Proposal: Kenya Scroll Local Node Founder Program

Proposal Title: Kenya Scroll Node Founder Program

Proposal Type: Growth

Website: www.web3clubs.xyz
X: @Web3Clubs
Find Identical Proposal with active links here
About Us - Deck

Summary

This proposal requests a $30,000 (SCR 121122 as of 19/06/2025) grant from Scroll DAO to support the Kenya Scroll Node Founder Program, a 3-month, cohort-based initiative by Web3Clubs, East Africa’s leading Web3 incubator. The program aims to launch 5–10 Scroll-powered projects by integrating African builders, financial institutions, and regulators into the Scroll ecosystem.

Anchored in our Nairobi innovation lab and backed by a 5,000+ member community, the program will drive the adoption of scalable, compliant, and user-focused dApps and DeFi solutions across East Africa. To enrich the program’s offering and ensure a strong pipeline of talent and ideas, we are actively fostering collaborations with established local Web2 developer and founder communities notably Google Developer Groups Nairobi, Strathmore iLabAfrica, and Product Managers KE in founder scouting and local events.

To align with Scroll’s educational mission, the program will mobilise Founders and Builders in the region to join the Open Zero, Scroll’s flagship learning track, into its onboarding, offering founders a guided pathway from idea generation to real-world deployment. Through immersive training, participants will learn how to refine their ideas, build publicly, craft user-focused MVPs, design intuitive interfaces, communicate their value through compelling pitches, and develop sustainable growth strategies, all while preparing their projects for successful launch on the Scroll network.

Using a three-stage pipeline, Msingi, Daraja, and Vuka, participants move from ideation to launch, supported by mentorship, technical sprints, business modeling, and investor preparation.

Through a Founder Factory model, we are enabling Africa based builders to launch Scroll-powered MVPs.

  • Position Scroll as the foundational infrastructure for onchain finance in Africa.
  • Connect Scroll with TradFi institutions through active pilot projects.
  • Provide mentorship, technical resources, and real-world user testing.
  • PushLaunch successful cohort participants to openeconomy.xyz

Funding Request:

  • Amount: $30,000 | SCR 121122
  • Duration: 3 months
  • Usage: Personnel, mentorship, bootcamps, product showcases, builder bounties, and essential tools

Stakeholders:

  • Web3Clubs: Project lead, operational team, and host of the Nairobi Lab
  • Scroll DAO: Strategic funder and ecosystem partner; Native Scroll founders
  • African Web3 Builders/Founders: Project beneficiaries
  • DeFi Partners: ViFi
  • Regulatory Partners: Capital Markets Authority, Ministry of ICT, Konza City
  • TradFi Partners: Nairobi Securities Exchange, Web2 payment service providers, and mobile money platforms
  • Local Event Organisers, Community Partners and KOLs: Code Africa (June); Kenya Blockchain and Crypto Conference (July); Zanzalu; ETHSafari (September)
  • Founder Mentors & Advisors: Industry leaders in Web3 Startups
  • Existing Incubator Partners

Motivation

Deploying the future of African financial Infrastructure onchain

With its ever-growing youth population, Africa is projected to have the largest population of tech consumers. Its developer community is already one of the fastest-growing in the world. Yet, only 5.8% of global Web3 developers are African, and less than 5% of Web3 startups are based on the continent. This isn’t a gap. It’s a chasm. And it’s exactly the kind of opportunity we exist to solve.

DeFi presents true transformative potential across the globe. However, this shift will be stunted unless we empower the founders and DeFi projects that can create tailored solutions for underserved regions, particularly in Africa. With a glaring gap in knowledge and access, this disparity will either enable or hinder the continent’s ability to leapfrog traditional finance and claim its place in the rapidly growing DeFi ecosystem. As of 2024, the DeFi market is valued at over $100 billion in Total Value Locked (TVL), with projections set to reach $250 billion by 2025 and $1 trillion by 2030, driven by the integration of DeFi with traditional finance, tokenization of real-world assets (RWAs), and global adoption. The path to this future depends on building the local infrastructure and empowering regional innovators to realize the potential of decentralized finance fully.

We believe the future of finance must be inclusive by design. That means building rails that enable borderless transfer of value and doing this by supporting builders who know what it means to be underbanked, who understand the informal economy, who live with the pain points of remittances, savings, trade, and credit access every day, and empowering them to build solutions that scale.

