As portals into a multi-faceted, ever-evolving ecosystem, NEAR Regional Hubs are communities where new projects and teams can meet and learn from Web3 natives and early adopters. Led by local entrepreneurs, and operating as independent legal entities, NEAR Regional Hubs are crucial in helping NEAR Foundation reach its missions and objectives around the world. With fully operational outposts in Asia, the Balkans, Ukraine, and Kenya, these hubs are vibrant incubators of Web3 communities, talent, and products. 

To get a better idea of how they operate and what each is up to, let’s take a deep dive into NEAR Regional Hubs. 

NEAR Regional Hubs: Mission, structure and operations

“Each hub has its own flavor,” says Grace Torrellas, NEAR Foundation’s Head of Regional Hubs. “No hub is expected to be a specific way, or follow the same organization or structure.” 

Hubs tend to follow one of two primary approaches: local awareness and education or product lab and ecosystem fund. In the first, hubs generate local awareness and onboard new users, as well as support project building on NEAR. There are also activations through press releases, IRL events, and major local blockchain or tech events. Hubs that opt for this approach, like NEAR Kenya, are major drivers of NEAR Education programs, creating opportunities for developers and students to learn Web3 skills.

The hub as a product lab or ecosystem fund drives adoption by working closely with projects from idea to execution. They also create partnerships with relevant organizations and government agencies. These hubs function like incubators with fundraising, accelerator, community building, and user acquisition functions.

NEAR Asia: The first and largest regional hub

Led by Amos Zhang, a Web3 investor and entrepreneur, NEAR Asia has undergone quite an evolution since inception. What began as an organizing force for NEAR’s Chinese community, it’s expanded to now include Korea and Vietnam.  Featuring a product lab and ecosystem fund, along with $5M in funding from Metaweb, NEAR Asia is an active incubator of Web3 projects. 

The hub has also been instrumental in helping the NEAR Foundation secure funding for Web3 talent and project development. NEAR Asia supports users, developers and entrepreneurs in Asia by hosting events, hackathons, translated content, and more.

“Half of global internet users are in Asia, home to apps like WeChat, Alipay, and Metituan,” says Zhang. “Mobile payments are also highly common in many Asian countries like China and Korea. This creates a great base and perfect fit for adopting blockchain technology, and NEAR’s mission has always been to make blockchain easy and usable by mainstream users.”

The NEAR Chinese community is one of the largest communities in Greater China. Over 50,000 users engage in various community-hosted channels. And many developers and entrepreneurs are actively building on NEAR. 

In late 2021, NEAR Asia partnered with Alibaba’s Taobao for its Maker Festival. Hosted by China’s leading e-commerce platform, which generated more than $500 billion USD in revenue in 2020, Taobao Maker Festival (TMF) is an annual summit for top creators and innovators from the Taobao community. Taobao debuted “Too Rich City,” the first and only public chain-based NFTs created by artist Huang Heshan.

Zhang says that Vietnam is one of NEAR’s biggest communities, with more than 30,000 members. This community is highly active on Telegram, Facebook, and Discord. The Vietnamese community recently partnered with GFS to run online education events to promote the NEAR ecosystem and educate both investors and developers.

NEAR Ukraine: A hub within a hub

Activated in late 2021, the Ukraine Hub is very much developer-oriented. But Anton Vaisburd, who leads the Ukraine Regional Hub, sees a multi-faceted community. 

“From one point of view, we’re an independent organization and kind of a for-profit organization,” says Vaisburd. “On the other, we’re a regional hub and community of people building on NEAR. We’re helping everybody out of Ukraine, building the product lab, and deeply connected with the foundation as a whole ecosystem.”

NEAR Ukraine’s venture arm includes a product lab, which funds projects building on NEAR. The hub also performs marketing and PR functions, as well as organizing events like hackathons, conferences, and more. 

Amidst NEAR Ukraine’s hustle and bustle, the war in Ukraine weighs heavily on the community.

“There hasn’t been a single hour we haven’t thought about it,” says Vaisburd. “I would love to say that it’s business as usual, but it’s not. You’re thinking about the importance of not only building social initiatives like helping Ukrainian refugees but also supporting the government and army, and trying to fight Russia in every way possible.”

