June 2024: When It All Began

Every great story starts with a bold idea, and ours began in June 2024, when Rise In partnered with Open Campus. Our mission? Simple yet ambitious:

✅ Put education on the blockchain.
✅ Make credentials tamper-proof.
✅ Give every student the power to own their achievements.

And if that wasn’t enough pressure, we decided to do all of this while having a blast and breaking a few records along the way.

And just like that, a partnership was born. For us at Rise In, this wasn’t just another collaboration—it was an opportunity to tackle some of education’s biggest challenges. We knew this was our moment to step up and make a difference. We couldn’t be more proud to take on this mission.

July 2024: EDU Chain Hackathon Series Semester 1

One month in, we launched Semester 1 of the EDU Chain Hackathon Series, a $1M initiative to fuel creativity and innovation.

The excitement was palpable. Developers from Türkiye and all around the world flooded in, ready to compete for a $200,000 prize pool and tackle tracks like DeFi and Infrastructure.

When we saw the energy and enthusiasm from participants, it was a  moment of pure pride for our team. This wasn’t just another event, it was a movement in the making!

August 2024: First IRL EDU Chain Hackathon in India

August was a milestone month for us as we hosted our first in-person EDU Chain Hackathon at Don Bosco University in India. The event brought together over 50 developers, all eager to showcase their skills and create impactful blockchain solutions.

With a $200,000 prize pool on the line, the energy in the room was electric. Developers didn’t just compete; they collaborated, exchanged ideas, and demonstrated the kind of creativity and innovation that reminds us why we do what we do.

This hackathon wasn’t just about the prize—it was about building connections, fostering talent, and empowering these developers to shape the future of education onchain. Watching their enthusiasm and dedication left us even more inspired for what lies ahead.

Celebrating Innovation: Our Winners

Out of the 40 total prizes awarded across all categories, we at Rise In are proud to have mentored and supported 11 winning projects, securing a total of $49,500 in prize money.

These victories are a testament to the talent within our community and the dedication of developers who share our vision of revolutionizing education through blockchain.

Infrastructure Category

Building the backbone of blockchain applications in education:

• 1st Place: create-edu-dapp – A user-friendly platform for creating education-focused dApps. ($12,500)
• 4th Place: Blitz Protocol – A high-speed protocol for secure educational transactions. ($6,600)
• 6th Place: EduLibrary by StreamNFT – Decentralized libraries for educational resources. ($5,000)
• 8th Place: Echo – Enhancing transparency in education systems. ($3,400)
• 9th Place: EduScan – A custom block explorer offering detailed insights into EDU Chain transactions, blocks, and tokens. ($2,800)
• 10th Place: Edu Telegram Wallet – A secure wallet built for students and educators. ($2,200)

EduFi (Exclusive to EDU Chain)

Focusing on financial solutions tailored to education:

• 1st Place: Campus Arc BETA – Transforming campus financial management systems. ($8,000)
• 5th Place: Vault – Securing educational credentials on the blockchain. ($1,500)

Learn Category

Gamifying education for an engaging learning experience:

• 3rd Place: DAO UNI 3.0 – A decentralized organization for university programs. ($3,500)
• 4th Place: AI Tutor – An AI-driven platform combining personalized tutoring and blockchain-based credentialing. ($2,000)

Miscellaneous Category

Highlighting unique and innovative projects:

• 4th Place: LPU Name Service – Blockchain-based naming solutions for education. ($2,000)

The first IRL EDU Chain Hackathon wasn’t just about the prizes—it was about driving change and fostering a global community of developers passionate about reshaping education. Among the standout successes, 11 of the 40 winners were directly supported and nurtured under the Rise In umbrella, showcasing the impact of our community and our commitment to innovation.

Every winning project brought us closer to realizing our vision of transforming education with blockchain technology. As we reflect on this milestone event, one thing is clear: the creativity and dedication of these developers are paving the way for a brighter, more innovative future in education. Together, we’re proving that the future is not just on-chain—it’s limitless. 🚀

Campus Arc: A Rising Star and a Testament to Our Success

Among the many standout projects of the August 2024 EDU Chain Hackathon, one story embodies the spirit of innovation and collaboration that defines our mission at Rise In: the journey of Campus Arc.

Led by Hüseyin Karataş, Campus Arc emerged as the #1 winner in the EduFi category with its groundbreaking platform that introduced a novel "Stake, Learn & Earn" mechanism and the OC-ID verification system, built seamlessly on EDU Chain. This achievement wasn’t just a win for Hüseyin and his team, it was a moment of pride for Rise In, as we played a pivotal role in mentoring and supporting this visionary project.