Just like Y Combinator was designed to help technical founders turn ideas into global companies, we’re building the infrastructure to help Africa’s next generation of builders become Web3-native founders, creating web3-native solutions that serve a billion people across cross-border payments, stablecoins integrations to mitigate dollar pressure, loans and credit, neo-banking savings, and investments, cooperative societies and community governance and well as newer use-cases like core DeFi products.

We’re seeding an economic revolution that puts Africa on the map as a hub of innovation that defines the future of open finance and Web3 innovation.

What this means for Scroll DAO:

  • Launching on an Existing incubator space: Our centralized physical base of operations in Nairobi, together with our network of stakeholders and active builders spread across Africa, forms a good base for this Founder program.
  • Bridging the Gap between TradFi and DeFi: Despite Global counterparts of legacy financial institutions e.g BlackRock exploring DeFi and tokenization, most African giants have still not caught up. Our partnerships with traditional financial institutions (e.g., Nairobi Securities Exchange, Capital Markets Authority in Kenya & Rwanda, Digital Financial Services Association of Kenya, Konza Technopolis SEZ) all of whom collectively have over $1 billion in assets under management, provide fertile ground for Scroll-powered use cases that bridge the gap between DeFi and TradFi.
  • Long-Term Market Growth: Through high-trust relationships in academia, government, and industry, Web3Clubs is building a scalable, regional pipeline of contributors, founders, and policy shapers intent on defining Africa’s DeFi future, with Scroll embedded at the core.
  • Home-grown, trained, and Mentored Founders ready for openeconomy.xyz

Execution

Operational

Our mission is clear: to birth the next generation of African Web3 startups, and we’ve architected an end-to-end pipeline that takes talent from zero to launch, and beyond.

Over the 3-month project period, we shall operate through three focused phases, with aggressive milestones at each stage:

  1. Msingi (Swahili word for foundation) - Founder Onboarding– Talent + Infrastructure + Partnerships
  2. Daraja (Swahili word for Bridge) (Ecosystem Building Phase) – Business Modeling + MVP Validation + GTM
  3. Vuka (Swahili word for Cross) Transition Phase – Product Scaling + Initial User Onboarding + Market Integration

Strategic Themes we can start with:

  • Make DeFi more liquid, more frictionless, more scalable by:
    • Expanding DeFi Liquidity and Capital Efficiency - Focus on unlocking deeper liquidity and improving how capital is used across DeFi. This includes integrating with protocols like Morpho Blue, Aave V3, or Compound to deliver better yields while managing risk.
    • Improving User Experience and Onboarding - Make DeFi more accessible by simplifying interfaces, speeding up transactions, reducing gas costs, and streamlining the onboarding process for new users.
    • Exploring DeFi Consumer Apps for emerging markets
    • Enhancing Yield Through Innovative Strategies - Use advanced models like liquid staking, yield aggregation, and staking-as-a-service to boost returns. Prioritize strategies that protect capital while maximizing yield.
    • Cross-Chain Liquidity Solutions - Enable seamless asset swaps across chains with low fees and minimal friction by building or integrating cross-chain liquidity protocols.
    • Unified DeFi Analytics and Data - Develop interoperable analytics tools that give users a clearer picture of DeFi markets and help them make better decisions.
    • Smart Matching Engines for Lending Markets - Build rate-optimizing engines on top of lending protocols like Aave or Compound to help users get the best borrow and lend rates automatically.
  • Bridging the Gap between TradFi and DeFi
    • Institutional-grade lending and borrowing at affordable interest rates
    • Activation of DeFi and RWA “sleeping capital” via yield strategies, tokenization and Novel collateral frameworks (RWA, on-chain reputation, local FX hedging)
    • Affordable FX rails and cross-border settlements
    • Re-usable, scalable KYC frameworks for DeFi and TradFi
    • Governance systems optimized for local contexts and on-chain legitimacy
    • Local currency stablecoins
    • Products designed to scale beyond Kenya, with interoperability at the core

Activities

Scroll Node Program (14 Weeks)

