This two-week program held from December 10-24, 2023, was the ultimate Web3 opportunity for student developers in India, offering a platform to innovate, collaborate, and evolve their talent and interest on the Aptos network.

About Aptos Winter School

The Aptos Winter School, in partnership with IIT Bombay Trust Lab, offered student developers in India a first-of-its-kind opportunity to dive into Web3. This free program covered travel, food, and accommodation—allowing participants to fully concentrate on their learning and projects.

49 student developers were asked to brainstorm, team up, and develop products on the Aptos network with guidance from Aptos developer mentors and educators. Deep technical sessions on topics like cryptography and consensus, hands-on product sessions, and valuable mentorship opportunities ensured that participants received an immersive Web3 experience.

Students not only gained invaluable Web3 knowledge and practical experience—they also walked away with financial support for their next big idea. Grants were awarded to the most impactful projects to continue their journey on Aptos.

Program Highlights

The Winter School was filled with exciting events and activities, including:

Networking with Peers
Participants had the opportunity to team up with their peers, fostering a collaborative spirit from the start.

Workshops and Breakout Sessions
Through hands-on sessions from IIT Bobmay Professors, the Aptos Labs research team, and industry leaders, participants enhanced their Web3 skills and knowledge. Experts included OKX, CoinSwitch, STAN, and Delta Fund.

Hands-On Project Development
Crafting products on the Aptos network with guidance from experienced developers allowed participants to put their skills to the test and create innovative solutions.

Demo Day
The culmination of the Winter School was Demo Day, where participants showcased their work for the opportunity to unlock milestone-based grants rewarding their hard work and creativity.

Presenting the 2023 Aptos Winter School Awardees:

A total of 19 talented teams presented final projects to the esteemed judges from the Aptos ecosystem and IITB Trust Lab faculty, demonstrating remarkable creativity and innovation. The judges selected 5 projects that stood above the rest: 

• Spawn Point (fka AptosPlay): Session-based gaming platform where you discovery high-quality, curated games and only pay for the amount of time you game on 

• Kraaft (fka Catalyst by Bruhma Labs): a one stop solution for bridging the gap between user-community-protocols; boost their engagement through partnerships, incentives and rewards 

• CrysPay: Simplification of Crypto Payments by allowing payment
  through Phone Numbers. Users are on boarded after Decentralised Phone Number Verification [DNuV]

• Rigel Finance: a decentralized vault management protocol to enable anyone to create vaults

• Tribe Bet: a social betting platform that lets you bet on sports, e-sports, and predictions

These 5 projects were awarded grants for receiving top marks amongst all 19 competing teams.

In addition, 4 additional individuals were awarded for individual merit across the entire Winter School program.

The Aptos Foundation will continue to work with these 5 projects and 4 individuals to further encourage successful development of their projects on the Aptos network. Congratulations to all the winners!

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The inaugural Aptos Winter School at IIT Bombay was a resounding success, showcasing the incredible talent and innovation present in the Indian student developer community. 

Congratulations to all the participants, and an extra special thank you to the IITB Trust Lab, Professor Saravanan Vijayakumaran and Professor Vinay Ribeiro for your support. The Aptos Foundation looks forward to seeing the amazing projects and Aptos developers that emerge from the Aptos India community.