Hashgraph Ventures Pledges $1 Million to the Hedera Africa Hackathon to Accelerate Web3 and AI Innovation across Africa

Abu Dhabi, UAE – January 8th – Hashgraph Ventures Manager Ltd (“Hashgraph Ventures”), a licensed and regulated venture capital fund under the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), has announced a pledge of $1 million to the Hedera Africa Hackathon, the continent’s largest Web3 innovation event aimed at accelerating digital transformation and economic inclusion across Africa. 

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Exceptional, selected projects from the hackathon will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis for potential investment. 

This initiative reflects Hashgraph Ventures’ broader mandate to back and support exceptional high-growth, early-stage ventures and projects building real-world solutions across blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI), and deep technology.

Together with The Hashgraph Association, a Swiss non-profit driving global Hedera ecosystem adoption, and the Exponential Science Foundation, a foundation promoting responsible innovation through research and education, this partnership marks a milestone in advancing Africa’s next generation of decentralized builders.  

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With participation from United Gulf Financial Services (UGFS), total equity investment commitments now stand at $2 million, in addition to a $1 million prize pool contributed by The Hashgraph Association and Exponential Science Foundation, a not-for-profit foundation accelerating responsible tech adoption, via research, education, and innovation activities. 

Driving Institutional Capital into Africa’s Web3 Future  

As a regulated venture capital vehicle, Hashgraph Ventures operates under ADGM’s globally recognized financial framework, ensuring full transparency, governance, and investor protection. The fund is led by a seasoned team of blockchain investors and fund managers with successful global exits and deep experience deploying institutional capital across the digital asset landscape.  

 “Our pledge to invest $1 million in the Hedera Africa Hackathon reflects Hashgraph Ventures’ long-term commitment to supporting scalable, real-world adoption of distributed ledger technology,”

said Kamal Youssefi, Chairman of HashgraphVentures Manager

“We believe Africa’s developer ecosystem holds immense potential to shape the future of decentralized finance, AI-driven innovation, and digital inclusion. As a regulated FSRA fund, our mission is to back the builders and founders turning those opportunities into tangible impact.”  

  
Dara Campbell, Senior Executive Officer of Hashgraph Ventures, added: 

“We’re incredibly excited to support the next wave of Web3 and AI talent emerging from Africa and other high-growth markets. Our $1 million pledge goes beyond capital and brings the full weight of our global network and strategic partnerships across the Middle East, the US, and Asia to help founders scale. This hackathon aligns perfectly with our mission to empower emerging builders through tangible investment, institutional guidance, and long-term value creation.”  

Empowering 10,000 Developers and 1,000 Startups Across 20+ Cities 

The Hedera Africa Hackathon 2025 launched on August 1st, 2025, and runs through October 31st, 2025, engaging developers, entrepreneurs, and students across more than 20 African cities. Participants are tasked with developing Hedera-powered solutions in key verticals including finance, healthcare, telecom, sustainability, agriculture, and manufacturing, with a strong focus on the convergence of AI, IoT, robotics, and quantum computing.  
  
By combining online and onsite participation, the hackathon registered 13,000 developers and generated 1,300 project submissions, positioning it as the largest decentralized innovation initiative in Africa’s history.  

Strategic Partnerships for Scalable Impact  

The hackathon is supported by a powerful network of partners including Orange Middle East & Africa, UGFS, Sygnum Bank, Taylor Wessing, SwissCoast Saqqara, Object Computing, and DAR Blockchain, the Tunisian-based Web3 hub managing on-the-ground execution and community engagement.  

 “We are committed to the Hedera Africa Hackathon because we believe in the strong potential within the continent for the development of emerging technologies. We are pleased to see additional commitments to supporting the region, and hackathon, from investment firms and funds such as UGFS and Hashgraph Ventures.” 

said Dr. Paolo Tasca, Executive Chairman of Exponential Science Foundation.  

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About Hashgraph Ventures  

Hashgraph Ventures is a strategic venture capital fund regulated and licensed by the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) within Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM). The fund invests in Web3, AI, and deep-tech companies that drive adoption of distributed ledger technology and digital assets.  

With a portfolio spanning early-stage and growth-stage opportunities, Hashgraph Ventures focuses on token-equity hybrid models, AI-integrated infrastructure, and real-world asset tokenization, aiming to generate outsized, sustainable returns for institutional investors.  

This investment also reinforces Abu Dhabi’s growing role as a global center for regulated digital-asset management and venture innovation, supporting the FSRA’s vision for transparent, compliant, and responsible capital deployment.  
  
For more information, visit www.hashgraphvc.com.  

About The Hashgraph Association  

The Hashgraph Association is a Swiss non-profit supporting training, certification, and innovation programs for Hedera-powered solutions. Its mission is to drive economic inclusion and sustainable development through decentralized technology.  
Learn more at www.hashgraph-association.com.  

About Exponential Science Foundation  

Exponential Science Foundation, led by Dr. Paolo Tasca and Nikhil Vadgama, accelerates the responsible adoption of emerging technologies through research, education, and innovation. The foundation focuses on the intersection of blockchain, AI, and deep-tech to solve complex global challenges.  
Visit www.exp.science.  

About Hedera  

Hedera is a leading enterprise-grade distributed ledger network governed by a council of global organizations. It enables the tokenization of real-world and digital assets with high throughput, energy efficiency, and predictable costs. Hedera powers secure, scalable, and compliant decentralized applications across industries.  
More information at www.hedera.com.