The Ecosystem Funding Initiative team is thrilled to announce the recipients of the 2024 Academic Grants Round! This round, we are proud to support 41 projects from researchers and institutions worldwide. These projects address fundamental challenges and opportunities in areas critical to Ethereum’s growth, including cryptography, consensus mechanisms, security, execution, and more.
Budget Summary by Category
| Category | Number of Projects | Total Budget |
|---|---|---|
| Client engineering | 1 | 18,500.00 USD |
| Consensus layer | 5 | 230,400.00 USD |
| Cryptography, zero-knowledge proofs, and other | 11 | 532,625.00 USD |
| Cybersecurity and Privacy | 7 | 148,553.48 USD |
| Economics and Maximal Extractable Value (MEV) | 6 | 262,322.00 USD |
| Formal Verification | 3 | 231,800.00 USD |
| P2P networking | 2 | 159,437.00 USD |
| Society and Regulatory | 6 | 237,500.00 USD |
| Total | 41 | 1,786,137.48 USD |
Client Engineering
| Project Name | Researcher Name | Institution | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Authenticated and Efficient Inter-Block Event Queries on Ethereum | Damiano Di Francesco Maesa | University of Pisa | This project proposes a novel indexing data structure for efficient and secure blockchain data retrieval, improving dapp performance and client efficiency. |
Consensus Layer
| Project Name | Researcher Name | Institution | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exploring Automatic Model-Checking of the Ethereum specification | Dr. Igor Konnov, Jure Kukovec, Dr. Andrey Kuprianov, Dr. Thomas Pani & Than Hai Tran (Consensys) | Independent | This exploratory research project seeks to develop methods for automated verification of Ethereum Consensus Layer Specifications. The project establishes translation rules from executable Python specifications to the TLA+ specification language, thus making the specifications amenable to model checking. The current 3SF Ethereum protocol specification serves as the case study. |
| A Penetration Testing Framework for Identifying Ethereum Incentive Vulnerabilities | Rujia Li, Dr. Sisi Duan, Mingfei Zhang & Xueqian Lu | Tsinghua University | This project represents a pioneering effort to address the challenge of detecting flaws in Ethereum’s incentive mechanisms. By proposing an automated penetration testing framework, the research ensures the integrity and reliability of the Ethereum network by analyzing and mitigating vulnerabilities in its incentive systems. |
| Censorship Resistance for Ethereum | Dr. Kartik Nayak & Sarisht Wadhwa | Duke University | Censorship resistance is a critical property of decentralized infrastructure. This project explores the use of multiplicity gadgets to increase the cost of censorship significantly while considering application-specific factors that may lead to resilience under diverse scenarios. |
| Blockchain Foundations - Proof-of-Stake | Dionysis Zindros & Aggelos Kiayias | Common Prefix | This project is part of the upcoming textbook "Blockchain Foundations," which explores permissionless consensus and blockchains. Developed from years of teaching graduate courses, it offers foundational insights into Proof-of-Stake systems for students. |
| An Institutional Economic Analysis of Slashing Penalties on Proof of Stake Cryptocurrency Networks | Eric Alston & Dr. William Lehr | CU Boulder & MIT | This project investigates slashing policies across blockchain networks, focusing on governance implications and the diversity of automated procedures. The research emphasizes balancing punitive measures with due process mechanisms to ensure equitable governance structures. |
Cryptography, Zero-Knowledge Proofs, and Other
| Project Name | Researcher Name | Institution | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| More Efficient and Scalable Post-Quantum Multi-Signatures | Dr. Muhammed Esgin, Assoc. Prof. Ron Steinfeld, Assoc. Prof. John Tsz Hon Yuen, Prof. Joseph Liu | Monash University | This project develops two post-quantum multi-signature schemes, providing diverse security assumptions and tradeoffs. It contributes to enhancing Ethereum's scalability and security through advanced cryptographic methods. |
| Balancing Anonymity and Compliance in Financial and Other Transactions | Prof. Anna Lysyanskaya & Scott Griffy | Brown University | The research focuses on privacy-preserving blueprints, enhancing security and compliance in financial transactions. It aims to enable anonymous credentials while allowing traceability under specific legal circumstances. |
| Theory and practice of Fiat-Shamir | Michele Orrù, Trevor Perrin, Dmitry Khovratovich, Bart Mennink & Mario Marhuenda | CNRS | This project bridges theoretical and practical aspects of the Fiat-Shamir transform, focusing on integrating the SAFE API into zk-proof frameworks to enhance their adoption. |