“What we realized is that we should do what we can do best, and that’s build products,” Vaisburd adds. “We’re trying to work harder because the better we work, the better we can actually perform, and the more we can pay taxes and support Ukraine.”

With its current home in Lisbon, NEAR Ukraine is hub within a hub. The community is keenly aware of this. So NEAR Ukraine is creating an inclusive atmosphere in Lisbon, where local citizens, refugees, and expats from around the world can gather.

“We’re trying to build a Web3 community for all in Lisbon,” says Vaisburd. “Soon, we’re going to announce our crypto summer house, where we are going to gather everyone, plan events, and host hackathons.”

NEAR Balkans: Seven countries, one Web3 hub

NEAR Balkans, which officially launched two months ago, started to coalesce in the summer of 2021. That’s when crypto natives Edi Sinovcic and Luka Sucic—the hub’s co-founders and current advisors—decided to unite Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Slovenia into a single Web3 community. 

Ida Pandur, the General Manager of NEAR Balkans, says the hub has three primary areas of focus: Web3 education and community building, partnerships with traditional businesses, and product development. 

“Basically, the idea was to bring seven countries into the hub, into a community,” says Pandur. “Educate the community about Web3, about the opportunities, and how NEAR is the main facilitator of these Web3 opportunities within the region.”

Community building and Web3 education at NEAR Balkans has already included a number of local meetups across the Balkans. The hub is also sponsoring specific Web3 conferences and building relationships with universities to attract students. 

“We are also preparing custom-made education for the developers to get certified on NEAR and Web3,” says Pandur. “We believe once you educate the market, then it’s easier to do everything else.”

Parallel to education, NEAR Balkans works with both traditional and Web3 companies interested in Web3 integration. To help facilitate this process, the hub distributes grants to projects they see as showing potential. The hub is also available to companies looking to transition to NEAR from other Web3 platforms; and to individuals and teams looking to build projects from scratch. 

“We have our own research and development lab, and are looking to launch three products in the next few months,” Pandur says. “Two products are going to be in the DeFi space, and the other is going to be an NFT product. So, products are going to be a main focus of our hub.”

NEAR Kenya: Spreading word of Web3

NEAR Kenya is taking a different tack by building community from the ground up. 

“What’s lacking on the ground is predominantly a basic understanding of blockchain and why it’s important,” says Kevin Imani, NEAR Kenya Hub General Manager and Sankore Guild founder.

Community members want to learn about Web3. But job prospects are also top of mind. To meet these needs, NEAR Kenya funnels individuals into NEAR Education programs. 

“We’re promoting NEAR Education different certification programs,” says Imani. “We’re also getting involved with universities. By that I mean having a stand in a college hallway and telling students, hey, we have this thing going on this Saturday. Just come and we’ll break down some of these principles.”

“We’re replicating NEAR Education content and breaking it down to the basics,” says Imani. “The end goal is to get them a job. So, hopefully, we’ll have one of the first Africa-based developer shops, where developers can be hired from other parts of the NEAR ecosystem, and jump on really exciting projects.” 

Imani believes these efforts will bear future fruit—a self-sustaining Web3 community in Kenya and neighboring countries. One built on a playbook based on speed, execution, inclusivity, and scalability.

“The playbook will showcase how a Layer 1 protocol can be leveraged to implement blockchain in Eastern Africa, and do it effectively,” says Imani. “A 360-degree experience of someone who’s never been exposed to Web3, making sure there’s a space for them, all the way to bringing apps built by local talent onto NEAR mainnet. And just solving problems from infrastructure to decentralized finance, etc, in our respective region.” 

“Within a few years we’ll have some components in place, although it won’t be perfect,” Imani says. “Something tangible where we can say, ‘Hey, guys, we actually built something totally new.’”

Bringing NEAR hubs to other regions

Many other NEAR Regional Hubs are in active development. The LATAM Regional Hub, which would include several Latin American countries, is currently in the works. The hub is spearheaded by Claudio Cossio, founder of Metapool and Hispano Guild, an early NEAR Guild. 

