Built on the open source principles of transparency, education, and collaboration, JUST Open Source Stiftung drives the Web3 conversation concerning the operational ramifications of building cutting edge technology. We believe the key to realizing the Web3 promise of self sovereignty and data custody is to educate the general population about decentralized tech and to support research that drives adoption.
Since 2015, our team has witnessed the trajectory of blockchain development. We were in the room when major players made core decisions. We had a hand in the formulating of on-chain governance mechanisms as part of the diverse collectives. We analyzed technical decisions as members of organizations like Web3 Foundation, Ethereum, and Parity Technologies, among others.
We were there. This is why we’ve built the JUST Grant.
We’ve seen funding pour into building the Web3 technical foundations. While we understand that the tech is essential to building a peer-to-peer future, we also recognize that accelerating adoption requires us to create viable businesses robust enough to operate in the real world.
In our first grant cohort, we are giving three independent research projects up to €20,000 to supplement their investigative efforts. We fund the thinkers, the visionaries, and the dreamers looking to push the boundaries of the decentralized web. More than ideas, we want people who know how to get stuff done, folks who aren’t afraid to experiment and evolve. We want results.
Program starts September 2024 and lasts 12 months.
• Applicants must be based in Europe
• Applicants must be EITHER currently enrolled in masters or doctoral program or affiliated with an academic institution or research entity. In the latter case, applicant should still possess a masters degree at minimum.
• Proposals must be submitted 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 a 400 word personal statement
• Proposals must include a resume
• Proposals must include link to public repository or published work
• Applicants should submit the names and email addresses for two academic recommenders
• All phases of research welcome
We will evaluate applications based on the following criteria:
• Impact of the proposed research output
• Quality of work and experience of the researcher / research team
• Clarity, conciseness, and organization of the proposal
• Contribution to the focus areas
• Potential of long-term advancement and adoption of Web3 technologies
• Analyses of visualizations that help a non-technical audience gain insight into the research
• Research output must be open access with a free and permissive license
Applications are selected for funding on a case-by-case basis. You may only submit one proposal. Submissions will be reviewed using the following considerations. Depending on the proposal, some criteria might not be applicable.
We believe in transparency. While you may hear back sooner, the process will take roughly 6-8 weeks. While we’d like to give feedback to all applicants, we will not be able to. Here’s what you can expect:
Application Deadline 1: May 30, 2024
Application Deadline 2: June 28, 2024
Application Deadline 3: July 12, 2024 - While space lasts
Applications submitted after recipients are selected, may opt to be considered for the 2025 cohort
Decisions Emailed Out (6-8 Week Decision Process): August 30, 2024 (Latest)
Grant Installment 1: September 2024
Grant Installment 2: December 2024
Grant Installment 3: April 2025
Grant Installment 4: August 2025
Grantees are expected to produce at least one paper under peer-review in major publication by the end of the program. Additionally, grantees should be available for case study interviews and allow publication of work snippets on JUST Open Source Stiftung channels.
Other acceptable accomplishments:
• Publications in major web magazines
• Invitations to major conferences in your field
• Further grant procurement
The current economic landscape skews DeFi, but with distributed ledger technologies there are applications that require different incentives and financial structures. For us, understanding the myriad economic landscapes is important for Web3 adoption.
For Web3 organizations to exist on a larger scale, businesses must navigate the evolving legal regulations around blockchain and P2P technologies
In our decentralized future, how do we govern and build fair ecosystems? Our interests lie in the following areas:
We are interested in analytical market research that looks at markets and trends from an academic lens. Some specific areas include:
Decentralized communities and open source building come with their own challenges. We're interested in the following categories:
We’re open to more topics, but those that fall into the above buckets will be given priority.
From the close of our final application deadline, we spent three months taking applicants through a five step evaluation process.
Afri Schoedon is a protocol-support engineer on a sabbatical. He's worked on Parity Ethereum, Goerli Testnet, Ethereum Classic, and ChainSafe. In his free time, he runs the Department of Decentralization in Berlin organising free, non-profit events like ETHBerlin, GoerliCon, and Protocol Berg.
