IC3 - The Initiative For Cryptocurrencies And Contracts
IC3 is a consortium of academic researchers across 13 universities dedicated to foundational research in blockchain systems, bridging the gap between academic rigor and practical application. Their expertise spans applied cryptography, consensus protocols, distributed systems, programming language theory, and game-theoretic mechanism design, and their research has played an ongoing, pivotal role in shaping the blockchain industry. IC3 publishes featured research on topics such as the intersection of crypto and AI, privacy-preserving verifiable credentials (πCreds), and the economics of proof-of-useful-work blockchains.
Beyond research publications, IC3 organizes events and hackathons—such as the IC3 Blockchain Camp and IC3 Winter Retreat—that connect people across the blockchain industry to share ideas and shape the future of blockchain technology. The organization also offers PhD opportunities and partnership engagement, and acknowledges support from partners such as the VMware Foundation to advance the science and technology of blockchains.