Campus Arc’s BETA platform empowers students to stake tokens for educational modules and earn rewards upon successful completion. This innovative approach perfectly aligns with Rise In’s mission to revolutionize education through blockchain, combining financial incentives with skill acquisition to create a win-win scenario for learners and educators alike.

At Rise In, we take immense pride in being part of Campus Arc’s journey. Their success is a reflection of our collective efforts to empower developers, support groundbreaking projects, and push the boundaries of what blockchain can achieve in education.

As we continue to mentor and support visionary projects like Campus Arc, we remain steadfast in our belief that the future of education is not only on-chain—it’s brighter and more accessible than ever before. 🚀

October 2024: Empowering the Builders of Tomorrow

To help developers make the most of the hackathon, we launched our first-ever EDU Chain Developer Cohort. The response was overwhelming—our system received over 1,000 applications from passionate individuals eager to dive into blockchain development.

Over the course of several weeks, we provided hands-on training, mentorship, and the resources needed to master this cutting-edge technology. Watching our participants grow was nothing short of inspiring. They started with tentative first steps—debugging their first smart contracts and navigating the complexities of blockchain—but quickly evolved into confident builders, ready to take on real-world challenges.

The enthusiasm and dedication from this talented pool of developers reminded us why we embarked on this journey: to empower the next generation of innovators and creators in the blockchain space.

This wasn’t just about sharing knowledge; it was about unlocking potential and showing every participant what they were truly capable of achieving. By the end, we had a team of innovators who weren’t just ready for the hackathon they were ready to lead the future of education onchain.

November 2024: The Next Chapter

With Semester 1 successfully completed, we set our sights on Semester 2, raising the bar even higher. This time, the stakes were amplified with a $250,000 prize pool and a renewed focus on tracks like learning, DeFi and gamified education applications and credentialing solutions.

The energy from the participants was electric. Developers came together with fresh ideas, eager to innovate and leave their mark on the education and blockchain landscape.

As the hackathon progressed, we were reminded of why this journey matters: fostering creativity, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, and building a community where everyone has the tools and opportunity to succeed. The excitement was palpable, and the sense of anticipation for what’s to come couldn’t be greater.

Bangkok EDU Chain Hacker House – A Hub of Innovation

The EDU Chain Hacker House, organized in partnership with Open Campus, was a whirlwind of innovation and community. With over 500 applications, 100+ participants, and 25 remarkable projects, the event was a resounding success that went far beyond coding.

While the 36 hours of intense coding tested everyone’s limits, the true victory was in the connections we forged, the inspiring stories we shared, and the groundbreaking ideas we brought to life. It was an unforgettable experience powered by collaboration, creativity, and camaraderie.

Here are the 5 winning projects that captured the essence of this incredible event:

• Collabolearn: A decentralized research collaboration platform rewarding contributions with EDU tokens, NFTs, and reputation points.
• Yc Partners: A blockchain-based YouTube Certification platform for authenticating and elevating educational video content.
• Attested: An AI-driven platform for validating self-learning achievements with verifiable blockchain credentials.
• Eduverse: A "Quiz to Earn" platform blending gamification and education to make learning rewarding and fun.
• Neomorons: A language-learning platform incentivizing milestones through token staking and gamified competitions.

The EDU Chain Hacker House wasn’t just about the code it was about the people. Meeting brilliant minds, exchanging ideas, and building lasting connections made this event truly special. Together, we proved that innovation thrives in community, and the future of education is brighter when we work together. 🚀

December 2024: A Community Like No Other

As we near the end of the year, the momentum within our EDU Chain community continues to grow. With over 1,000 participants already engaged across our hackathons, workshops, and cohorts—and with numbers increasing every day—it’s clear that this is just the beginning.

But for us, it’s never been just about the numbers. It’s about the people—the developers who pour their hearts into their work, the teams who collaborate across time zones, and the community that rallies together to support and inspire one another.

The second hackathon is still in full swing, with ideas brewing and projects taking shape. Watching this vibrant, ever-growing community come together to innovate and push boundaries has been one of the most rewarding parts of this journey.

Knowing that we’ve created a space where creativity flourishes, collaboration thrives, and the future of education is being reimagined fills us with excitement—and anticipation for what’s yet to come.

Looking Back, Moving Forward

When we started this journey, we knew it wouldn’t be easy. Transforming education with blockchain? That’s not exactly light work.

But as we look back on the past six months, we see a community that’s stronger, more creative, and more ambitious than we ever imagined.

This isn’t just about blockchain or education—it’s about people. It’s about giving them the tools and the opportunities to create, innovate, and change the world.

So here’s to EDU Chain, to Rise In, and to everyone who’s been a part of this journey. The best is yet to come.

Stay tuned, because the future of education is officially onchain. 🚀