Joanna is the Head of Legal at Trilitech, a blockchain research and development hub focused on the open-source Tezos blockchain. Holds a Master Degree in Law from the University of Turku and a Master Degree in Blockchain and Digital Currency from the University of Nicosia.
Natalie is head of product marketing at Parity. She's got a PhD in physics from Oxford and used to work at McKinsey. Before joining Parity, she was a mentor at Techstars, a university lecturer in Web3 at institutions such as MIT, Harvard, and Oxford, and an invited Web3 expert for the German government.
Ex-CISO at Parity Technologies, Kirill currently runs, consults and advises a number of blockchain-related projects, ranging from fundamental R&D and crypto hardware design to end-user, "meatspace"-focused consumer applications.
A Master’s student of Political Science at the University of Bonn, Germany, Elena is a research assistant at the Centre for Advanced Security, Strategic and Integrations Studies (CASSIS), working for the project “Infrastructures of China’s Modernity.”
She is investigating how blockchain-based governance relates to space making. Her project starts from the observation that blockchain-enabled collectives – especially experimental approaches to develop new types of communities – manifest within spatial confines and develop specific territorial features. She aims to advance the current edge of social science research on blockchain futures by exploring two case studies of existing network collectives affiliated with the Ethereum protocol, whose practices of self-infrastructuring are, crucially, temporarily or permanently affiliated with a given territory in physical space.
Felix is a researcher and advisor at BlockchainGov and ecosystem manager at TUM Think Tank in Munich.
While blockchain technology has transformed decision-making by shifting control to distributed networks, many web3 ecosystems struggle with developing effective governance mechanisms. Often, blockchain technologists lack the expertise to build robust governance solutions and navigate complex legal, regulatory, and ethical challenges.
To address this skills gap, this research project is developing a competency framework that establishes blockchain governance as a recognized field of expertise. This framework will define essential skills and knowledge areas, validate them through expert interviews, and provide educational resources for training stakeholders. By bridging academic research with practical application, this initiative aims to professionalise blockchain governance and cultivate a pipeline of skilled governance experts in the web3 community.
Charlie is Doctoral Researcher at Oxford Brookes University and a Strategic Designer at Dark Matter Labs.
With rising material and labour costs, and a reduction in grant-availability, it is increasingly difficult to finance common good projects like affordable housing, community centres, music venues, and local food initiatives.
Piloted in two Berlin civic spaces, this project aims to explore the initial design parameters for a Neighbourhood Wealth Transfer (NWT) mechanism, which utilises web3 technologies to manage and distribute community-generated revenue transparently and equitably towards community initiatives.
Benjamin is a Scientific Researcher at the Institute for Applied Blockchain at the Digital Business University in Berlin.
Over the past two decades, his scholarly pursuit has centred on system theory and the development of a global education theory grounded in digital literacy. This journey has led him to explore the transformative potential of blockchain technology within these fields. His research investigates the intersection of blockchain technology and global education, particularly how blockchain can revolutionise educational frameworks through enhanced data security, certification authenticity, and decentralised governance.
Through a series of international research projects and academic engagements, including fieldwork in Africa, Japan, and Australia, he has examined the sociological implications of integrating blockchain into educational systems. His findings suggest that blockchain can address key challenges in global education, such as ensuring equitable access to learning resources, maintaining the integrity of academic credentials, and supporting personalised learning pathways. His project will investigate and highlight the potential of blockchain technology to drive innovation and equity in global education.
Yes, but please submit a detailed abstract in English.
The only requirement is that at least one main researcher in the project be based in the European Union.
No, but you do need to be based in the European Union. Eventually, we’ll branch out to other locations.
You’ll have to wait until the next cohort. BUT! In the short term, you can join our Matrix community to continue the discussion with other like minded researchers.
Get in touch at grants[at]justopensource.io
