23 December 2023 – Following
recent

initiatives
to promote blockchain innovation in Georgia, Tether today announced that it has invested an undisclosed amount into the Series-A investment round of Academy of Digital Industries, a Georgia-based progressive education platform offering an extensive range of digital training and masterclasses. This collaboration marks another milestone for Tether Operations Limited (Tether), the company operating the first and most widely used stablecoin, USDt. The investment will be ongoing and provide long-term financial assistance to build and boost a new frontier for education, providing a wide range of courses, both digital and traditional.

Founded in June 2018, the Academy of Digital Industries is built around the concept of online workshops and masterclasses that are carefully crafted to promote self-development and skillset growth. Using innovative approaches to learning that move beyond traditional educational courses, the Academy of Digital Industries has seen a consistent annual increase in student enrollment, boasting nearly 20,000 graduates and delivering close to 1,900 classes. Subject matters that the Academy offers in its learning classes include cutting-edge Design, Engineering/programming, Marketing and Business related courses Microsoft certification, financial modeling, graphic design, information technology, UI/UX design, programming, SEO optimization, and more.

By partnering with Tether, the Academy will now execute a broader global strategy, including across all its educational offerings Bitcoin, stablecoins, peer-to-peer technologies, and AI. By combining Tether’s global network, its user base, and expertise in modern payment and communication domains with the Academy’s innovative learning platform, students will have the opportunity to gain valuable hands-on experiences in several rapidly evolving industries. 

"Tether is a strong believer in financial freedom, freedom of communications, and freedom of education. High quality, accessible, and unbiased education is one of the most important pillars for the future of humanity”. said Paolo Ardoino, CEO of Tether. “Our ongoing investments into general and domain-specific education spanning across hundreds of disciplines and geographies, are congruent with Tether’s long-term goals of championing financial freedom and innovation across the globe. Tether is thrilled to collaborate with the Academy of Digital Industries, whose innovations are significantly increasing access to this crucial education in Georgia, with plans to expand rapidly globally. Our shared vision is to bridge knowledge gaps, making information, technology, payments, and communication more accessible and understood, and ultimately drive their global adoption."

In addition to announcing this partnership, Tether also completed its first educational program in the country of Georgia titled “Mastering The Blockchain,” which was created in collaboration with the Academy of Digital Industries, as well as the Georgian Agency for Innovation and Technology (GITA) and Business and Technology University. This three-week intensive course taught Georgian and foreign students about the fundamentals of Bitcoin, blockchain, and peer-to-peer technologies, as well as their impact on both traditional and decentralized finance.

Tether’s “Mastering the Blockchain'' course featured guest lecturers from the Plan ₿ Summer School, which welcomed nearly 80 students from across 28 countries to attend its
second annual 10-day program
in the Swiss city of Lugano. Confirmed speakers include Paolo Ardoino, CEO of Tether and CTO of Bitfinex, Mathias Buus, CEO of Holepunch, Zulfi Moledina, Senior Training Specialist at Chainalysis, George Gvazava, the Chief Crypto Officer at Bank of Georgia, and Beka Kemertelidze and Eralp Tatipoglu, co-founders of CityPay.io.

This collaboration is a testament to Tether's dedication to education, further solidifying its position as a leader in the blockchain industry. By joining forces with the Academy of Digital Industries, Tether has taken a significant step toward building a more inclusive and educated digital future.