AirSpace: Unlocking the Future of Air Rights with Rootstock

Hi, I’m Carol, Developer Program Manager at Rootstock! One of my favorite parts of working with developers is seeing how they turn bold ideas into real projects during hackathons. Every event is a reminder of how creativity, technical skills, and tight deadlines can bring out some of the most innovative solutions in Web3.

Today, I want to share the story of AirSpace, a project that took first place in the Rootstock track at the Encode Hackathon during ETHDenver 2025.

AirSpace was developed by Atharva Lade (LinkedIn), a student at Texas Tech University who participated solo in the competition. His project introduces a fascinating concept — a decentralized marketplace for air rights, a legal but often-overlooked asset class in real estate. We talked about his experience, why he chose Rootstock, and his advice for future hackathon participants. Here’s his story!

Introducing AirSpace: A Marketplace for Air Rights

AirSpace is a groundbreaking project that enables property owners to buy, sell, and lease air rights over their properties using blockchain technology. In the U.S., air rights are legally recognized, allowing property owners to control the space above their land. Atharva's project aims to unlock this underutilized asset class, providing property owners with new monetization opportunities and buyers with a way to protect their investments.

“Imagine you own a house with a stunning beach view,” Atharva explains. “One day, someone builds a tall building in front of your property, blocking your view. With AirSpace, you could have preemptively purchased the air rights of the property in front of you, ensuring no one could build there.”

By tokenizing air rights as NFTs, AirSpace allows for transparent, verifiable ownership and transactions. Buyers can secure their views, while sellers can generate revenue from unused space. This innovative use of blockchain technology redefines property transactions, bringing efficiency and security to an often-overlooked market.

Watch the video submission here.

Why Rootstock?

Atharva chose Rootstock as the foundation for AirSpace due to its unique combination of Bitcoin security and Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) compatibility. As someone relatively new to Web3 development, he was looking for a platform that allowed him to leverage his existing Solidity knowledge while benefiting from Bitcoin’s robust security model.

“Rootstock was the perfect choice because it allowed me to use Solidity and the EVM while also tapping into Bitcoin’s security,” Atharva shares. “It had fast transactions, low fees, and most importantly for my project, it supported NFTs with extensive metadata. That was crucial for storing property-related information transparently on-chain.”

Another key advantage was Rootstock’s well-structured documentation and strong developer community. Atharva found it easy to integrate his project, thanks to clear documentation and responsive support via Rootstock’s dedicated Telegram channel.

“The Rootstock community was incredibly helpful. Whenever I had questions, there was always someone available to assist, whether through the Telegram group or in person at the hackathon,” he says.

Technical Highlights & Challenges

One of the standout features that made development smoother for Atharva was the availability of Hypersync, an indexing tool by Envio that integrates seamlessly with Rootstock. Hypersync allowed him to retrieve live network data efficiently, saving time and effort that would have otherwise been spent on building custom indexing solutions.

“Hypersync worked out of the box with Rootstock, which was a huge advantage. I didn’t have to worry about additional bridging or setup,” he explains.

Despite these advantages, the hackathon was still a test of endurance. Atharva spent nearly 22 hours straight coding, fueled by caffeine but eventually realizing that coffee no longer had any effect on him!

“I barely slept—maybe 15 to 30 minutes in total,” he laughs. “But it was worth it!”

Here are some screenshots showcasing the AirSpace UI:

Tips for Future Hackathon Participants

As a solo participant who successfully developed an award-winning project, Atharva has some valuable advice for future hackathon attendees:

1. Don’t Spend Too Much Time on Ideation

   • “People often spend half the hackathon just brainstorming. It’s better to come in with a domain or niche in mind, quickly finalize your idea, and focus on execution.”

2. Break Down the Execution Plan

   • “Once you have an idea, break it down into components: backend, frontend, integrations, etc. This makes it easier to manage your time and resources.”

3. Move Past Roadblocks Quickly

   • “If you hit a roadblock and spend more than four hours on it, move on. Don’t get stuck on one feature and risk missing out on other important parts of the project.”

4. Leave Time for Submission

   • “Don’t code until the last second! Set a hard stop at least an hour before the deadline to finalize your pitch deck, documentation, and video submission.”

What’s Next for AirSpace?

While AirSpace started as a hackathon project, Atharva sees significant potential in developing it further. However, he acknowledges that turning it into a real-world solution would require substantial research and funding.

“I plan to conduct market research to identify early adopters and assess the project’s viability. If the results are promising, I’ll look into securing funding and moving towards a mainnet launch,” he shares.

I also mentioned Rootstock’s grant program to him, which could be a valuable resource for pushing AirSpace forward. “That’s definitely something I’ll consider,” he says.

Final Thoughts

AirSpace is an inspiring example of how blockchain can revolutionize traditional industries in unexpected ways. Atharva’s ability to identify a unique problem, rapidly develop a functional solution, and secure first place at the hackathon showcases the power of innovation in Web3. It serves as a reminder of the potential that developers have to shape industries and rethink what is possible.

Ready to start building on Rootstock? Here’s how you can get involved today:

📖 Explore the Docs – Get started with Rootstock development.

🏆 Check out the Hacker Hub – Learn about past hackathons and upcoming opportunities.

💰 Contribute and Earn with Hacktivator – Build or create content and earn up to $1,000 per contribution.

💬 Join the Community – Connect with other builders on Discord.