The 3rd Annual Business of Blockchain Technology Conference (May 29-31, 2025) at the University of Miami’s Patti and Allan Herbert Business School utilized Polkadot’s $15,000 presenting partnership and $10,000 travel budget from the Events Bounty but did not cover any compensation for personal time incurred by representing Polkadot.
Chris, visionary behind the initiative, after the University reached out to him through Athelo Group in the fall of 2024, steaming from the Conor Daly and Inter Miami CF (IMCF) partnerships with Polkadot. He flew to Miami multiple times at his own expense since October 2024 to meet with faculty, staff, the Dean, and Associate Dean, establishing credibility through the IMCF relationship. Chris represented Polkadot as presenting sponsor at the Annual Blockchain Conference, coordinated involvement from Parity, Web3 Foundation (W3F), Polkadot Blockchain Academy (PBA), EasyA, Events Bounty and local ambassadors to engage the Schools of Business, Engineering, and Arts/Sciences (Computer Science). In addition to the conference, Chris coordinated a tour for EasyA brothers Phil and Dom in the fall of 2024 to help strengthen relationships with the University. During conference week in May 2025, he co-facilitated the Miami Freedom Park (MFP) tour with Salvatore Esposito, provided exceptional hospitality at Inter Miami games engaging UM faculty (e.g., Dean Paul Pavlou, Professor Ola Henfridsson) and industry figures (e.g., Mike Spagnola, VISA, Jose Mas, Co-Owner IMCF) with James and Sal, delivered opening remarks, participated in panels and networking, and handled working with the Events Bounty for presenting partner, flights, and hotels for the conference.
Achievements During Conference Week
- Delivered impactful opening remarks alongside James Slusser, reinforcing Polkadot’s leadership in the blockchain space and at the conference and positioning Miami as a U.S. hub for 4IR that includes blockchain.
- Co-facilitated the MFP (Miami Freedom Park) tour with Salvatore Esposito, advancing discussions on a physical U.S. presence and partnerships.
- Supported hosting of high-profile guests at Inter Miami games (e.g., vs. Montreal on May 28 and vs. Columbus on May 31), enhancing Polkadot’s visibility and fostering connections with academics and industry leaders like Jose Mas, Dean Paul Pavlou, Jose Mas, and Mike Spagnola.
- Contributed to post-event follow-ups with James, PBA, W3F, EasyA, and UM faculty to pursue blockchain curriculum integration, research collaborations, hackathons, and student placements laying groundwork for a multi-year partnership including a Blockchain Technology Fall Certificate, guest lectures, and AI-blockchain synergies.
- Pulled in ecosystem projects (PBA, W3F, EasyA) and ambassadors for panels, presentations, and engagements, exceeding metrics with ≥25 academic connections and 5 curriculum/research opportunities.
Time Commitment
- Since October 2024-May 2025: Spent many hours (estimated 80+ travel) meeting with UM faculty/staff (e.g., Dean Paul Pavlou, Associate Dean Ola Henfridsson, Professors Yelena Yesha, Sakhrat Khizroev, Rony Shir, Dania), and coordinating ecosystem involvement efforts not compensated and foundational to the event's success.
- Tuesday, May 27 (4 hours): Attended and supported the monthly Polkadot Miami meetup organized by James Slusser and Salvatore Esposito.
- Wednesday, May 28 (3 hours): Hosted guests at Inter Miami game vs. Montreal, engaging PBA, W3F, Professor Ola Henfridsson, and Mike Spagnola (VISA).
- Thursday, May 29 (5 hours): Participated in the campus tour, engaging UM faculty and staff; met with the Dean to discuss partnerships.
- Friday, May 30 (8 hours): Attended the first full day of the conference, delivering opening remarks, networking with attendees (e.g., panelists from other universities, Plug In Play), and participating in reception/lunch.
- Saturday, May 31 (7 hours): Engaged in conference activities, including PBA presentation follow-ups; hosted guests at Inter Miami game vs. Columbus with Dean Paul Pavlou, his wife, and Plug In Play representatives.
- Post-event (10 hours): Handled lead distribution to PBA (Marina Marchesotti, Giselle Heleg), W3F (Filippo Franchini) and ambassadors; coordinated with UM's Orestes Hernandez on follow-ups for hackathons, research, and hiring plus submitted the full bounty report.
The time being requested is for that spent directly interfacing with University of Miami staff, conference attendees, and ecosystem coordination, though his visionary role and months of uncompensated groundwork far exceed this request. I kindly ask the community to consider the compensation (less than hours put in). The results of his work have produced ongoing talks with the University of Miami and W3F on research related case studies as well as PBA being offered as certificate courses through the university.
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