Solana Foundation University Grants

💸 This is designed for Students and Faculty Staff to Write, Create, or Build on Solana

 

Superteam Balkan now supports University grants. These grants are designed for students and professors who are actively engaged in promoting decentralization and censorship resistance by leveraging the Solana blockchain and its ecosystem, whether through academic research, educational initiatives, or the development of innovative blockchain solutions.

 

The primary focus of the Superteam Balkan University Program is to support students and faculty staff in learning about Solana, conducting research, organizing educational events, and developing real-world blockchain-based solutions. A key emphasis is placed on the creation of professional, research, and thesis papers by students, as well as doctoral and scientific papers by professors and lecturers, fostering academic analysis and contributions to blockchain technology. The program also provides financial support and networking opportunities, enabling both students and the academic community to turn their ideas into tangible projects with real-world applications.

 

🎯 Areas of Focus for the Student Grant 

• The Primary Focus Area is Academic Research: Papers or projects regarding decentralization, DeFi, NFTs, MiCA, AML, tokenomics and other topics contributing to blockchain technology through scientific inquiry, and publishing. We also encourage students to explore the entrepreneurial side of blockchain technology and support initiatives for kickstarting startups in this field.

 

• We Also Encourage Projects Focused on the Following:
  • Development on Solana: Software and dApp development for real-world blockchain solutions.
  • Blockchain Education: Workshops, presentations, classes, panels, and events to onboard students & faculty.
  • Censorship Resistance: Research and development of technologies that improve Solana’s ability to remain decentralized and resistant to censorship.
  • DAO Governance: Tools for coordination, decision-making, and payments in DAOs.

 

📌 Focus Areas

• Tech: Token issuance, DePIN, blockchain interoperability, Web3 apps.
  • Examples:
    • Evaluating Solana’s blockchain scalability through software testing and QA methodologies
    • Secure and efficient smart contract development
    • DePIN: Hardware integrated with blockchain technology
    • Mobile Web3 applications and on-chain encryption
    • Zero-knowledge proofs (ZK) on Solana
• Design: Web3 product design, UI/UX focused on applications utilizing blockchain and Web3 technology
  • Examples
    • Wireframes for decentralized applications
    • Design templates and patterns focused on good UI/UX practices for Web3 platforms
• Law: MiCA, DAOs, NFT regulation, AML frameworks.
  • Examples: 
    • Cryptocurrencies and Anti-Money Laundering: Legal frameworks and global practices
    • MiCA Regulation: Implications and opportunities
    • Legal status of DAOs (Decentralized Autonomous Organizations)
    • NFT regulation: Copyright and ownership in digital environments
• Economics: DeFi vs. banks, tokenization, stablecoins in trade.
  • Examples:
    • Bonding Curves: Impact on token price dynamics
    • DeFi's influence on traditional banking
    • Stablecoin applications in international trade
    • Tokenization in supply chains: Transparency and cost reduction
    • Crypto and the informal economy

 

💰 Grant Structure

• Student Grants: Research papers, workshops, events.
• Professor Grants: Research papers, workshops, events, and curriculum integration.

⚙️ How It Works:

1. Submit the application form on Superteam Earn.
2. The Solana Foundation does its best to respond within ~72 hours.
3. f approved, you'll receive an email notification for onboarding and further steps, and 25% of your requested funding in your SOL wallet will soon follow in our next payout.
4. Update the community once a week on your progress.
5. As you achieve your self-described milestones, receive the rest of your funding.
6. Submit finished work for feedback, review, and distribution.

🤝 Guidelines

• Be Concise: Being clear and concise is always helpful.
• Keep it short: Say more with less words.
• Build what the ecosystem needs: Besides our Grant Proposals, we often see people on Twitter (and elsewhere) saying things like "Solana needs X" or "Solana would be better if it had Y". If you're unsure about what the ecosystem currently needs, feel free to reach out to us!
•  Open Source: Being clear and concise is always helpful. What makes decentralized applications so powerful is that they are built on the premise of being open and composable. However, we understand that some projects develop intellectual property that cannot yet be publicly available. In such cases, open-sourcing is not a strict requirement, but we expect a clear strategy for future accessibility and ecosystem integration.

 

❓For additional questions and information, please contact us at this email: balkan@superteam.fun