Agenda Key Objectives Key Activities Timeline
Planning & Setup Align team, finalize logistics, begin outreach Recruit mentors, set schedules, confirm partner alignment, internal planning, finalize builder shortlists Week 1–2
**Phase 1: MSINGI (Foundation)**Founder Onboarding Identify and onboard high-agency founders/projects from East Africa 2 Weekly Hybrid Webinars 1 In-person Meetup Week 3
Begin technical and business orientation for founders Kickoff founder onboarding sessions, Scroll onboarding, goals alignment Week 4
Product Refinement + MVP Validation Improve product clarity, scope and alignment with Scroll ecosystem 2 Business Strategy Bootcamps 2 Technical Sprints @ Nairobi Lab On-call mentor support Week 5–6
Phase 2: DARAJA (Bridge) Partner Matching & GTM Facilitate technical & market integrations with key DeFi & TradFi partners 1 Integration Sprint (with partner orgs) - DeFi Partner Explorations (Aave, Compound, Pendle, etc.) - TradFi API Testing (Payments, Mobile Money) Week 7
Craft market strategy, test product-user fit Business Model Development GTM Strategy Workshops On-call Business Support Week 8

OPEN ZERO PROGRAM | 6 Weeks

Agenda Key Objectives Key Activities (Open Zero) Timeline
Week 1 of Open Zero – Generating Ideas Explore project ideas relevant to Scroll ecosystem Idea Generation Lecture Submit Idea Forms Idea Lab + Vlog Week 9
Week 2 – Build in Public Grow presence and project visibility in Web3 circles Build in Public Lecture + Lab Submit Progress Form Workshop: Arcana Integration Week 10
Week 3 – MVP Building Develop a functional MVP on Scroll MVP Lecture + Lab Workshop: Wallets with Reown Submit MVP Forms Week 11
Week 4 – Design for Web3 Improve UX/UI and product usability Design Lecture + Lab Submit Design Forms Design Vlog Week 12
Week 5 – Demos & Pitch Prep Refine product pitch and demo readiness Demos Lecture + Lab Submit Demo Forms Pitch Coaching Week 13
Week 6 – Growth & Submission User acquisition & final submission Growth Lecture + Lab Submit Growth Plan Final Submission Week + Judging + Winners Week 14

Tools & Process

Resource Need Tools
Co-working space/bootcamp space Our centralized physical base of operations in Nairobi
Project & Cohort Management: Asana for tracking, Notion, GitHub, Google Sheets, Youtube
Community Feedback Loops: WhatsApp, X spaces & Discord learning groups, with structured surveys
Transparency & Reporting: Monthly Progress Reports, Recorded Sessions on Youtube
Reputation Infrastructure Karma

Personnel & Resources

Core Admin Team:j

S.A. Kakai - DeFi Strategy & Legal Analyst
Kakai is a legal expert at Steakhouse Financial, advising top DeFi projects like MakerDAO, Lido, and Morpho. He also serves as Director at the Virtual Assets Chamber, working with regulators and industry leaders to shape progressive digital asset policy in Africa. As a mentor, he supports builders in creating legally sound and inclusive crypto ecosystems.

Alex Matu: Mobilization, Scouting & Builder Outreach + Operations
Alex, Co-Founder and Programs Lead at Web3Clubs, is focused on connecting African talent to the Web3 frontier. He has helped onboard 5,000 builders to Ethereum and drives intensive cohorts in Math, Cryptography, Solidity, and Rust to nurture the next generation of tech leaders.

Jordan Muthemba: Technical Mentor
Jordan is a seasoned blockchain engineer and former Celo Africa lead, with deep expertise in protocol development, smart contracts, and dApp tooling. As Technical Mentor for the Scroll Node Founder Program, he’ll guide builders in smart contract design, Scroll integration, and secure, scalable L2 practices—ensuring technically robust and future-ready node projects.

Ochieng OdhiamboCommunity & Program Coordination
Ochieng Odhiambo, co-founder of Web3Clubs, has helped build a Web3 network of 5,000+ African members across several verticals through campus-based Web3 communities. As a mentor in the Web3Clubs x Scroll Node Founder Program, he will guide founders on community building, ecosystem growth, and partnerships, bringing deep expertise in developer engagement and blockchain education.

Kokeb Solomon: Networking & Global Mentor Relations
Koko is Hackathon Operations Manager at SafariDAO and leads ETHSafari’s hackathon efforts. As Chief Evangelist Officer at Web3Clubs, she connects global Web3 projects with top African talent. Actively involved in Women in Ethereum Protocol, she champions diversity while fostering inclusive ecosystems and builder opportunities across the continent.

