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Blockchain Research Accelerator

Designed for university students and PhD candidates
who thrive for excellence in blockchain research supported by leading experts

  • Write your thesis about a relevant blockchain topic
  • Get support from leading blockchain and industry experts along the way
  • Contribute to the blockchain community and our experts' publications
  • Students participate entirely for free

Call for the next batch 2022
apply now.

The rolling admission to our second batch is open now.

Apply for rolling admission

Our goal

The Blockchain Research Accelerator (BRA) uniquely positions itself at the interface between academic research, industry and the public sector to advance the global discourse in the transformative fields of blockchain applications, regulation and adoption.

BRA offers a platform for Bachelor, Master and PhD students to complement their academic thesis supervision with an expert team at the forefront of blockchain applications and research.

  • We support students on a one-on-one basis,
  • through our dedicated blockchain workshop in Berlin
  • as well as through our expert network during their dissertation preparation.

Following the thesis submission, we work together with the students to prepare and release publications on their topics and get the work in front of industry leaders in the blockchain space. We aim to make the academic research of BSc, MSc and PhD students more relevant to real world applications and thereby accelerate the adoption of innovative blockchain applications globally.

Our Experts

We bring together experts from different industries, the public sector and academia. They all share an interest in blockchain technology and worked together in several client engagements and conferences. Below you will find more information about each of our experts.

Specifically for this initiative, we won Prof. Dr. Andranik Tumasjan (University of Mainz, former TU Munich), Prof. Carol Alexander (University of Sussex), Prof. Dr. Philipp Sandner (Frankfurt School of Finance & Management) and Prof. Dr. Dominik Engel  (FH Salzburg) to support you during this Blockchain Research Accelerator. All professors have supervised blockchain related research by students for many years.

We have extensive experience in creating insights and relevant content for publications within the blockchain community as well as for industry leaders. We want to take the opportunity to develop content with you that really matters and put the spotlight on your work.

Overview of our 3-step approach

1. Application & Prep phase

  • Apply to this program already ended. We are starting the Blockchain Research Accelerator. We may still consider your application initiative upon individual review to join our program, hence the application process and selection criteria remain unchanged, a participation to our workshop has to be decided case by case.
  • Candidates will be selected by our experts based on their academic achievements and motivation (merit > quantity)
  • Selected fellows will be nominated for the first batch of the Blockchain Research Accelerator after the deadline
  • We do not require specific experience but vivid curiosity in blockchain technology and your area of studies
  • All fellows and experts benefit from interdisciplinary exchange. Therefore we encourage students from all academic disciplines
  • We encourage interested students to apply, whether you are already working on your thesis or want to find a relevant topic with the help our experts. Exceptions may be made to students who do not write a thesis but bring what it takes to develop great content for joint publications.
  • You will prepare for the upcoming Workshop day and have onboarding-calls with our experts to get ready for the workshop day and network right away
  • We help you in this phase to get straight to the actual challenges in blockchain:
    • We point you into the right directions, you still have to walk yourself
    • Save time and coordinate with other fellows how best to describe the blockchain technology to your grandma and your Prof.

2. Workshop day in Berlin

  • You will be invited to join our workshop day in Berlin in Q1 2023 (final date to be announced) to meet and exchange with experts and other fellows
  • The workshop day consists of lectures about hot topics voted by you and deep-dive sessions in smaller groups with experts
  • In the evening we will host a dinner&drinks network session with other blockchain experts from Berlin
  • This event is free of charge and exclusively for our fellows

3. Publication phase

  • We will support you after the workshop day with content feedback and connect you to other experts where necessary
  • You contribute to our publication in journals, medium.com posts or presentations with your research and findings
  • We help you synthesize the key findings of your work and promote joint publications
  • This phase, including publications, is tailored to your individual roadmap. 

Application

Please fill out the application form (~10 min.)

