Swiss non-profit organization, NEAR Foundation has entered into a partnership with Sankore, a Kenyan blockchain community to launch a regional hub.
The blockchain hub will drive current blockchain innovation, education, and talent development throughout Africa.
Kevin Imani, founder of Sankore, will oversee the hub, which will be comprised of events, an academy, an incubation program, and the Sankore Bounty ecosystem. Outside of Nairobi, NEAR will also be working in lesser-known cities in Kenya where no other Layer 1 blockchain has an established presence as yet.
Imani said, “Our dream is to lead the way in blockchain innovations in providing solutions to Africa’s biggest problems. The NEAR Protocol allows tomorrow’s brightest developers to build custom solutions with scalability, security, and transparency and this hub is the next step in turning our shared vision into reality.”
The education side of the project is already making connections with local universities and registered students on workshops, and six students have already become officially certified developers.
“We are excited by the potential avenues throughout Africa for blockchain solutions, which come from innovation in development, education and talent,” said Marieke Flament, CEO of the NEAR Foundation.
“This hub represents a unique opportunity to partner with local talent not only for the opportunities that we know exist today but also for the opportunities yet to be created in the future.”