“The LATAM Hub will focus more on education, and there are two programs that are quite critical in that education pipeline,” says Torrellas. “NEAR-certified developer and NEAR certified entrepreneur. Those two will allow the hub to pair the students with projects.” 

NEAR Foundation is now focusing on India, home to a large number of developers and strong interest in Web3. The government has even expressed interest in having NEAR be part of university curricula. This hub will feature both education and innovation.”

Torrellas says a hub in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) is another area of interest. Many successful Indian developers have moved to Dubai, making the UAE a natural fit for a NEAR Regional Hub. And, of course, the United States will also feature a number of Hub Nodes forming part of the NEAR Regional Hubs network. Efforts are now underway to begin establishing hubs in Austin,  San Francisco, New York City, and Miami. 

“There are so many places in the world where we know great opportunities seed, we are at the best time to build strong local connections and get people on board,” says Torrellas. “We need to focus on where those opportunities are.”

Check out the complete series on the NEAR Community:

• Part 1: Web3 vs Web2 Communities  
• Part 2: Decentralized Community Building on NEAR
• Part 3: NEAR Regional Hubs
• Part 4: The Future of Community on NEAR

The post NEAR Community in Focus: NEAR Regional Hubs appeared first on NEAR Protocol.

This week, NEAR is excited to announce the launch of the NEAR Balkans Regional Hub, which will accelerate onboarding of Web3 talents and blockchain projects in the Balkans. The Balkans Regional Hub is only the latest, though certainly not the last, node Borderless Tech Associationin the NEAR Foundation’s ongoing efforts to globalize and democratize the Web3 industry. 

Web3 growth and talent in the Balkans

The Balkans is home to an incredibly talented and tech-savvy community. NEAR Balkans will tap into this deep pool of talent and creativity, accelerating the development of new Web3 projects and skills throughout the region. 

Beyond the region’s deep developer talent pool, the Balkans is also home to a growing community that includes startups and established businesses. Even before the hub’s launch, the Balkans had a number of Web3 success stories, attracting investor and global VC attention. 

Taken together, the region’s talent and startups made the Balkans an ideal node in NEAR’s Regional Hub network. 

NEAR Balkan’s mission

Established in partnership with the , NEAR Balkans provides the local community with tools and support to begin building on the NEAR protocol. The hub will be a resource for developers and entrepreneurs looking to educate themselves about the technology, and to expand the NEAR ecosystem. 

NEAR Balkans will also serve as a funnel for NEAR Foundation Grants. These grants will be made available to developers, entrepreneurs, and Web2 businesses with promising and innovative ideas for Web3 apps.   

The Balkans hub will also guide founders, developers, and community members throughout their journey. Beyond funding and education, NEAR Balkans will facilitate partnerships, mentoring, and incubation for both individuals and teams. The hub will also focus on launching new products from its innovation lab. The aim is to inspire the region’s entrepreneurs, and showcase why building in a more decentralized and democratized way is the future.

The Hub will drive activities and cover the following countries: Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Slovenia.

The NEAR Balkans team

The NEAR Balkans Hub features a team of more than 15 Web3 experts and blockchain enthusiasts. Team members come from a variety of backgrounds, including business, education, product labs and more. 

Collectively, the NEAR Balkans team members will leverage their Web3 experience in managing projects in the Balkan region. These efforts are crucial in driving the NEAR ecosystem’s growth, not only in the Balkans but also globally.

“We are dedicated to bringing the best of education and opportunities for companies and individuals interested in Web3 through strong local support across our Balkan region, which is full of creative, technical and business talents,” says Ida Pandur, General Manager of NEAR Balkans. We are looking forward to forming strong partnerships with teams, businesses and universities to bring the mission to execution.” 

An inspiring launch in the Balkans

Since coalescing six months ago, NEAR Balkans is officially launching on a high note. From Zagreb, Croatia to Belgrade, Serbia and Sofia, Bulgaria, the hub is lively base of developers, entrepreneurs, and students participating in a number of activities, from meetups to hackathons and internships. 