  1. What do you study right now? (all fields of academia are welcome)
  2. What is your experience in blockchain? (technical understanding is not required)
  3. What are your expectation and motivation regarding the Blockchain Research Accelerator?
  4. Do you already have a research topic? No? Our experts are happy to help you out.
  • In this form, you have the chance to state what you want us to consider for the application or your role in the program 
  • We get back to you after the deadline
Fill out the application form
Read our FAQ

Current research Topics for publication

Energy
How to make an energy market more transparent? Have faster transactions? Lower costs? Reduce errors and fraud?
Technology, Media & Telecommunications (TMT)
How to use blockchain for remittances? What are the effects of inter-carrier billing? Can blockchain disrupt roaming? Which impact does blockchain have on reducing fraud for a Telco? What potentials can be exploited by Crypto-Telco propositions?
Public sector
Investing in Start-ups in developing countries via Blockchain technology? Blockchain technology to fight corruption and enhance transparency in developing countries? Advantages of using Blockchain technology to address challenges of Microgrid applications in renewable energy context in developing countries? Customs facilitation through blockchain technology in emerging economies? Is Blockchain technology allowing developing countries to leapfrog over traditional financial services or are other barriers more severe?
Finance
How to use blockchain for interbanking transaction? Are new asset classes born? How to build a Decentral Autonomous Organization (DAO)? How to run a crypto trading fund?
Logistics & Transportation
How can blockchain take over papertrails? How can customs in underdeveloped countries benefit from blockchain?
Climate Change
How can we mitigate climate change through innovation using DLT or Blockchain?
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Workshop Day

impressions of our first workshop day

On the 13th of June 2018, 15 fellows from all around Europe met with their research sparring partners and our corporate and DLT experts for a full workshop in Berlin. For more information click here: BRA Day 2018

Workshop Schedule

Welcoming breakfast
Networking
Introduction of experts

Hot topic lectures
voted by the participants

Lunch break

Deep dive sessions
Smaller groups of participants with similar topics
Working together with dedicated experts on that topic

Dinner & Drinks
Wrap-up
Networking with other
blockchain experts in Berlin

Location

We are currently scouting with our partners & sponsors for a suitable location in Berlin.

Experts & Speakers

Andranik-talking-scaled
 
Professor of Management & Digital Transformation at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. Major focus: Blockchain technology for enabling novel decentralized business.

#cryptocurrencies #blockchain #businessmodels

imageedit_7_7868762921
                                                     
Professor of Finance at the University of Sussex. Corporate & academic careers in mathematical models for pricing, trading, hedging & risk assessment for a wide range of asset management, stock exchange & banking clients.

#riskmanagement #blockchainfinance #cryptocurrencymarkets

dominik_151
                                                                    Professor at Salzburg University of applied sciences. Main Director at Josef Ressel Center for User-Centric Smart Grid Privacy, Security and Control.

#energy #networktechnologies #academicresearch

Dr-Oliver-Krause_151
                                                                     Organizer of BRA and Untitled INC. Consulting in corporate and startup world.  transformation programs regarding new products & services, operating and business models.

 #usecases #ICO-advisory #investment&assetmanagement

imageedit_10_2867906037
 
Head of the Frankfurt School 
Blockchain Center at the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management. He advises companies concerning their blockchain activities, e.g. the first European crypto fund or the Korean blockchain startup HYCON. 

#cryptocurrencies #blockchain #finance

Pollmeier_151
                                                                      Managing Director and co-founder of Luvent Consulting GmbH, an international development consultancy based in Berlin, Germany. Benedikt focuses on start-up ecosystem support and blockchain technology applications.

#blockchainforgood #SDGs #ict4d

Gregor Harter
                                                                    
Management adviser, global telecom, technology and industrial players with strong business acumen. Capability design and creation of new businesses.

#telco #innovationmanagement #strategydevelopment

kmh_151
                                                                    
With a background in strategy consulting, digital transformation, company building and venture capital, it was almost inevitable that blockchain caught my interest. 

 #telco #ICOevaluation&investment #cryptoregulation

Klaus-G_151
                                                                    
 Management Consulting in the High-Tech& Telecoms sector. Build strategy consulting firms and practices in Europe to serve global players with an experienced team. 

 #telco #cryptoeconomics #digitalbusinesses

Dr_Gorazd_Ocvirk
                                                                    
Management Consulting, Business Model Development, ICO Advisory, Token Model development, White paper review, Blockchain go-to-market strategy and service offering

#ICO #Blockchain #managementconsulting

Peter-Milan-Trapp_151
                                                                    
Organizer of BRA and Untitled INC. Background in economics, law, investment banking and managment consulting. System design, Crypto Economics, Crypto Regulation

 #systemdesign #cryptoeconomics #cryptoregulation

Thomas-Euler-2-scaled
                                                                    
Helped global corporations, SMEs & startups with digital strategy & transformation. Main subjects: internet business models, antifragile organization and the attention economy.