Wacuka Munyiri - Event Ops, Communications, and Community Ops
Wacuka Munyiri is a Kenyan technologist and advocate for inclusive tech education. Starting with SpaceYaTech, she has championed accessible learning and mentorship for underrepresented groups. As a mentor in the Web3Clubs x Scroll Node Founder Program, she supports founders with developer experience, onboarding, and community engagement.

Cecilia Mulandi - Dev Rel, Assistant Tech.
Cecilia, a computer science graduate, has spent over two years in blockchain, specializing in smart contracts, cryptography, and zero-knowledge tech. She’s currently building a startup while contributing to communities like Web3Clubs and H.E.R. DAO Kenya. Passionate about impact, she bridges technical innovation with ecosystem growth.

Mentors & Advisors:

James Waugh - Governance and Token Design Mentor
James Waugh, a valued ally of our community, will mentor on governance and token design in the Web3Clubs x Scroll Node Founder Program. Drawing on his experience with Axia Labs and MetaCartel, he’ll guide founders in building sustainable token economies and decentralized, community-driven systems.

Priscilla Muhiu - Growth Strategy, GTM Mentor
Priscilla Muhiu will mentor in the Web3Clubs x Scroll Node Founder Program, focusing on growth strategy, go-to-market execution, and business models. With 13+ years in business development and marketing at Glovo, Sendy, and OLX, she brings deep expertise in scaling tech ventures in emerging markets to help founders build impactful Web3 startups.

Felix Macharia - Product Development, Pricing & Funding Mentor
Felix Macharia, CEO of Kotani Pay, specializes in blockchain infrastructure that enables Web3 access across Africa, especially for users without internet or smartphones. With expertise in USSD blockchain rails and crypto adoption in underserved markets, he will lead product mentorship in the Scroll Node Founder Program, helping founders design and deploy scalable, inclusive Web3 solutions for emerging markets.

Fane Kemuma - Legal Compliance Mentor
Fane Kemuma, founder of SafiraTech, will mentor in the Web3Clubs x Scroll Node Program on legal engineering, compliance, and law-tech intersections. She guides founders in building legally sound, compliant Web3 startups.

Hamant Maini - TradFi
Hamant Maini, with 15+ years in investment banking, fintech, and public policy, is Chief Transformation Officer at Geni, a frontier market credit platform. Holding a Masters in Finance from London Business School, he’s experienced in fintech scaling and policy. In the Web3Clubs x Scroll Node Program, Hamant mentors on financial infrastructure, compliance, and scaling strategies to help founders build strong, scalable Web3 ventures.

Lance Davis - DeFi/Technical Mentor
Lance Davis, founder of Seree Technologies, focuses on upgrading global finance with decentralized ZK rollup solutions. A computer engineering graduate from North Carolina A&T, he was recognized in the “Inno Under 25” list for his crypto insurance work with Minnet. In the Web3Clubs x Scroll Node Program, Lance mentors on blockchain infrastructure, DeFi, and building secure, scalable Web3 solutions, supporting founders to create impactful, sustainable ventures.

Tina Nyamachae Growth Strategy Mentor
Tina Nyamachae will mentor in the Web3Clubs x Scroll Node Program, focusing on growth strategy, fundraising, and investor relations. As a founding team member and former Growth Manager at Raise, she helped launch the MVP and shape growth plans. Her experience scaling startups and knowledge of the African venture scene will guide founders to build investor-ready Web3 ventures.

Brenda Wangari - Portfolio Success
Brenda Wangari, Head of Portfolio Success at Madica, has led support programs for African pre-seed startups, providing capital access, mentorship, and resources. With strong program management and investment experience, she will mentor in the Web3Clubs x Scroll Node Program, focusing on portfolio strategy, founder support, and ecosystem navigation.

Patrons:

Karim Valimohamed - Phd - exNASA
Dr. Karim Valimohamed, a Kenyan technologist with a background in aerospace engineering, co-authored a 1990 NASA report. Now focused on blockchain for social justice, he serves as patron of the Web3Clubs x Scroll Node Program, providing strategic mentorship on systems thinking and ethical tech use to help founders build impactful, community-driven Web3 solutions.

