The Africa Center of Excellence in Blockchain Research (ACEBR) aims to position Africa as a global leader in responsible blockchain innovation through inclusive research, policy development, and technology adoption.

As part of this vision, ACEBR runs the Young Researchers’ Community Program, which offers mentoring and professional guidance for highly motivated students in the field of blockchain technology.

Prof. Dr. Bettina Schneider, Co-Head of the Competence Center Digital Trust at the FHNW School of Business, and Prof. Dr. Tim Weingärtner, Co-Head of the Information System Research Lab at HSLU School of Computer Science and Information Technology, contribute their experience and network as mentors in the first round of the program. Starting in September 2025, both will support five mentees on their journey toward completing their studies and selecting suitable thesis topics in the area of blockchain and digital trust.

These mentees are:

• Pinel Baudelaire Dahoui, a graduate student from Benin with a strong interest in data science, artificial intelligence, and the applications of blockchain technology. He is particularly focused on blockchain adoption in the healthcare sector.
• Sukurat Ajagbe, a law student at Ahmadu Bello University Zaria (Nigeria), who is deeply engaged in blockchain awareness initiatives and passionate about blockchain policy and regulation, Web3, DAOs, and digital governance.
• Dorine Atieno Otieno, a self-driven research assistant from Kenya. Her interest focuses on combining blockchain technology with today’s challenges in healthcare, especially in supply chains of medical products.
• Salim Suleiman, a graduate student in economy from Nigeria. Salim already has participated in a blockchain program from Frankfurt School of Blockchain. His research addresses decentralized finance (DeFi) and the regulatory implications from Africa.
• Robert Mugabe, a full stack developer from Rwanda. He is passionate about research and innovation at the intersection of blockchain and emerging technologies, investigating showcases for technology-driven solutions across Africa.

The initial mentoring sessions have been inspiring and productive, leading to the exchange of blockchain research publications, teaching materials on data privacy, and participation in joint virtual events.

This collaboration emerged from the Movetia-funded SwissAfrica Cybersecurity Community, where the African Blockchain Institute, one of the founding members, connected the FHNW team with ACEBR. HSLU contributed to the newly formed Blockchain Master program at University of Namibia which led to a close relationship to ACEBR.