Cardano Foundation and PUC-Rio Announce Strategic Collaboration to Advance Blockchain Research & Development
Cardano Foundation and PUC-Rio, one of the top five Brazilian universities for R&D, will drive research focused on blockchain economics, DeFi, governance of DAOs, and digital assets
Zug, Switzerland – 15th of April – The Cardano Foundation today announced its collaboration with the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio), one of the top-ranked universities in Latin America, aimed at advancing research and development in blockchain technology. Following both the Cardano Foundation and PUC-Rio’s collaborations with Petrobras, the partnership will specifically focus on blockchain applications within the energy sector.
PUC-Rio is one of the top five private universities globally for excellence in research and development. Through this collaboration, the Cardano Foundation will support PUC-Rio’s Ledger Labs, a research group dedicated to advancing the use of Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) in business and finance. The collaboration will drive research in key areas such as blockchain economics, decentralized finance (DeFi), governance of decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs), and digital assets.
This joint initiative will focus initially on developing innovative blockchain-based solutions to enhance the production, consumption, and value chain of renewable energy fuels. It will involve collaboration with industry partners, including the state-owned giant Petrobras. By leveraging blockchain technology, the project aims to optimize processes, improve efficiency, and ensure greater transparency and security in the energy sector through sustainable practices.
Frederik Gregaard, CEO of the Cardano Foundation, said,
"At the core of blockchain advancement are education and innovation. Through our collaboration with esteemed academic institutions like PUC-Rio, the Cardano Foundation ensures that the next generation of developers, industry leaders, and regulators can harness this transformative technology to its fullest potential—creating solutions that address real-world challenges and drive positive global impact."
Leonardo Lima, Vice-Dean and head of Ledger Labs, said,
“Our partnership with the Cardano Foundation marks the beginning of the development of a series of use cases, not only in the energy industry but also in the field of philanthropy, with a focus on social impact projects. It is a great pleasure to collaborate with one of the world’s leading blockchains, renowned for its security and ESG principles.”
Beyond research and development, the collaboration will foster the growth of PUC-Rio’s blockchain ecosystem through joint events, support for social and sustainable initiatives, and co-participation in projects with other entities. The Foundation will also support A.L.B.A (Ada Labs for Blockchain Applications) at Ledger Labs, following the standards previously delivered at Universidad Technologica Nacional (UTN) in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Rafael Fraga, LATAM Business Development Lead of the Cardano Foundation, said,
“Our partnership with PUC-Rio marks the Cardano Foundation’s second collaboration with a Brazilian entity this year. Last month, we announced our partnership with SERPRO, the world's largest public IT company, and we have been collaborating with Petrobras, Brazil’s state-owned energy company, since 2023. We look forward to working closely with PUC-Rio and Petrobras to help shape education and enterprise efforts for Brazil’s blockchain developers and innovators.”
The announcement follows other educational partnerships previously announced by the Cardano Foundation, including the Universidad Tecnológica Nacional (UTN) of Buenos Aires, the state of Entre Ríos in Argentina, Brazil’s Petrobras and SERPRO, and the Dubai Blockchain Center. In advancing its mission, the Cardano Foundation continues to seek out and develop more opportunities for educational partnerships across stakeholders and around the world.