The Ethereum Foundation is thrilled to announce the Academic Grants Round 2024, an initiative dedicated to fostering research in the Ethereum ecosystem. Following the overwhelming success of the 2023 round, where we funded 43 projects from 20 countries, we are eager to continue supporting academic contributions. With a focus on a wide array of domains such as, applied and theoretical cryptography, economics, game theory, security, consensus protocols, formal verification, p2p networking, society and regulation, and hardware, we aim to catalyze research that propels the Ethereum ecosystem forward.
In 2023, we received an astounding 250 applications, which highlighted the global academic community’s growing interest in Ethereum. This year, we aim to build on this momentum by inviting even more researchers and institutions from more countries to participate. Through this wave of grants, the Ethereum Foundation underscores its commitment to supporting rigorous academic work that addresses key challenges and unlocks new opportunities.
We are looking for proposals that not only align with our wish list but also bring novel perspectives and approaches. We encourage you to draw inspiration from the wish list and think creatively about how your research can contribute to the Ethereum ecosystem.
Benefits
- This grant round has up to $1 Million in total, which is to be distributed among selected projects.
- They envision projects to take between 6 to 12 months, however, they are open to some flexibility depending on the project proposal.
Requirements
Eligibility criteria
- Projects must produce formal academic research
- Research output must be open-access with a free and permissive license
What is not eligible
- Anything that is not legal within the jurisdiction where the work is taking place
- Financial products and services (trading platforms, investment products, stablecoins, lending or betting platforms, etc.)
- Art projects or social impact projects that don’t fit within the scope of this round
- Projects requesting retroactive funding
- Projects with a planned token launch or public funding round
Selection Process
Selection criteria
Applications are selected for funding on a case-by-case basis. You may submit more than one application as long as each proposal is unique and meets the requirements and goals of this round. Submissions will be reviewed using the following considerations. Note: depending on the proposal, some criteria might not be applicable:
- Impact of the proposed research output
- Quality of work and experience of the research team
- Clarity, conciseness, and organization of the proposal
- Contribution to the wishlist areas
- Potential of long-term involvement in the Ethereum ecosystem
- Analyses of visualizations that help a non-technical audience gain insight into the research
Method of Application
Click Here to Apply
- All applications must have a written proposal in PDF format
- Proposals must be in English
- Proposals must include a detailed description, budget, and timeline for the proposed scope of work
- Proposals must include an applicant profile
- Proposals must include a public repository or link to published work
- Here is a template for a proposal
- Ideas and projects at any stage of development are welcome:
- Idea phase
- Proof-of-concept
- Work in progress
- Fleshed out project
For More Information,
Application Deadline: March 4, 2024.
