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+  CIP: CIP 0106
+  Title: Canton Network University Program
+  Author: Philip N Kaddaj
+  Status: Proposed
+  Type: Governance
+  Created: 2026-02-25
+  Approved: TBD
+  License: CC0-1.0
+
+ +# CIP 0106: Canton Network University Program + +## Abstract + +This CIP proposes a multi-phase University Program led by Cantor8 to expand awareness, education, and application development within the Canton ecosystem through partnerships with leading global universities. +The program will introduce students, researchers, and early-stage founders to the Canton Network and the Daml smart contract platform through lectures, hackathons, fellowships, incubator support, and specialized training. Over time, Canton-related content will be integrated into academic curricula and research programs. +The goal is to build a long-term talent pipeline, increase ecosystem adoption, and accelerate production-ready applications on Canton. +Super Validator weight will be earned through an escrow-based, milestone-driven structure tied to measurable outcomes such as university participation, fellowship deployment, program scale, application launches, and research integration, with rewards released only upon verified completion. + + +## Overview + +Cantor8 proposes a three-phase program to bring the world’s leading academic institutions into the Canton ecosystem. The program’s aims are three-fold: + + +1- Expand understanding of Canton Network, and its unique potential, within the world’s most important circles - Leading universities, regulatory bodies, traditional institutions, and more. + +2- Proliferate an understanding of Canton Network’s architecture and, in particular, the Daml smart contract language. + +3- Foster and provide support to a new wave of start-ups and projects based on Canton Network. + +## Phase I — Awareness & Development + +The program’s first phase is designed to introduce leading university ecosystems to Canton Network. + + +Events and initiatives are focused on driving excitement around Canton Network’s potential to revolutionize the traditional financial world, as well as encourage early-stage development of ecosystem projects and start-ups. + + +A select group of the world’s leading colleges and universities produce disproportionate numbers of successful founders in their alumni. Most clearly, this is seen across Oxford and Cambridge in the UK, and the Ivy League Colleges in the US. + + +Harvard: David Solomon, Jamie Diamond, Mark Zuckerberg + +Cambridge: Chairman of Rotschilds, CEO co-founder of Google Deep Mind, ex- Prime Minister of Singapore + +Stanford: Peter Theil, John F. Kennedy, Charles Schwabb + +#### Lectures & Talks + +Cantor8 will facilitate talks and lectures given by leaders from within the Canton Network ecosystem, at the world’s leading universities and academic institutions. The aim of these talks is to establish in the minds of students: “What Canton Network is, Which problems does Canton Network solve, and Why will Canton become increasingly significant in the future” + + +#### Potential Speakers: + +Leaders from the Canton Ecosystem (Yuval Rooz, Eric S, Don Wilson) + +Political/Regulatory Leaders + +Web3/2 Founders & Executives + +#### Example Universities: + +Spring 2026 [confirmed]: University of Cambridge, University of Oxford + +Spring 2027 [tentative]: Stanford University, University of California, Berkeley + +Spring 2028 [tentative]: Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) + +#### Hackathons & Competitions + +Competition for high calibre developers and builders has become increasingly fierce across the last decade. + + +Leading institutions (Citadel, Jane Street, Google, Ethereum) have found that hosting competitions/hackathons with competitive prizes is an effective way to foster, engage, and keep that talent in-house. + + +Cantor8 will establish and organize similar hackathons with a view to creating a talent-pipeline for the Canton Network ecosystem itself. These events will take place at individual universities (or as part of a multi-university program) and will take place across a period of three years. + + +Confirmed for Spring 2026: + +Joint hackathon between Oxford, Cambridge, and Imperial College, to take place in Cadogan Hall, London. + +Berkeley hackathon to take place in Berkeley Stadium + + +Planned for 2027/28: + +- Yale University + +- Stanford University + +- Harvard University + +- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) + + +The assigned tasks for the hackathons will be decided based on the specific needs of the Canton Network ecosystem at the time. Feedback and guidance will be sought from both the Canton Foundation, as well as the wider Canton Network community. + + +Judges and adjudicators will be brought in from leading companies and organizations operating within the Canton Network ecosystem, who are thereby aligned with the ecosystem’s vision and long-term needs. These may include… + + +- Cantor8 + +- The Canton Foundation + +- Digital Asset + +- Cumberland + +Prizes for the hackathons will take the form of: + +- Cash prizes + +- Start-up funding & support + +- Roles and internships at organizations within the Canton ecosystem + +### Fellowship Programs + +Implementing fellowship/ambassador programs at partner universities will both: + +1. Provide an in-person and incentivized presence for Canton Network at the world’s best universities. + +2. Provide a crucial touchpoint/point of communication for Cantor8 and Canton Network within said universities. + +Cantor8 will aim to select two students at each university, who will be remunerated on a monthly basis and will hold the position for a minimum term of one-year. The two selected students will each bring different strengths and backgrounds, as detailed below: + +**Student 1**: Will have a market focus, and will take lead on spreading the business and market opportunities in Canton. They will likely have had exposure to markets personally through internships or work or undertaking a markets related subject. + +**Student 2**: Will have a technical background, and will take lead on spreading a technical/developer understanding of Canton Network. They will likely be undertaking a Master’s Degree or PhD and will be able to drive technical research on behalf of the Canton Network ecosystem. + +Each university Blockchain Society will take lead on organizing events and ensure the needs of the Canton Network ecosystem are met. Not necessarily with a technical background, the student will have a high EQ and will ensure that job advertisements, hackathons/events, internship opportunities, and other initiatives, are well proliferated. + +## Phase II — Specialization + +Building on a foundational understanding and awareness created by Phase I, Phase II of Cantor8’s University Program taps into a smaller but more impactful demographic of experts, entrepreneurs, and potentially employees for Canton-adjacent companies. + + +#### Focused Lecture Series + +These lectures will take place at the world’s leading universities, as mentioned in Phase I. Audiences may consist of students specialized in a specific field, or existing executives at leading business schools. + +Speakers will be world leaders in their chosen fields and will provide resources and insights unavailable online or from other resources. + +Potential Speakers: + +- Eric Sarieniecki + +- Chris Zuhelke + +- Shaul Kfir + +- Robin Krom + +### Canton Network Incubator + +Objective: Build an ongoing incubation pipeline for founders emerging from partner universities. + +One of the most exciting aspects of the entire program, Cantor8 will establish and maintain an incubation pipeline of founders emerging from leading universities. + +As part of this, Cantor8 will: + +Communicate to universities the current needs of the Canton Network ecosystem to ensure founders create useful solutions. + +Provide multi-avenue support to founders (e.g. funding, development, network). + +Ensure that Canton ecosystem funds and VCs have direct access to the suite of high calibre founders emerging from the incubator program. + +### Talent Pipeline + +Blockchain ecosystems live and die by the talent they are able to attract and maintain. + +As part of its program, Cantor8 will foster and oversee a system for high quality students to transition into work placements and full-time roles at Canton Network adjacent companies and organizations. + +This pipeline will be created by collaborating with universities to ensure that, amongst other things… + +Attractive job opportunities are advertised to student bodies (via newsletters, community groups, word of mouth, etc.). + +Employers are given priority placements at university events and conferences. + +Students understand the long-term potential of both Canton Network and its associated companies. + +[Target Milestone: 20+ high quality applications, or 3+ job placements] + +### Bootcamps & Intensive Programs + +Objective: Upskill students and builders through 1–4 week intensives. + +### Goals: + +Upskill future workforce and builders. + +Convert side projects into research/start-ups. + +Increase quality applications into ecosystem organizations. + +## Phase III — Full Academic Integration + +The third and final phase of Cantor8’s University Program is perhaps the most meaningful, and certainly the most ambitious - It sees Canton-focused education become a core component of educational curricula and solidifies the pipelines established in Phases I & II. + +### Inclusion in Course Curricula + +At leading universities, key aspects of the Canton Network ecosystem will have either dedicated courses & modules established, or be absorbed into existing courses and curricula. + +It will be supported by Canton Network’s growing presence and reputation on a wider scale, Canton having percolated deeply into traditional finance over the course of three years. + +Topics and areas of study may include… + +The Daml smart contract language. + +Upgrades to the Protocol; introducing the latest cryptography, improving scaling… + +Canton Network’s growing role in traditional finance. + +The legal aspects of bringing RWAs onchain and the process of tokenization + +| # | Deliverable | Description | SV Weight | Time | +|----|------------|------------|-----------|------| +| 1 | Fellows Program | Create a Canton Fellows Program (Approved by Foundation). 