Empowering the next wave of founders: Welcome to EasyA x Polkadot University
Unlock a structured path to start building on Polkadot with EasyA x Polkadot University.
By Dom Kwok•November 1, 2024
For aspiring blockchain developers, the journey from learning Web3 to founding their own project can be daunting. Recognizing the need for more educational paths within the Polkadot community, EasyA has created the EasyA x Polkadot University. This initiative combines traditional educational elements with Polkadot’s cutting-edge blockchain technology, creating a new pathway for students to go about joining and building in the Polkadot ecosystem.
Building on the success of our EasyA x Polkadot hackathon series—which has brought together over 1,000 developers in-person at Harvard and London events while reaching 100,000+ learners globally through the EasyA app—the EasyA x Polkadot University marks the next phase in expanding developer awareness and fostering growth within the Polkadot ecosystem. We’re taking blockchain education deeper into universities with a decentralized, community-driven learning environment designed to cultivate the next generation of builders for the Polkadot ecosystem.
Why a Polkadot-dedicated university?
Since the world’s first widely recognized modern university—the University of Bologna—opened its doors in 1088, the university has been a cornerstone of higher education. While traditional institutions often struggle to keep pace with rapidly evolving technologies, their core principles of structured learning and community-based education remain powerful. By reimagining these principles for blockchain technology, we're creating something unique: an educational experience that integrates Polkadot into students’ education. The program will include workshops at universities so that students can learn blockchain alongside their current university courses. Past EasyA x Polkadot Hackathon winners have been funded by YCombinator and a16z, and the EasyA x Polkadot University aims to support talented founders in the EasyA ecosystem to build on Polkadot long-term.
During visits to my alma mater, The Wharton School, I've engaged with current students who express frustration over studying the same subjects taught a decade ago. This feedback highlights a disconnect between traditional education and the exponential pace of blockchain and tech innovation. While universities are beginning to offer blockchain courses, hands-on programs that prepare developers to launch blockchain startups remain rare. We're here to change that.
A new approach to developer education
Our numerous in-person Polkadot hackathons in the UK and US revealed something crucial: while blockchain interest remains high, developers aren’t fully aware of Polkadot’s unique capabilities and why they should launch in the ecosystem. They need more than online resources and documentation. Developers need a clear, ongoing path to launching their projects, and here's how we're providing it.
Workshops
From foundational concepts to launching projects on Polkadot, the EasyA x Polkadot University will leverage the EasyA app and in-person workshops at universities to guide builders into the ecosystem. The EasyA x Polkadot University is designed to help newcomers to the Polkadot ecosystem meet others who are at the same stage as them and forge those inter-student bonds and connections.
Building real-world skills for real-world impact
While theory is important, execution is essential. The EasyA x Polkadot University is designed to show developers and future founders what it takes to build successful blockchain projects. This is core to the workshops, where builders will be able to learn hands-on. Students will also get access to fast grants, which will empower them to take their projects to the next level.
A collaborative community of innovators
The power of traditional universities extends beyond the classroom and into their communities, where collaboration and mutual support elevate the learning experience. We’re recreating that collaborative spirit within a decentralized context, bringing together passionate developers, experienced mentors, and industry pioneers. Through hands-on workshops, group projects, and global events, students will forge connections and build relationships that last well beyond the learning journey.
What makes EasyA x Polkadot University different?
The EasyA x Polkadot University approach offers:
- Workshops at leading universities: Opportunities for highly talented students to learn about Polkadot hands-on from mentors and peers, all while making in-person connections.
- Access to fast-grants: Fast-track grants for talented builders who want to take their ideas further but need financial support to accelerate their work.
- Pitching opportunities: Students will be able to pitch their ideas and projects on Polkadot to peers, mentors, and investors so that they can gain feedback and potential investment.
Shaping the future of blockchain at universities
Drawing from our combined experiences—Phil at Cambridge University and myself at The Wharton School—we understand what drives effective education. But we also know when it’s time to innovate. This insight inspired the creation of EasyA x Polkadot University, adapting successful educational principles to the rapidly evolving field of blockchain technology.
We're building an educational experience into the bastions of education that universities represent, shaped by the Polkadot community it serves. Whether you're a student just exploring blockchain for the first time or ready to launch a full startup, you'll find your place here.
We're excited to welcome our students soon and can't wait to see the incredible projects and ideas that will emerge.
About Dom Kwok
Dom Kwok is a Co-Founder of EasyA, the world’s number 1 Web3 learning app with a community of over 1 million developers across the US and Europe. EasyA alumni have been funded by a16z, Founders Fund, YC and other top VCs. Projects launched by EasyA alumni are valued at over $2.5 billion.
Dom graduated Cum Laude from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he was a Joseph Wharton Scholar and Benjamin Franklin Scholar. Prior to EasyA, Dom worked at The Blackstone Group and was one of the first employees at CloudKitchens, launched by Uber Founder Travis Kalanick.
Background
The EasyA x Polkadot University, developed by EasyA with support from a Web3 Foundation Decentralized Futures grant, aims to expand accessibility into Polkadot’s ecosystem and nurture future founders building on Polkadot. Distinct from the Polkadot Blockchain Academy—which trains developers and non-developers on foundational blockchain knowledge and provides a deeper exploration into Polkadot and the Polkadot SDK—the EasyA x Polkadot University is tailored towards finding founders at universities and educating them on how to build projects on Polkadot.