The hub has also launched several products on NEAR from its innovation lab, focusing on Web3 arenas such DeFi and NFTs. One such project is Electrocoin, the company behind Bitcoin Mjenjacnica, one of the biggest crypto exchanges in the region. Electrocoin enables customers to transfer money from crypto to fiat and vice versa. The app will also allow users to pay their bills and invoices. 

Another project, CircuitMess, is building innovative DIY STEM toys for kids, and are currently at work on NFT integration. CircuitMess wants to equip children with the skills to build on Web3 today. 

The NEAR Balkans hub includes regional ambassadors, who attend meetups and share valuable information and contacts to anyone interested in learning or building on NEAR. There are tentative plans to hold 3 to 5 meetups a month across different Balkans cities, as well as two live hackathons in the coming months. 

Much like the NEAR Ukraine Regional Hub, NEAR Balkans is able to reach a large pool of developers. The hub is particularly focused on leveraging this talent pool for its Web3 education efforts, including workshops and collaborations with regional universities. It is also funneling students from a variety of backgrounds into the NEAR Certified Developer program. 

NEAR Balkans is only the beginning of what will be a long and prosperous journey of Web3 innovation in the region. 

The post NEAR Launches Balkans Regional Hub to Incubate Web3 Talent and Projects appeared first on NEAR Protocol.

The hub, led by Sankore founder Kevin Imani and a core team of four members, will organize events, launch an academy and incubator, and be part of the Sankore Bounty ecosystem. 

“We are thrilled to be working with NEAR to educate and nurture talented individuals to become world-class blockchain developers,” says Kevin Imani. “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.”

How NEAR Meets kickstarted the Kenya Regional Hub

Crucially, the new Kenya Regional Hub didn’t come out of nowhere. The Sankore-led NEAR Meets had overwhelming attendance, and were already hubs for locals gathering for blockchain and NEAR protocol education. 

The NEAR Meets a space to share ideas and create new Open Web opportunities. As such, these events created networking opportunities amongst both locals and the larger NEAR community. 

At the recent “Harnessing Opportunities in Web3” in Nakuru, a NEAR-Certified Developer helped local Kenyan developers become certified NEAR developers. The hub’s education arm already has strong connections with local universities, and registered 77 students in the NEAR Certified Developer Workshops. Seven other students are currently in NEAR Certified Analysts Workshops, while six students are already certified NEAR developers.

Incubating blockchain projects in Africa

With Sankore’s track record as a Kenyan project incubator, the Kenya Regional Hub will hit the ground running. 

Sankore created local traction by supporting several forward-thinking blockchain projects. Kilimo Shwari, for instance, helps local farmers hedge against agricultural uncertainties, like bad weather and Kenya’s recent locust invasion. Kilimo Shwari’s smart contract-based insurance gathers data on these and other uncertainties, and then automatically compensates farmers in advance. 

Another Sankore-backed project, Ledja, tackles document fraud throughout Africa. In partnership with local universities, Ledja is using the NEAR protocol to digitize and verify qualifications and legal documents. 

Africa’s rapid cryptocurrency adoption

Over the past decade, African countries have been undergoing a rapid digital revolution. The continent’s cryptocurrency adoption jumped 1,200% from July 2020 to June 2021, the fastest adoption rate in the world. 

“We are excited by the potential avenues throughout Africa for blockchain solutions, which come from innovation in development, education and talent,” says 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.”

The Kenya Regional Hub will demonstrate just how how easy it is to onboard into NEAR’s fast, low-cost, and safe ecosystem. They will find a host of DeFi projects, DAOs, NFT marketplaces, and more on NEAR. By showcasing these vibrant NEAR ecosystem projects, the Kenya hub will help unleash the next wave of Web3 innovation. 

NEAR Foundation is investing heavily in regional hubs around the world. Kenya joins a growing list of hubs in China, the Balkans, and Ukraine, with many more in the works. Led by great local entrepreneurs, NEAR Hubs operate as independent legal entities in full alignment with the foundation’s mission and objectives. 

All regional hubs are vital to onboarding users into the NEAR ecosystem to help build a multi-chain, open web future. 

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