Polygon, the leading Web3 infrastructure used by some of the world’s biggest companies including Meta, Stripe, Reddit, and Xend Finance recently announced the Polygon Fellowship, an eight-week intensive certified mentorship program, and hackathon in Africa.
The Polygon Bootcamp and Hackathon will be the company’s first in Africa and introduce developers in the region to the Polygon ecosystem using Xend Finance and Polygon technologies.
Those selected for the mentor-led program will gain knowledge about creating decentralized apps on the Polygon blockchain and, following successful completion, be awarded the Polygon Africa Bootcamp Certification.
The Bootcamp will include a track for beginner and expert developers. The beginner track is for Web3 newbies and Web2 developers looking for a change. This is their start to a different career, a new web, and capturing more of the value you create. Participants will learn all about blockchain mechanics, writing smart contracts, decentralized computing, and what it takes to launch an app.
The mastery track is for the well-traveled Web3 builders with a few feathers in their cap. You might be moonlighting as a Web3 developer, or maybe you’ve committed your career to the new web. Participants will learn the ins and outs of Polygon’s scaling solutions.
Mentors and judges include Shodipo Ayomide, Global Head of Developer Advocacy of Polygon, Ugochukwu Aronu, CEO of Xend Finance, Victor Osaretin Asemota, and Yele Bademosi, CEO of Nestcoin, amongst others.
Sandeep Nailwal, COO and Co-Founder of Polygon stated, “Africa has the greatest potential to harness the power of Web3 and bring a borderless economy and stability to its people. We are excited to hold our first hackathon and fellowship in Africa, which we hope to do for years to come.”
Ugochukwu Aronu, CEO of Xend Finance also commented, “As a Web3 infrastructure for developers, which includes a crypto payment API and wallet infrastructure, we are very excited to help a generation of developers reach a global audience. Working with Polygon allows our existing developer base, along with new developers, to tap into the power of the Polygon blockchain and ecosystem using our technology. We are Africa and we are proud to support our community.”
Polygon and Xend Finance are expecting more than 2,000 developers, working with numerous developer organizations in Africa, including GDG Nairobi, amongst others. The Polygon Bootcamp is open to all applicants, with the application period starting, on September 26, and the deadline commencing on October 7.
Those selected will start the program on October 10 and end on December 2. Over $60,000 in prizes will be given out following the Hackathon, with two divisions, a Beginner’s and Master’s with first place receiving $10,000, followed by $7,000, $5,000, and $750 for the top 30 projects.
The winning projects will also be given consideration for seed funding from Polygon and exposure on Xend Launchpad, a decentralized platform giving projects exposure to international investors.