Lifted- Sperax

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by Sperax

Empowering WOMEN in blockchain
A grant program offering quarterly grants of up to $15,000

Sperax understands the power of blockchain technology, and seeks to help others feel welcomed to help in our mission of mass adoption of blockchain technology. We are excited to announce the LIFTED Grants hosted by Sperax. These grants are designed to provide women with access to capital and mentorship in the blockchain space.

There’s a gender divide in blockchain

There is a significant gender divide in the blockchain industry. Many jobs in the space incorporate both finance and technology, two historically male-dominated fields. This has resulted in women representing only 10-30% of the blockchain industry.
As Bitcoin price exceeded record highs, the blockchain industry is once again attracting significant attention from wall street and mainstream media. We believe this is the perfect opportunity to launch a grant designed specifically for women in blockchain.

Blockchain Startup Gender Divide

Male
Female

Team Members
Executives
Advisors

Data Source: Longhash

Who will be LIFTED?

The LIFTED grant is designed for women in blockchain. Each quarter will have a new application round and objective. Simply be driven and curious, and have a desire to create (what or how you create - that is up to you!). From researchers and developers, to designers and academics - all women-led initiatives are welcome to apply.

LIFTED Criteria

Each team must have one woman in its leadership.

To be considered for a grant, applicants must submit a strategic proposal that outlines what they will establish and create upon being awarded the grant. This can be a project, research, business proposal, or more!

Phase Topics

The LIFTED grant will be divided into FOUR phases. While the overall program will focus on supporting the talented women that work in blockchain, each quarter will see new topics that the grants will facilitate, creating more opportunities for exciting projects to be realised.

Phase I:

Decentralized Finance

Feb 8 – Mar 16 2021
Phase II:

Blockchain Economics

Apr 10 – May 31 2021
Phase III:

Blockchain at University

July 19 – Sep 1 2021
Phase IV:

Interoperability

Oct 11 – Nov 22 2021

Phase 1: Important Dates

Step 1: Apply between February 8 and March 16, 2021
Step 2: Interview with Sperax team the week of March 19
Step 3: Notified of award by March 24

Step 4: This begins the process of refining the project, if needed, with the Sperax team and identifying project funding milestones
Step 5: Time for the project and fun to begin! You will be advised and mentored by the Sperax team and partners during your time working on the project

Advisors

Frida Cai

Partner at Sperax

With extensive experience in reporting the latest technology trends in Asia, Frida was mesmerized by the potential of crypto and blockchain industries and has been devoting her career into the space ever since. Frida holds a bachelor degree in Foreign Affair and a History minor from University of Virginia. She is also a graduate from Columbia University Journalism School with a Master of Science degree in Data Journalism. Frida is a Manhattan-based pilates instructor. She is also an avid traveller, leaving her footprints in 25 countries so far.

Bridget Greenwood

Founder at The Bigger Pie

In 2017, Bridget entered the blockchain space after years working with startups, both retail and institutional facing. During this time she connected with pioneering women of the blockchain industry. She wanted to spend time with these women in a meaningful way to support future women and build a global community of leaders and learners, supporting diversity and inclusion, in blockchain and emerging technologies: The Bigger Pie. With more gender equity in the tech space, Bridget believes we will see better products and better solutions being put into the world that solve real issues like addressing climate change, improving health care, and bringing financial inclusion to billions of individuals by doing so. We all benefit.

Susu Pu

Econ Researcher at Sperax

Susu has a strong technical background in quantitative finance and is captivated by the great potential in blockchain applications. She is proficient in machine learning algorithms, portfolio optimization, big data technology, and statistical analysis. She has been committed to exploring the decentralized economic ecosystem and can not wait to contribute more value to the space. Susu holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Statistics from the University of Virginia. She just graduated from Cornell University with a Master of Science degree in Financial Engineering. She enjoys dancing, traveling, hiking, and cooking outside of work. She loves coffee so much that her little puppy is named Latte.

Lenka Hudakova

Senior Events Manager at MakerDAO

Lenka Hudakova is passionate about open source technology, blockchain's potential, raising awareness about it, and onboarding new people to it. Her professional involvement in the crypto industry spans over 6 years and includes community building, marketing, PR, communication, and event-related work. Currently as Events Manager for the Maker Foundation, Lenka orchestrates team involvement at events and conferences around the world, ensuring that the organization is well represented, wisdom is shared, and key audiences are reached. Before joining Maker, Lenka was Head of Communications at Coinify, a platform processing crypto payments and trading. Her side project, CryptoWomenCPH, is one of the efforts to bring in more newbies, esp. women into space. She is also the co-host of the Copenhagen Ethereum meetup group.

Co-Hosts

Partners

Please contact katherine@sperax.io
and alec@sperax.io for partnerships

FAQ

Does my team have to include only women to apply?

Applicants must have women on their team. The team does not have to be all women
What happens once my application is submitted?

Once your team has applied, you will receive a confirmation email. We will reach out to schedule an interview after your application is reviewed.
Can I apply for grants from multiple phases?

You can only participate in one phase at a time. If you or your team has received money from phase one, your team must complete all milestones before applying for an additional phase.
How many steps are there in the process?

There are three steps to evaluating applications. After applying, potential candidates will move through three evaluation stages: Sperax scoring, community poll and Sperax LIFTED Committee interview. Applicants will be notified if they have moved on from one round to the next, with the final decision being made after all of the candidates’ Sperax LIFTED Committee interviews.
Are all of the phases the same?

No, each phase is unique and has different applicant criteria and objectives.
How long is the grants process once we apply?

The process is typically two weeks from application deadline to award.
We are a private business, can we apply?

Yes, private businesses are welcome to apply.
We are a team of individuals, not a business entity, can we still apply?

Yes.
Our team plans to launch a token sale, is it eligible for a grant?

Yes.
Can I edit my application after submission?

Typically, no. If you have submitted an application and would like to change or update any information, please email alec@sperax.io, nadeem@sperax.io, and frida@sperax.io.
How long is project delivery if accepted?

Project delivery is contingent upon your milestones. Three months is standard but we are open to supporting projects that extend past three months.
Are projects funded in crypto?

Projects are funded in USDT.

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