With Gratitude for Gitcoin🤝🤖🟢

ODTU Blockchain embodies optimistic vision and the Quadratic Funding (QF) concept, aligning with the Gitcoin Grants Program's transformative vision. Similar to the program's empowerment of web3 enthusiasts, we leverage QF's amplification to drive meaningful impact. Just as humanity's essence lies in cooperation, ODTU Blockchain advocates for equitable rewards for impactful contributions. Like Ether's Phoenix, we embrace optimism and envision a future where collaborative revolution is rewarded. We stride toward a harmonious future, inviting those who share our commitment to make a tangible impact.

Who Are We? 🎓

ODTU Blockchain was established in 2021 in Ankara, Turkey by Middle East Technical University (METU, also known as ODTU in Turkish) students with the aim of creating an innovative and dynamic community within the Turkish and global blockchain ecosystem. We, as ODTU Blockchain, are proudly contributing to the ecosystem for the past 3 years. 🎉

Our background in successfully attracting people from all over the country, along with our expertise in organizing global events, gives us influence and recognition as one of the most respected and followed communities in Turkey. Moreover, our experienced developer team positions us as one of the most desirable hubs for future Turkish developers. We have a vast network and close relationships with other communities and can garner support from the entire ecosystem through various channels, including Twitter Spaces, workshops, ranDEVu, and more. 🔗

At ODTU Blockchain, our primary focus is to support and collaborate with other communities and institutions in Turkey. We aim to contribute to the development of the blockchain ecosystem in our country by engaging in joint projects and initiatives.

• 🔬 Mission: Our mission is to foster an innovative and dynamic community within the Turkish and global blockchain ecosystem, bringing valuable individuals and ideas into the ecosystem.

• 🌐 Vision: As students of Middle East Technical University, we envision a future where blockchain technology shapes the world and creates diverse opportunities across different fields.

Target Audience 🎯

Our initiatives cater to the following groups:

-Blockchain communities of universities and students interested in blockchain technology.

-Academics interested in cryptography, finance, and blockchain development.

-Blockchain and Web3 startups seeking consulting or development assistance in the blockchain field.

Previous Works 📋

• 🏫 Blockchain Fundamentals: We have successfully conducted numerous educational sessions on blockchain fundamentals, attracting many students and individuals interested in the subject. To make these resources accessible to the public, we have uploaded the session recordings to our YouTube channel.

• 🎫 Blockchain Days 2022: In December 2022, we organized a two-day blockchain summit in Ankara, which was the largest of its kind in the city. More than 1000 people attended, and the event featured 18 different subject headings, including finance, law, and cryptology. We hosted 41 expert speakers who shared their knowledge and insights. Additionally, we organized four workshops during the summit, allowing our participants to engage with the showcased products and applications.

• 🎫 Blockchain Days 2024: In March 2024, Blockchain Days, which attracted more than 1000 participants, brought together 33 expert speakers with 25 different panel topics. At this summit, where we discussed Blockchain technology in various fields such as law, security, design, and more, participants not only enhanced their knowledge but also had the opportunity to get to know top-level projects in the market. We will upload all panel videos from the summit to our YouTube channel soon, making them accessible to thousands of people. Additionally, with a total of 3 workshops, participants had the opportunity to further develop themselves. In addition, by hosting the second day of our summit online, we enabled blockchain enthusiasts who couldn’t be physically present to watch our panels.

• 📜 ranDEVu: We hold monthly developer meet-ups in Ankara, providing a platform for open discussions and networking opportunities among developers in the blockchain ecosystem.

• ⚙️ Workshops: We regularly host informative workshops led by industry leaders. Furthermore, we collaborate with global projects such as Nansen, Secret, Aleo, and Binance, offering networking and educational opportunities. We have conducted more than 15 workshops so far.

• 🧑‍💻 dApp Development Series: In our DApp development series on YouTube, we have created comprehensive step-by-step tutorials covering various cutting-edge concepts in the Web3 ecosystem.

• 🔺 Avalanche Validator Node: We have deployed and run an Avalanche Node! On August 22, 2022, we became the first university blockchain community in the world to achieve this milestone. While we are not currently actively validating, we are planning to activate it again in the near future!

• 🚦 Ready, Set, Devconnect!: In October 2023, we organized an event in Ankara for blockchain enthusiasts as the excitement for Devconnect grew. Our event was Ethereum Foundation-supported and ignited the Devconnect spirit in Ankara. Participants had the opportunity to listen to valuable talks, delve into the world of Ethereum, and connect with like-minded individuals. The event offered free tickets, and we were honored to have skylar.eth from the Ethereum Foundation with us. In addition, important projects such as Aleo, Cartesi, Starknet, Clave, and Phaver were among our partners, and we had over 100 participants.

• 🐦 Using our community Twitter account, we organized discussions on Twitter Spaces with many experienced individuals, aiming to broaden people’s horizons.

• 🗣️ Besides our own hosted events, we contributed to people’s education by attending as speakers at various events.

• 📜 Written Sources: We published 22 Medium articles covering various topics, providing them for people to use.

Hackathon Achievements 🏆

ODTU Blockchain has consistently excelled in various prestigious hackathons, demonstrating our team's technical expertise, innovative thinking, and dedication to solving real-world challenges. We have received notable prizes and recognition from renowned hackathon events, showcasing our ability to deliver cutting-edge solutions in the Web3 space. Here are some highlights of our remarkable achievements:

• 🎭 Avalanche Barcelona Hackathon 2022 – Best Use of Covalent API : At the Avalanche Barcelona Hackathon, our team leveraged Covalent's powerful API to enhance the functionality of decentralized applications on the Avalanche blockchain.

• 🚲 ETHGlobal Amsterdam 2022 – Mina Protocol – Third Place : In the ETHAmsterdam 2022 Hackathon, we secured the third-place position by creating a novel application(ERC721-like standard) for the Mina Protocol.

• 🏰 ETHPrague Hackathon 2022 – Hacker's Favorite Award : At ETHPrague Hackathon 2022, our project received the prestigious Hacker's Favorite Award, recognizing the popularity and positive feedback from fellow participants and judges.

• 🥨 ETHBerlin Hackathon 2022 – Lens Protocol Pool Prize : During ETHBerlin Hackathon 2022, our team was honored with the Lens Protocol Pool Prize for developing an encrypted messaging platform.

• 🌱 EnerjiSA Hackathon 2022 – First Place : At the EnerjiSA hackathon, centered around ReFi, our team secured the top position with our innovative project on carbon credits and energy trading.

• 🔒 ETHPrivacy & Scaling Explorations 2023 – First Place : In the ETHPrivacy & Scaling Explorations Hackathon 2023, we claimed the coveted first-place position by presenting a privacy-focused solution.

• 🥐 ETHGlobal Paris 2023 – 4 Prizes : At ETHParis 2023, we secured four prizes from different sponsors (UMA, zkBob, Push Protocol, Neon EVM).

• 🕌 ETHGlobal Istanbul 2023 Hackathon- Significant Success : Participating with 4 teams, we achieved significant success by winning numerous awards and ranking high in the competition. (Arbitrum, Chiliz, Filecoin, Scroll, Worldcoin)