| Formal verification of ZK compilers | Qinxiang Cao, Yu Yu, Yucong Hu, Zihan Xu, Youwei Zhong & Xiwei Wu | Shanghai Jiao Tong University | Zero-knowledge proof has become more widely used in blockchain applications. This project plans to formally verify the security guarantees of ZK compilers to enhance their robustness in blockchain environments. |
| Scalable Decentralized Sealed-bid Auctions | Philipp Jovanovic, Kobi Gurkan, Alireza Kavousi & Andrija Novakovic | UCL & Geometry Research | Digital auction mechanisms require security, privacy, and scalability. This project aims to develop auctions that satisfy these requirements, enabling secure and efficient asset price discovery in online marketplaces. |
| Post-Quantum Signatures with SNARK Aggregation | Matthieu Rivain & Thibauld Feneuil | CryptoExperts | This project designs and implements SNARK-friendly post-quantum signatures to enable efficient and generic aggregation schemes, enhancing Ethereum’s ecosystem with advanced cryptographic tools. |
| Design of Symmetric Cryptographic Primitives | Lorenzo Grassi | Ponos Technology | This project focuses on designing cryptographic primitives for ZK applications, enabling privacy-preserving computation verification and enhancing the security of Ethereum rollup solutions. |
| Cryptanalysis of Symmetric Cryptographic Primitives | Lorenzo Grassi | Ponos Technology | This project analyzes the efficiency and security of symmetric cryptographic primitives used in ZKPs, contributing to the reliability and scalability of Ethereum-based solutions. |
| ZK-ARCKIT | Prof. Albert Rubio, Asst. Prof. Miguel Isabel & Clara Rodriguez | Universidad Complutense de Madrid | This project develops tools to analyze, verify, and optimize polynomial constraint systems used in ZK protocols, aiming to enhance their usability and performance. |
| Formal Verification of the c-kzg Library | Dr. Eddy Westbrook, Dr. Than-Hai Tran & Roberto Saltini | Galois & Consensys | This project supports EIP-4844 (Proto Danksharding) by formally verifying the c-kzg library, a crucial component for Ethereum's scaling advancements. |
| Building Practical and Secure Blockchain-Based AI | Zhipeng Wang, Jiahao Sun & Sylvie Zhang | Imperial College London & FLock.io | This project integrates economic modeling and ZKPs to enhance blockchain-based AI frameworks, ensuring privacy and security in machine learning applications. |
Cybersecurity and Privacy
| Project Name | Researcher Name | Institution | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Encoding Accountability: The governance of blockchain security | Dr. Kelsie Nabben & Dr. Primavera De Filippi | BlockchainGov | This project focuses on industry-academic collaboration to advance blockchain security practices. It leverages foundational academic analysis to produce impactful results, linking Ethereum’s community and blockchain security practices. |
| Data-Driven Time-Series Fuzzing | Dr. Fudong Wu, Xiaoyu Liu, Dr. Jialing Fan & Dr. Jiaqi Gao | Beihang University | This project develops fuzzing methods for improving Ethereum network security by addressing vulnerabilities in its peer-to-peer network. |
| Unraveling Blind Message Attacks | Dr. Wenrui Diao & Prof. Xiaokuan Zhang | Shandong University & George Mason University | This project addresses security gaps in Web3 authentication methods by investigating and mitigating vulnerabilities in Blind Message Attacks, enhancing Ethereum’s ecosystem. |
| CANARY: Change Analysis System | Dr. Anindya Maiti, Scott Seidenberger, Alec Sokol, Khoi Trihn, Tristan Bony & Koy Wilson | University of Oklahoma | The CANARY project creates a real-time monitoring system for Ethereum’s P2P network to identify anomalies and ensure network security. |
| Optimal Counter-Attack Synthesis | Asst. Prof. Yu Feng, Hanzhi Liu & Hongbo Wen | UC Santa Barbara | This project strengthens defenses against on-chain exploits by synthesizing optimal counter-attacks and mitigating vulnerabilities in Ethereum smart contracts. |
| Training an EVM-native GPT | Dr. Kaihua Qin, Liyi Zhou, Javier García Arredondo, Weilin Li & Dr. Arthur Gervais | Zoro AG | This project develops GPT-based models for Ethereum transaction analysis, enabling real-time intrusion detection and dynamic security strategies. |
| SEADRAGON | Dr. Anindya Maiti, Scott Seidenberger, Alec Sokol, Khoi Trihn, Tristan Bony & Koy Wilson | University of Oklahoma | SEADRAGON enhances Ethereum’s node security through advanced overlay networks, ensuring privacy and operational resilience. |
Economics and Maximal Extractable Value (MEV)
