DLT Science Foundation Announces Global Rollout.

London, UK - 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 Indian Institute of Technology Madras, London School of Economics, National University of Singapore, University College London, and University of Zurich.

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 decentralized 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 bl