San Francisco, CA) – Selected participants will be invited to an exclusive in‑person session to refine their projects and connect directly with mentors. • Jan 24 (On‑site Demos & Awards – San Francisco, CA) – Live pitching sessions to a panel of judges and ecosystem partners, followed by the official winner announcement. Get guidance from Arc and Circle experts through on-site support. 📍 On-site Venue (Jan 23–24): MindsDB SF AI Collective 3154 17th St, San Francisco, California, USA 🤝 Go solo or team up, it's your flow. 🏆Compete for $50,000 in USDC & GCP Credits. 📍 On-site participation is by invitation only. Travel and accommodation expenses will not be covered. 🧑🏻‍💻 Secure your spot now - sign up before the Kick-Off Stream!

⏱️ You’ve got 48 hours - create, build, and launch! 🌟 Get direct access to Qubic, mentors, and ecosystem support. 💰 Compete for your share of $44,550 in prizes across two tracks. 🤝 Work solo or team up to design the next wave of blockchain innovation. 🧑‍💻 Sign up and start building on one of the world’s fastest decentralized networks..