Brandon Knicely - Serial Tech Found ex IBM engineer
Brandon Knicely, an Austin-based entrepreneur and founder of Innovate4Good, brings expertise in startup acceleration, fundraising, and human capital development. In the Web3Clubs x Scroll Node Program, he mentors founders on scaling, fundraising, and growth strategies to build impactful Web3 ventures.

Financial Breakdown:

Total Funding Requested: $30,000 | SCR 121122 (19th June 2025)
Runway : 3 months

Category Details USD
Personnel Cost
Core Project Leads (3 persons) Dev Rel + Comms + onboarding lead Biz Dev/DeFi Strategy Lead Legal & Ops $1,000 per person per month @ $40 / Hour (25Hrs / Month) ($3,000 per person for the 3-month cohort duration) $9,000
Admin Support Team (3 persons) $500 per person per month @ $20 / Hour (25Hrs / Month) ($1,500 per person for the 3-month cohort duration) $4,500
Local Mentors/KOLs Team (4 tracks) $975 per mentorship track ($65 / hour) 15 hours / track $3,900
Subtotal – Personnel $17,400
Program & Events
IRL Bootcamp Delivery @ Web3Clubs Lab 24 hr/7-days access to physical co-working lab and facilities (e,g wifi, coffee, water, snacks etc.). 10 bootcamps at $740 each $7,400
Demo Day USD 1,200 $1,200
Subtotal – Programs $8,600
Incentives
Builder Bounty Pool Performance rewards $3,000
Subtotal – Incentives $3,000
Tech & Tooling
Zoom, Internet, Tools Zoom ($250), Internet ($500), Collab tools ($250) $1,000
Subtotal – Tooling $1,000
TOTAL (USD) $ 30,000
TOTAL (SCR - 19th June 2025) SCR 121122

Monthly Budget Breakdown for Kenya Scroll Node Founder Program (3 Months)

Category Details Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Total ($)
Personnel Core Project Lead (3 persons @$1,000 per person/month) @ $40 / Hour (25Hrs / Month) $3,000 $3,000 $3,000 $9,000
Admin Support Team (3 persons) @$500 per person/month @ $20 / Hour (25Hrs / Month) $1,500 per person / Month $1,500 $1,500 $1,500 $4,500
Local Mentors/KOLs Incentives 4 mentorship tracks ($65 / hour) 15 hours / track $1,300 $1,300 $1,300 $3,900
Subtotal – Personnel $5,800 $5,800 $5,800 $17,400
Program & Events 10 Bootcamps @ $740 each (e,g wifi, coffee, water, snacks etc.) $2,470 $2,470 $2,460 $7,400
Demo Day (final showcase) $1,200 $1,200
Subtotal – Programs $2,470 $2,470 $3,660 $8,600
Incentives Builder Bounty Pool $1,500 $1,500 $3,000
Subtotal – Incentives $1,500 $1,500 $3,000
Tech & Tooling Zoom, Internet, Collab Tools $333 $333 $334 $1,000
Subtotal – Tooling $333 $333 $334 $1,000
TOTAL PER MONTH $8,603 $10,103 $11,294 $30,000

Evaluation

Success for both of us means achieving:

  • 5 - 10 High-Potential Teams Onboarded
    KPI: Number of teams progressing through the incubation pipeline to launch
    Measurement Tool: Internal CRM tracking system, project milestone dashboards, Scroll onchain deployment analytics
  • 3+ Traditional Finance Integrations
    KPI: Number of integrations with banks, trade platforms, or public sector systems
    Measurement Tool: Signed MOUs, integration APIs usage logs, and partnership progress reports
  • 3+ Regulatory Sandbox Applications (Kenya CMA)
    KPI: Number of fully developed and submitted applications to the Kenya CMA sandbox
    Measurement Tool: Regulatory submission records, compliance readiness assessments, and CMA feedback letters
  • Scalable Growth Pathways
    KPIs: -
    • Project registrations Callout to Open Zero.
    • 1 Winning team
    • 1 team admitted to Open campus.
    • 70+ Devs and founders in Scrolls audience
  • Measurement Tool: Fundraising tracker (deal flow CRM), expansion reports, investor engagement logs, and international market entry KPIs

Conclusion

With existing infrastructure, strong TradFi and stakeholder ties, and unmatched regional experience, this proposal ensures Scroll becomes a long-term player in one of the world’s fastest-growing digital economies.

