Universities are considered ‘crucial contributors’ to Web3’s future, according to LBank Labs’ CEO, Czhang Lin. On August 2nd, this venture capital firm unveiled the victors of its Summer Bootcamp competition, which targeted university students. Participants from various academic institutions competed for an opportunity to visit Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, and receive mentorship from numerous crypto funds.
Acknowledging the significance of academia, Mr. Lin posits that universities are important players for emerging tech like Web3, as they are conventional talent pools. “It is important for universities to understand Web3 and guide students towards the right vision,” he shared. Irrespective of the currently skeptical market sentiment, he maintains that it is an opportune time to invest and develop. He whimsically added that diamonds shine regardless of conditions, suggesting a similar principle applies to talented entrepreneurs emerging from the world of academia.
Interestingly, Mr. Lin revealed that artificial intelligence (AI) has gained a stronghold among the student community. Despite this rise, he believes that the integration of AI and Web3 isn’t a matter of concern as both sectors can coexist and complement each other effectively.
Among participants of the bootcamp competition, Mr. Lin noticed a trend; most of them concentrated on decentralized finance (DeFi), liquid staking derivatives (LSD), zero-knowledge (ZK), and decentralized applications (DApps). The clear interest of a younger generation in these cutting-edge blockchain technologies could be indicative of a paradigm shift in the near future.
While instruction and exploration of Web3 within academic institutions is generally seen in a positive light, it leads to several questions about how it will shape the future. Will students armed with such powerful and disruptive knowledge manifest it prudently? Could this potentially cause a clash of interests between traditional industries and the emerging Web3 sphere?
As we delve deeper into a world dictated by technology, it’s crucial to weigh the optimistic side of opportunities against potential repercussions. As academia becomes the unofficial breeding ground for Web3, one cannot help but ponder about the ethical, legal, and social implications it may bear in the future.
Source: Cointelegraph
