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ARPA Network and Bella Protocol, two innovative blockchain entities, announce the launch of research and education initiatives for students. The new program is set to address the shortage in Web3 and AI segment workforces.
ARPA Network, Bella Protocol present University Crypto Research Alliance
BLS blockchain ecosystem ARPA Network and trading platform Bella Protocol have entered into a long-term strategic collaboration to foster blockchain developers education globally.
The two entities teamed up to fuel first-of-its-kind University Crypto Research Alliance, which connects students with the Web3 profession, providing structured research fellowships, mentorship programs and hands-on development training.
Backed by prominent Web3 incubator Penrose, the initiative goes beyond funding alone, offering to build a sustainable pipeline of skilled devs equipped to handle the next wave of technological change and innovation.
Moreover, the alliance connects with students at a grassroots level, supporting their respective university blockchain clubs with grants and helping them host events, workshops and hackathons.
Application campaign for fall/winter 2026 season running
At the core of the platform is its five-week fellowship program. Fellows will work alongside ARPA and Bella’s R&D teams on topics such as cryptography, artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain technology.
Students will contribute to practical research involving verifiable AI, privacy-preserving computation and zero-knowledge applications. Not only that, the fellowship will also include access to leadership panels, conferences and forums, giving participants a rare opportunity to build professional relationships that may benefit their future careers.
As per the teams' statements, applications are already open for the fall/winter track, with the program stretching from September 2025 to January 2026. Students will be expected to move through three phases: an application and interview stage, a research and development period and a final round of presentations where they showcase their findings.
ARPA and Bella’s collaboration comes at a time where demand for blockchain and AI expertise has surpassed the supply of available talent, with multiple studies revealing an extreme shortage of qualified developers, especially over the past year. In fact, this skill gap has slowed down the rollout of enterprise-grade blockchain applications, generative models and verifiable machine learning systems that can change the world.
As a result, universities have already begun introducing academic curriculum exposure to various crypto and AI tools, protocols and blockchain networks defining today’s technology stack.
Dan Burgin
Vladislav Sopov
U.Today Editorial Team