5 Likes

These comments reflect the views of Unicircle;
Thank you to Web3Clubs for proposing the Kenya Scroll Node Founder Program. We appreciate your team’s exceptional work in the past, as evidenced by your social media presence and past cohort success evidenced by your alumni . Your organization’s track record and deep regional connections position you well to execute this important initiative in East Africa. Based on your demonstrated capabilities, we believe you are an excellent fit to run this program. While the proposal demonstrates strong local connections and a clear mission, there are several areas that require further clarification and refinement .

1) Limited Clarity on Success Metrics

The proposal mentions broad goals but lacks specific quantitative metrics for measuring success. Without clear KPIs, it will be difficult for Scroll DAO to evaluate the program’s impact post-execution.

Recommendation: Develop a comprehensive KPI framework that includes:

  • Clear quantitative metrics for project success (e.g., specific transaction volumes, user acquisition targets, TVL goals)
  • Benchmarks for measuring technical implementation quality (e.g., security audit completions, performance metrics)
  • User adoption metrics for launched products
  • Specific timelines for achievement milestones
  • Monthly reporting structure to track progress against these KPIs

This approach aligns with successful accelerator measurement practices, where tracking outcomes rather than outputs is critical for program evaluation

2) Lack of Risk Assessment and Contingency Plans

The proposal lacks a dedicated risk assessment section and contingency plans, which are essential components of any startup acceleration program.

Recommendation: Include a comprehensive risk assessment covering:

  • Participant dropout rates and mitigation strategies

  • Talent retention plans post-cohort

  • Project sustainability challenges beyond MVP stage

  • Regulatory uncertainty in the region

  • Technical challenges with implementation

  • For each identified risk, outline specific contingency plans and resource allocations

3) Post-Program Support Structure

While the proposal focuses extensively on the 3-month program structure, it provides limited information on how projects will be supported after the cohort ends. This raises questions about long-term sustainability.

Recommendation:

  • Detail how projects will be supported after the initial cohort ends
  • Outline any fundraising support, mentorship continuation, or integration with Scroll’s broader ecosystem
  • Include a 6-12 month roadmap for graduate projects
  • Explain how successful projects will be incorporated into Scroll’s global community

4) Budget Breakdown Concerns

The $33,000 budget lacks sufficient detail on allocation, making due diligence difficult.

Recommendation:

  • Provide an itemized breakdown for each budget category
  • Include hourly rates and time commitments for all personnel
  • Justify the allocation between different expense categories

5) Code Africa Event Timing Issue

The proposal references a $3,000 allocation for Code Africa (May 19-23), which will have ended before the proposal goes to voting.

Recommendation:

  • Remove or reallocate the $3,000 for Code Africa since the event will have concluded
  • Provide clear justification for how these funds would be redirected

6) KOL/Mentor Compensation Clarification

The proposal mentions local KOLs/Mentors but lacks detail on their compensation structure.

Recommendation:

  • Detail the incentive structure (hourly rates, performance bonuses, etc.)
  • Provide a schedule showing mentor involvement throughout the program

7) Time Commitment Clarification

The proposal does not specify the time commitments expected from team members.

Recommendation:

  • Clearly state weekly hour commitments for each role
  • Break down time allocation across different program activities (bootcamps, mentoring, admin)
  • Provide a weekly schedule showing when and how personnel will engage with participants

8) Builder Bounty Pool Distribution

The proposal mentions a $3,000 builder bounty pool and $1200 demo day but doesn’t explain how these funds will be distributed.

Recommendation:

  • Detail the bounty distribution framework (equal amounts, performance-based, milestone-based)
  • Explain the criteria for bounty eligibility and the evaluation process
  • Provide examples of what achievements would qualify for bounties

9) Staff Role Differentiation

The proposal doesn’t clearly differentiate between core project leads ($1,000/month) and admin support team ($500/month).

Recommendation:

  • Define specific responsibilities and deliverables for each role
  • Detail reporting structures and accountability mechanisms
  • Justify the compensation differences with clear scope distinctions
  • Provide hourly rates and estimated hours per week for each position

10) Event Organization Clarification

The proposal mentions local event organizers (Zanzalu, ETHSafari) but doesn’t specify their roles or the events.