8+ fellows across minimum 3 universities. | +0.5 | +90 Days | +| 1 | Fellows Adoption Bonus | Conduct competitive selection and award 3+ Canton Fellowships across a minimum of 3 Foundation-approved Universities. | +0.5 | +180 Days (?) | +| 2 | Educational Programme | Establish Canton presence at a Top 25 World Ranked University and create a continuous programme including: 1 yearly large lecture (100+ attendees), 1 yearly hackathon, 5–7 subject lectures yearly, 5–7 technical workshops (2026/2027), Summer Schools (2026/2027). | +1 | +360 Days | +| 2 | Educational Programme Adoption Bonus | Expand into at least 2 more leading Universities. | +0.25 per University (Max +1) | — | +| 3 | Incubation Programme | Partner with Canton Foundation & Ecosystem Fund to create Incubator. 5+ applications released in 2026. | +0.5 per Featured App in Production exceeding $1m fees (Max +2) | +2 Years | +| 34 | Curriculum Integration / Research | Add Canton/Daml to at least one course. Sponsor 3+ PhD-level (or higher) Daml/Canton research grants. | +0.5 per item (Max +1) | Up to 2 Years | +| 4 | Termination Clause | If programmes stop after milestones are achieved, the SV Weight will be revoked going forward. | Up to max reward | — | + + +### SV Reward Mechanics + +* An extraBeneficiary PartyID associated with the 'escrowed' Super Validator will be set up by the Foundation, or another SV node operator approved to provide SV rewards escrow services, with an SV Weight at the maximum earnable weight. + * The Applicant is responsible for coordinating the process of setting up the escrowed weights with the GSF and the operator of the SV node. + * The Applicant is responsible for all costs associated with the operation of the escrow SV. + * The escrow SV will NOT mint rewards on a block-by-block basis. + * All escrow SV rewards will go to the Unclaimed Rewards pool. +* ⅔ of the Super Validator Operators will update their configurations to allow the escrowing SV node to host the full weight to be earned by the given Super Validator. +* Applicant is required to present proof of successful completed milestones to the Tokenomics Working Group. + * Applicant must present a calculation for the number of Canton Coin it should earn for meeting milestone requirements. +If the Tokenomics Working Group agrees the milestone has been met and approves the calculation, an announcement will be sent via the Tokenomics-Announce mailing list. + * The GSF will update the extraBeneficiary to an active PartyID controlled by that Super Validator. + * ⅔ of Super Validator Operators will then assign a portion of the Unclaimed Rewards to be minted by the Applicant's Validator, based on the approved calculation. +* If any milestones and associated rewards are not achieved by the deadline: + * Applicant will be notified they have not met a deliverable by the GSF. + * Remaining SV Weight assigned to the extraBeneficiary SV will be removed from the GSF node configuration, and the total SV weight of the GSF SV node will be reduced by the same amount by a vote of the Super Validators. + * The Tokenomics Working Group will make a recommendation to the SVs on what to do with the Unclaimed Rewards. + +## Motivation + +Canton’s success depends on (i) high-quality builders, (ii) credible institutional understanding, and a strong pipeline from education → innovation → employment. + +The world’s leading universities are leverage points for all three: + +They generate founders disproportionately. + +They influence regulators and institutions through research and alumni networks. + +They are where talent pipelines are formed early. + +This program creates structured pathways for awareness, education, and adoption—while aligning output to ecosystem needs (apps, hires, research). + +## Rationale + +The three-phase design is intended to: + +Start broad, then deepen: Phase I builds awareness at scale; Phase II converts interest into expertise and production output; Phase III makes it durable through curricula and labs. + +Create compounding effects: Fellows sustain momentum between events; hackathons feed the incubator; incubator outputs feed talent pipelines; formal curricula stabilize the long-term base. + +Align incentives with measurable outcomes: Deliverables are milestone-driven and tied to SV Weight, with an escrow mechanism and revocation clause to reduce drift and ensure accountability. + +Reference Implementation + +N/A (programmatic CIP). +Operational templates, contracts, event playbooks, and verification criteria may be added as appendices in future revisions. + +## Copyright + +This CIP is licensed under CC0-1.0: Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal. + +## Changelog +* 2026-02-10: Initial proposal.