The 10-Day Lugano-based Summer School continues the work of Plan ₿ to proliferate mainstream blockchain adoption and crypto development

Tether Operations Limited (Tether), the technology company supporting the blockchain-enabled platform that powers the largest stablecoin by market capitalization (USD₮) and the Swiss City of Lugano have concluded the second annual Plan ₿ Summer School program. Founded to make bitcoin education accessible, the intensive 10-day program was co-organized in collaboration with the Swiss City of Lugano and three prominent Swiss Universities, Franklin University Switzerland (FUS), Università della Svizzera Italiana (USI), and University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI).

The centerpiece of this year's program revolved around Bitcoin and Peer-to-Peer technologies, both of which play a pivotal role in unlocking financial freedom and advocating freedom of speech. Students were given two course tracks to choose from – The Satoshi track, which is designed for beginners with little to no experience in coding, but with a general interest in the fundamentals of blockchain, and the Pear track for intermediate to advanced students who are passionate about coding and interested in learning how to build on Peer-to-Peer technologies.

Throughout the program, participants delved into a range of captivating subjects, including in-depth examinations of Bitcoin, the Lightning Network, stablecoins, peer-to-peer technologies, mining, blockchain analysis, regulation, and self-custody. These topics and more were thoughtfully curated to offer a comprehensive and immersive learning experience.

Starting off with nine days of instruction that featured lectures from some of the brightest industry minds, including Paolo Ardoino of Tether, Adam Back of Blockstream and Giacomo Zucco of Zuckbucks, the program culminated in a Final Pitch Competition among 11 teams. With 9000 USD₮ in prizes at stake, the teams showcased their ingenuity and creativity through innovative Bitcoin and P2P projects developed during the course. The competition was judged by a panel of industry experts, including Tether’s Paolo Ardoino and Holepunch’s Mathias Buus.

“We are proud to have hosted nearly 80 students from across 28 countries to make our second year of camp a profound success,” said Paolo Ardoino, CTO of Tether. “Education is a critical step towards mainstream adoption of blockchain, and it was truly special to witness these students develop peer-to-peer prototypes and deepen their understanding of Bitcoin and Peer-to-Peer technologies, as well as their potential impact in terms of financial freedom.”

The Plan ₿ Summer School concluded its Final Pitch Competition on a high note, shining the spotlight on the three winning teams showcasing their innovative projects.

Emerging victorious and claiming the coveted first-place position was Team Kredo. Their groundbreaking project, a P2P-based app for splitting bills, left a lasting impression on the judges and audience alike. With an ingenious implementation of Bitcoin, the app tackled common transfer and currency issues, providing users with a seamless and efficient experience. As a reward for their exceptional work, Team Kredo proudly took home the grand prize of 5000 USD₮.

Securing the second-place position was Team ParkPeerz, whose exceptional creation captivated everyone's attention. Their P2P-powered app offered a novel solution to one of the ever-growing urban challenges – parking woes. By harnessing the power of technology, users could effortlessly reserve parking spots in bustling cities, streamlining the process and reducing frustrations. For their remarkable efforts, Team ParkPeerz was awarded a well-deserved second prize of 2500 USD₮.

Claiming the third-place title was Team WeTrust, whose project showcased the true potential of blockchain technology. Their open-source blockchain infrastructure provides a fertile ground for transparency, security, and inclusivity. As a reward for their vision and hard work, Team WeTrust was presented with 1500 USD₮, encouraging them to further refine and expand their impressive platform.

The summer school concluded with students having the opportunity to attend a job fair that featured representatives from some of the most renowned companies in the space.

“It was an honor to host such a slate of innovative students at this year’s Plan ₿ Summer School, further cementing Lugano’s status as the crypto and blockchain education hub of Europe. The knowledge that these students came away with will only continue to further the growth of blockchain adoption and development across the globe,” said Michele Foletti, Mayor of the City of Lugano. “We were very pleased to partner with local universities to make this 10-day program a resounding success, and we look forward to hosting a new class of students next year.”

The work of the Plan ₿ initiative continues this October, when Tether and the city of Lugano will host the second annual Plan ₿ forum on October 20-21, 2023. For more information, visit https://planb.lugano.ch/planb-forum/.