Recommendation:

  • List all planned events with dates, objectives, and expected outcomes
  • Explain how each event contributes to the overall program goals
  • Detail costs associated with each event and expected attendance
  • Explain the relationship between the program and external events like ETHSafari
5 Likes

The Modular Crypto endorses the proposal to establish a Scroll Local Node in Kenya.

We see this initiative as a concrete step toward the global expansion of the Scroll ecosystem. Kenya is one of the regions that the Scroll Foundation has identified as a priority within the Local Nodes Framework, as highlighted here.

However, the four priority regions identified by the Scroll FoundationMalaysia, Korea, Brazil, and Kenya — are exempt from this initial step.

Kenya is a major hub of innovation, with a young, engaged, and creative community that has much to contribute to the future of Web3. Setting up a local node is a way to recognize this potential and build real bridges for more builders to access tools, support, and opportunities within Scroll.

The only feedback we would like to offer is regarding the proposed budget. The Scroll Foundation recommended a budget cap of $30,000 USD for a 3-month period, in order to ensure fairness and consistency across all Local Nodes. We kindly suggest that the Kenya team consider adjusting their proposed budget to align with this framework, which would help maintain equity among all participating regions.

5 Likes

I endorse this proposal to establish a local node in Kenya.

Looking forward to seeing local nodes emerge and connect between each other to share experiences and ways to grow the Scroll ecosystem together.

5 Likes

This proposal answers not just logistics but also the roadmap to get there, with a proven track record, it’s a no brainer to endorse said proposal.

6 Likes

I endorse this proposal to establish a local node in Kenya.

This proposal focuses on critical aspects of the development of an Africa focused ecosystem and crucially, seeks to move builders up the value of crypto. DeFi is a critical lego block in financial inclusion and up to this point, there has not been a concerted effort to increase the number of builders who understand DeFi and are being prepared to build a new wave of global DeFi protocols. Education and capital are critical pieces in making this dream a reality and I wholeheartedly endorse and support this mission. Onward!!

4 Likes

@ModularCrypto Grateful for the positive feedback and confidence in a Kenya Local Node by Web3Clubs. In alignment with your advice, we have adjusted the proposal to reflect a total budget of USD 30,000.

@tonyolendo Much appreciated sir. @tonyolendo is Native to Kenya and is well aware of the potential of a Kenya Scroll Local Node. Looking forward to collaborating in making this node a success and a benchmark for Local Nodes across the globe.

2 Likes

@wanjiru Your confidence in our abilities is much appreciated. Looking forwards to deliver value to all stake holders

@HumbertoBesso Grateful for the endorsement, Indeed looking forward to connecting with other local nodes.

2 Likes

Concerning point 1) Limited Clarity on Success Metrics
A good number of the KPI’s are inferred in the proposal, I will detail these points below:

Program Outcomes

Number of MVPs: as mentioned in the proposal will be anywhere from 5 to 10 within the Kenya/ East Africa region, 10 being on the super optimistic side. We will be going for quality over quantity, these are to be delivered in the prescribed period of 3 months.

Security: in collaboration with Scroll and our internal capacity we are looking to have all projects be audited post program.
Transaction Volumes: We will be employing best practices from the program founders & mentorship team that includes market and Token economic experts for the best results. We understand that Open Zero is a path to Open campus where we believe more value will be added to the winning project. In collaboration with Scroll, we intend to continue supporting all the projects that will come out of this program.

Number of users onboarded via cohort projects and TVL: We intend on maintaining constant feedback and reports as the projects go-to-market, and as more of the variables that will inform this metric reveal themselves. Our core intent remains to grow the number of transactions and onboarding viable projects onto Scroll.

Regular reporting: We intend on providing regular reports on the program highlighting progress and challenges. We will be tracking key metrics and sharing this information as highlighted in the proposal. We guarantee monthly reports.

Concerning points
2) Lack of Risk Assessment and Contingency Plans & 3) Post-Program Support Structure

This is a highly targeted program focused on top-tier teams with strong traction and credible projects, which reduces risk. Dropout is addressed through scouting and milestone-based engagement. Talent retention and project sustainability are supported via ecosystem integration, mentorship, and contributor pathways. We remain adaptable to regulatory and technical risks, leveraging our regional mentor network.