#systemdesign #decentralizedorganization #networkvaluemodels

Alexander von Brühl-Pohl
 

Consultant with extensive experience in advising governments in developing countries through donor funded projects. Focus on innovative solutions for the public administration, including Hyperledger Blockchain frameworks.

#publicsector #internationalaid #ict4governments

Daniel-Pichler_151
                                                                    
 Background of business and tech, began studying cryptocurrencies in 2012 while working in Colombia. Foster entrepreneurship and corporate innovation in Europe.

 #finance #cryptoeconomics #decentralizedbusinessmodels

Renzo_151

To drive innovation through coaching, facilitation & research, I deliver design thinking tools to build empathy, creativity & trust. Blockchain Design is the latest project which embraces the Blockchain technological shift, linked with its societal challenges &user’s needs.

#designthinking #blockchain  #basketball

Keding_S_15647_T1
                                                                    

 Lawyer in finance & banking matters, cooperation agreements in automotive wholesale & retail financing.  Follows developments of the regulatory implications of distributed ledger based business models.

#regulatoryimplications #ICOs&TGEs #publications

Daniel-Pietsch_151
                                                                    
Organizer of BRA, tech fairs & startup events. Experience in ICO evaluation, crypto investment, blockchain use cases. Involved in the Berlins StartUp, blockchain, IoT&DLT scene.  

#BRAorganizer #systemsinnovationdesign #strategydevelopment #sustainableinnovationdesign

Apply now

Partner Universities

The Blockchain Research Accelerator is supported by Professors specialised in Blockchain technology from the following Universities.

Frequently Asked Questions

In English.

For fellows, the program is for free and we cover the expenses for catering and hosting the workshop day in Berlin.

Please apply to our program and mention this specifically. We will get back to you.

Only for the workshop day in July (exact date to be scheduled soon)

Take advantage of this program by working closely with our experts on your and their burning questions. Support them with research and receive introductions to other experts in industries, public sector or ICO & blockchain startups.  The goal of this program is to accelerate quickly to the fundamental challenges and develop relevant findings. We help you identify what is relevant and publish together with you these findings in the industry and blockchain community.

The goal of this program is to combine the principles of the blockchain technology with relevant challenges in other industries or public sector to identify interesting use cases. Technical understanding is not required, although within our program you have the perfect opportunity to engage with our experts who really do understand it. All fellows and experts benefit from interdisciplinary exchange. Therefore we encourage students from fields such as life science, law, mathematics, computer science, business, economics and other fields to apply for this program.

Apply for rolling admission

Initiated by

untitled

Untitled inc is a network of experts of the distributed economy and founded in 2017. 

Our members bring 5-20+ years experience to the table. Their expertise has been built in consulting, the corporate world, in the startup and crypto assets space, in research as well as in venture capital. We achieved excellent results in delivering innovation, building and managing accelerator programs, VC funds, law firms, doing IPOs and building tech startups. 

We provide a unique blend of capabilities in business and digital strategy, crypto economics and blockchain, legal, technology and organisational transformation.

We are launching exciting ventures such as this non-profit initiative “Blockchain Research Accelerator”

Curious about what we do and who we are?

Luvent-Consulting_Final

Luvent Consulting GmbH, an international development consultancy based in Berlin, Germany. We provide quality solutions to the challenges of economic development with a focus on private sector development and digitalisation. Luvent Consulting is at the forefront of developing blockchain applications and offering blockchain related consulting services to stakeholders in developing countries.

As an initiator from the first hour, Luvent Consulting is supporting BRA students with access to topics and experts regarding in emerging markets.

www.luvent-consulting.com

mobileVision is all about growth through new business launch management in the internet and mobile space. We specialize in advising, managing, operating and staffing challenging launches.

mobileVision is supporting BRA students in their thesis development with insights and network in the TMT (Technology, Media & Telecommunications) industry.

Website

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