| Project Name | Researcher Name | Institution | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ethereum Blockspace Derivative Frameworks | Shouqiao Wang | Columbia Business School | This project develops frameworks for Ethereum blockspace derivative markets, addressing transaction fee volatility and enhancing market efficiency. |
| Liquidity Transformation in Staking Economies | Prof. Alfred Lehar & Christine Parlour | University of Calgary | This research analyzes incentive structures and systemic risks in Ethereum’s staking economies, contributing to a robust economic model. |
| Principal-Agent Problem in Liquid Staking | Apostolos Tzinas | Common Prefix | This project investigates governance dynamics and security trade-offs in liquid staking protocols like Lido and Rocketpool. |
| Blockchain Geometry | Dr. Vijay Mohan | Independent | This project develops analytical tools for visualizing blockchain behavior in equilibrium, integrating economic and computational perspectives. |
| MEV-Boost Auctions | Mengqian Zhang & Fan Zhang | Yale University | This project enhances efficiency and robustness in Ethereum’s MEV-boost auctions, introducing novel auction mechanisms to mitigate inefficiencies. |
| Sound Foundations for Client Diversity | Javier Ron & Prof. Martin Monperrus | KTH Royal Institute of Technology | This project improves fraud-proof mechanisms and promotes client diversity within Ethereum’s ecosystem. |
Formal Verification
| Project Name | Researcher Name | Institution | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accelerating SMT Solving for Large Bit-Vectors | Prof. Clark Barrett, Aina Niemetz & Mathias Preiner | Stanford University | This project advances SMT solvers for efficient reasoning about large bit-vectors, addressing Ethereum’s verification challenges. |
| Towards an Executable Formal Model of EVM and Yul in Lean | Prof. Rodrigo Ribeiro, Dr. Julian Sutherland, Fabricio Paranhos & Andrei Burduşa | Nethermind | This project formalizes the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) in Lean, providing tools for reasoning about smart contracts and execution environments. |
| SOPA (SOund and yet Precise Gas Analysis of EVM Bytecode) | Prof. Elvira Albert, Prof. Albert Rubio, Pablo Gordillo, Alejandro Hernández-Cerezo, Jesús Correas & Guillermo Román-Díez | Universidad Complutense de Madrid | This project develops a gas analysis toolkit for Ethereum smart contracts, ensuring precise and sound resource estimations. |
P2P Networking
| Project Name | Researcher Name | Institution | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Refinement-Based Analysis of P2P Protocols for Ethereum | Prof. Panagiotis Manolios, Prof. Cristina Nita-Rotaru, Ankit Kumar & Max Von Hippel | Northeastern University | This project formalizes the correctness of Ethereum’s P2P protocols, analyzing their robustness against attacks. |
| Optimistic Peer-to-Peer Networks | Dr. Chen-Da Liu-Zhang, Dr. Christian Matt & Søren Eller Thomsen | Primev | This project explores efficient peer-to-peer network designs for blockchains, improving bandwidth and latency. |
Society and Regulatory
| Project Name | Researcher Name | Institution | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stanford Journal of Blockchain Law & Policy | Steve Nam | Stanford University | Founded in 2018, the Stanford Journal of Blockchain Law & Policy addresses underserved legal themes in blockchain law and policy, offering balanced perspectives and innovative solutions. |
| Open-Source Software Development and Community Dynamics | Dr. Jiasun Li & Dr. Mariia Petryk | George Mason University | This project investigates open-source projects to draw lessons for blockchain governance, focusing on community dynamics and project success factors. |
| Execution and Finality in Ethereum from a Legal Perspective | Dr. Mikolaj Barczentewicz | Independent | This project examines transaction settlement and execution in Ethereum under EU financial regulation, addressing gaps in legal frameworks. |
| Efficient Status List for the EVM Ecosystem | Felix Hoops, Burak Öz & Prof. Florian Matthes | Technical University of Munich | This project proposes decentralized identity mechanisms for Ethereum users, addressing privacy and interoperability challenges. |
| USSD for DeFi Accessibility in Kenya | Dr. Dennis Kaburu | Jomo Kenyatta University | This project enhances DeFi accessibility for USSD users in Kenya, addressing technological barriers to blockchain adoption. |
| The Ethereum Social Layer (ESL) Project | Asst. Prof. Paul Dylan-Ennis | Independent | This project examines Ethereum’s evolving social dynamics and potential attack vectors within its community and governance structures. |
Congratulations to all of the recipients again!