Concerning points
4) Budget Breakdown Concerns, 6) KOL/Mentor Compensation Clarification & 7) Time Commitment Clarification

We have revisited the budget to address the concerns on this point, Kindly review and provide feedback where necessary.

Concerning point 5) Code Africa Event Timing Issue
At the start of the Scroll Local Node proposal preparation, we were hopeful that the program would be able to support Code Africa. Unfortunately the timing did not work out, for this reason, we have had to exclude this budget item from the program. We are looking to revisit collaboration with Code Africa in future Scroll Node programs as we believe in the value that this program has for the local ecosystem.

Concerning point 8) Builder Bounty Pool Distribution
Bounties will be evenly spread out across the program to appreciate participation, active engagement and milestone achievements from the project teams. This structure is open to review.
Demo day budget will be utilized on Venue, Meals & Drinks, Logistics and Audio visual services

Concerning point 9) Staff Role Differentiation
Kindly refer to the personnel section of our roles. Updated proposal has provided a breakdown of hours & costing for all roles. Feel free to revert for further clarification.

Concerning point 10) Event Organization Clarification
We have revised the proposal to exclude major events. We shall invite aligned partners during Demo Day.

5 Likes

Thank you for this well researched and thoughtful initial proposal. As a verified delegate, we would like to endorse this proposal.

6 Likes

Hello @ochieng and Web3Clubs team,

Scroll Foundation considers this proposal ready for vote.

Observations to consider for the execution of the Local Node:

  • Our team would like to assist in the refinement of the educational content.
  • We will be supporting in the setup of operational tracking tools.
  • Social media amplification will be done through Scroll official channels.
  • We encourage the Local Node to participate on all Community activations lead by Scroll, engage with social media, and partake in initiatives through various community channels.

cc @eugene

5 Likes

We as Unicircle are fully endorsing this proposal from Web3Clubs.
After researching the work web3clubs have done across previous cohorts, the workshops they’ve hosted with partners and internally, and the impact they’ve had on students and their wider communities it’s clear they’re not just building hype, they’re building people and real networks.
There’s real care, consistency, and intention behind everything they do. That’s rare and it’s why we believe in them and want to see them go even further.

7 Likes

@Fadhil Thanks for your confidence in the community. We are looking to run a solid Scroll Node. Grateful for your input in this process.

2 Likes

@404Gov Grateful for vouching for Web3Clubs. We are excited to execute on this and learn from Scroll community and fellow Nodes. :smiling_face_with_sunglasses:

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Hello @Juansito, Looking forward to the voting process as well.

  • When would you like us to get on the educational content refinement process. We can continue this conversation on TG.
  • Looking forward to the tooling support.
    Thanks for the briefing, super excited, cant wait to hit the ground running.
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Hi @ochieng Thanks for putting the proposal together. I feel like @Fadhil asked great questions and you have largely cleared it all up. The proposal is well thought out and the plan for delivery seems sound. I also really like the list of Mentors & Advisors.

Re long term sustainability. From your comments:

Is it fair to say that this isn’t supporting zero to one start ups, but one onwards startups?

All in all, I will support this proposal and I appreciate the effort of your team.

Matt

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Generally, I find incubation programs to be low value when compared with venture studio approach. That being said, I’m voting in FAVOUR because:

  • high quality deliver team
  • vertical focus on DeFi
  • strong local ties, including connection with regulator

So although I belive the format is not the best possible one, overall this is still a strong proposal

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As a verified delegate , we are voting AGAINST the proposal.

The Local Node model could impose a high and recurring cost on Scroll without generating meaningful benefits for the network or the DAO in the medium-long term. While it may succeed in attracting more individuals to the ecosystem, it does not necessarily lead to the growth of active users, applications, transaction volume, or revenue streams that are essential for the DAO’s sustainability.

Similar initiatives have been launched under different names by other organizations in the past, but they have consistently struggled to produce measurable outcomes or lasting impact for the projects that funded them.

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We (Unicircle) believe this proposal is in the best interest of the protocol. It is indeed paramount to increase the number of local nodes across the globe and thus we are voting FOR this proposal.

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I voted FOR.

Each program seems packed full of solid educational content and onboarding resources. Excited to see how this develops into on-chian activity and deployments.

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