20th March 2023 — The DLT Science Foundation (DSF), a global, non-profit organisation, launched today with the goals of expanding knowledge and adoption of, and removing barriers to, fundamental breakthroughs in the field of distributed ledger technology (DLT).
Central to the Foundation’s plan to support the responsible adoption of DLT is a comprehensive set of programmes that will offer support in three key areas:
- Education - for students, executives and developers: courses, labs and educational material
- Innovation - for entrepreneurs: open innovation programs, accelerators, workshops, hackathons, industry-academia knowledge transfer
- Research - for academics, Postdocs and PhDs: grants and fellowships
This support will be provided by the Foundation itself and through the use of grants to members of the DSF University Network. This network will feature a diverse array of leading universities from all over the world. Initially, the network comprises the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, London School of Economics, National University of Singapore, University College London, and University of Zurich.
Other institutions that share the DSF’s vision of promoting DLT are invited to join the DSF University Network and enjoy exclusive access to proprietary tools providing valuable insight into the crypto market and data for research purposes.
The DSF has been initially supported by Hedera, the open-source, leaderless proof-of-stake network, which will also lend valuable DLT expertise to the DSF University Network.
The first call for grant proposals opens today, offering funding up to 5 million US dollars for eligible individuals and organisations.
The DSF was conceived by two visionaries: Professor Paolo Tasca and Nikhil Vadgama. Prof. Tasca is a renowned economist who possesses a wealth of experience in both the industry and regulatory aspects of distributed systems. He is the founder of the acclaimed UCL Centre for Blockchain Technologies (CBT). Nikhil Vadgama is a Senior Technology Executive, the Deputy Director of UCL CBT, and a distinguished educator and lecturer at UCL who has received numerous accolades for his work.
Similar to the technology it advocates for, the DSF is a decentralised entity consisting of a global network of scientists and top experts in DLT.
The DSF programs will address real-world grand challenges and will be run through an innovative open collaborative innovation model between academia, industry and government to spur the translation of fundamental research into innovative commercial and societal solutions.
Paolo Tasca, Chairman and co-founder of the DSF said:
“After two years of hard work and dedication, I am thrilled to announce the launch of the DLT Science Foundation. It is a privilege to work alongside talented and passionate individuals who will help make the DLT Science Foundation a leading voice in the world of emerging digital technologies. I am eager to witness the groundbreaking innovations that will emerge from our efforts. The DLT Science Foundation aims to drive innovation, foster new collaborative models between academia, industry, and government, and promote the responsible adoption of DLT in business and society. I am excited to continue this journey with our team, partners, and supporters, and I am confident that together, we will unlock the full potential of DLT and create a better future for all."
“The DSF has a unique opportunity to provide unmatched support and empowerment to academics and educators in universities. Drawing from our own experiences and the challenges we have faced, we have developed grant programs that are specifically designed to address the needs of the DLT community. We are excited to collaborate with educators and academics to continuously improve and enhance these programs, and to create a platform for unprecedented growth and success in the field of DLT research, education and innovation,” said Director and co-founder Nikhil Vadgama.
"We are thrilled to join the DSF University Network and connect with other top universities around the world,” said Nicholas Mac Gregor Garcia, Co-Director of the NUS FinTech Lab. “NUS is not only one of the top Asian universities, but also one of the world's best in CoinDesk's blockchain university rankings. We are leaders in blockchain education, offering 37 blockchain related courses in all levels from Executive Education to PhD. We are committed to driving cutting-edge research in blockchain and crypto, and we believe that partnering with the DSF will allow us to do just that. We look forward to using DSF resources and tools to further our projects and contribute to the network's mission of advancing the field of blockchain. We hope to share our expertise and bring our unique perspective to the table, creating a mutually beneficial relationship.”
Pradeep Iyer, member of the Board of Directors of the Hedera Governing Council, representing Avery Dennison, said, “To me, the promise of "web3" is deeply compelling – particularly to enable amazing technological developments that can support effective, efficient societal self-orchestration. The colossal magnitude, scope and diversity of data can be effectively consumed only by architecturing a robust, secure, trusted DLT foundation that can scale globally. Such a complex undertaking to me is a clarion call for assembling a solid academic community of best-in-class researchers, innovators and entrepreneurs who can credibly help inform supportive government policy. It is epochal to see this coming together under the auspices of DSF – a worldwide coalition of powerful neural energy.”
Claudio Tessone, Head of the University of Zurich Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technologies Center (UZH BCC), said: “As a large-scale interdisciplinary centre which aims at the creation of high quality research and education through a critical understanding on distributed ledger technologies, the UZH Blockchain Center is proud to join the DSF University Network. Entering this initiative allows us to pool our resources with other leading global institutions. UZH BCC specialises in impactful academic production with a worldwide reputation, as highlighted by the last CoinDesk blockchain university ranking. We are confident that DSF resources and tools will allow us to produce outputs of high value to the industry and the advancement of this fascinating space.”
Join the DLT Science Foundation’s University Network today and accelerate the development of education, research and innovation in academia and beyond.
About the DLT Science Foundation
The DLT Science Foundation (DSF) is committed to driving the growth of distributed ledger technology in business and society by empowering education, innovation, and research through its academic network and partnerships with industry leaders.
Discover how the DLT Science Foundation can support your journey into distributed ledger technology.
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