Dartmouth Blockchain is a student-run organization at Dartmouth College that focuses on blockchain technology and the Web3 ecosystem. It operates as a community for students to foster a community of blockchain learners, innovators and strategists by providing opportunities to contribute to blockchain based initiatives and holding blockchain related events. ^[1]​

History

The organization was founded in 2022 by Charlie Ambrose ('25) and Aaron Xie ('25), who also co-founded Anthias Labs. ^[2] Throughout 2022 and 2023, Dartmouth Blockchain established itself as an active participant in on-chain governance. On October 1, 2022, the group became an official governance delegate for the Aave protocol. This was followed by an announcement on October 26, 2022, that it had joined the Optimism Collective as a delegate. By May 17, 2023, Dartmouth Blockchain had become a delegate for the Arbitrum DAO, solidifying its governance participation in three major DeFi and Layer 2 ecosystems. ^[1]​

Structure and Activities

Dartmouth Blockchain is an ecosystem for committed Dartmouth students to build their blockchain competency and connect with other students interested in blockchain technology. ^[1] The group's internal structure is categorized into Core Roles for leadership and Community Roles for general members who contribute on a more flexible basis. ^[3]​

The organization's work is centered around four official pillars and several specialized technical teams. ^[1]​

Four Pillars

• Research: This is a core function, involving in-depth analysis of topics such as Maximal Extractable Value (MEV), decentralized finance (DeFi), Layer 2 scaling solutions, and on-chain governance. Research is executed by the organization's specialized technical teams.
• Capital: The organization operates as a crypto-native, student-run investment fund. Members are responsible for generating and evaluating investment theses, managing a portfolio, and engaging in weekly discussions about market trends.
• Community: This pillar focuses on building a social and professional network for its members. Activities include internal social events, alumni networking, and connecting students with shared interests in Web3.
• Growth: The group aids in the professional development of its members by facilitating connections to job and internship opportunities, hosting speaker events with industry professionals, and providing hands-on project experience. ^[1]

Technical Focus Areas

Internal research and development activities are divided among several specialized teams that allow members to deepen their expertise in specific areas of the blockchain industry. These teams include:

• dApp Devs: Focuses on the practical design and construction of decentralized applications.
• DeFi: Analyzes decentralized finance protocols, market mechanics, and yield farming strategies.
• NFTs: Researches the non-fungible token market, including new projects, technical standards, and emerging use cases.
• Smart Contract Auditing: Studies the methodologies and best practices for securing smart contracts to identify and mitigate potential vulnerabilities.
• Governance: Manages the organization's role as a protocol delegate by researching proposals, formulating voting rationales, and executing votes in various DAOs. ^[1]

Projects and Initiatives

DormDAO Investment Competition

The group's largest initiative is the DormDAO Investment Competition, held in partnership with Collab + Currency. The event allows students to research and present investment pitches for liquid tokens. Past investments that originated from the competition include World, Canton Network, and Chainlink.

According to co-president Dylan Unruh, “The investment pitch is one of the best ways for students to be introduced and learn about Web3 and blockchain. Students are exposed to terminology, verticals, and all of the different facets of the crypto community.” Co-president Kishan Sreenivasan added, “A large proportion of the Dartmouth population tends to graduate into traditional finance, so the investment portfolio allows us to offer a valuable experience to those students while exposing them to crypto.”

Trading Platform

Dartmouth Blockchain also provides members with experience in quantitative finance and cryptocurrency trading. The group has explored various platforms for this purpose, including Hyperliquid. Kishan Sreenivasan noted, “The trading platform allows us to engage students with a more quantitative or trading background to get experience with crypto trading platforms. We’ve done a lot of exploration with Hyperliquid for this.”

Past Events and Speakers

The organization has hosted several events featuring industry professionals as speakers. Notable guests include Alan Keegan of M31 Capital, Drew Tunney of Crypto Native Capital, and Amanda Young of BitRobot. Additionally, the group has held thematic events, such as one focused on Polymarket and the prediction markets sector.

Key Figures

As a student organization, leadership roles are subject to change with academic years. The group operates with oversight from a faculty advisor and is led by a core team of students. The current co-presidents are Dylan Unruh, who oversees the non-technical aspects of the organization including the investment portfolio, and Kishan Sreenivasan, who manages the technical and trading activities. ^[2] Dr. John W. Welborn serves as the Faculty Advisor, providing mentorship and acting as a bridge between the student organization and the Dartmouth College administration. ^[2]​