DeSci Meetup at Innovate Split 2026 Conference

Date: September 11, 2026
Location: Technology Park Split – Dracevac, Split, Croatia
Format: On-site (within Innovate Split 2026 Conference)
Participants: 23 (18 academic, 5 industry)
Facilitators: Prof. Maja Cukusic & Prof. Katarina Tomicic-Pupek

About the Event

As part of the Innovate Split 2026 conference, held on September 11, 2026 at the Technology Park Split – Dracevac, the DeSci Meetup by Web3 Innovation Hub took place as a project activity focused on presenting the concept of decentralised science (DeSci) and the possibilities of applying Web3 technologies in scientific and academic environments.

The Meetup was held within the framework of the Web3 Innovation Hub (W3IH) project and brought together 23 participants from the academic community, the development sector, and the private sector.

Facilitators

Prof. Maja Cukusic — Faculty of Economics, University of Split

Prof. dr. sc. Maja Cukusic presented the W3IH project, core DeSci concepts, and examples from the international DeSci ecosystem, providing participants with a comprehensive overview of the current landscape and its opportunities.

Prof. Katarina Tomicic-Pupek — Faculty of Organisation and Informatics, University of Zagreb

Prof. dr. sc. Katarina Tomicic-Pupek presented bloxberg, a scientific blockchain infrastructure, and the Certify/Verify model that enables proof of time, integrity, and priority over digital objects.

Key Topics Presented

Participants were introduced to the core concepts of decentralised science, its connection to open science, and the possibilities of using Web3 technologies to increase the transparency, provability, and reliability of research processes. Special attention was given to:

  • Research data management and governance
  • Proving the integrity and timestamp of digital objects
  • Technology transfer of research results towards practical application
  • The bloxberg scientific blockchain infrastructure
  • The Certify/Verify model for digital object authentication

Open Discussion

During the open discussion, participants explored potential applications of decentralised science, including:

  • Verifiable records of project results and public datasets
  • Digital certificates and participation records
  • Timestamping versions of research data
  • Recording student projects, prototypes, and team contributions

Discussions also addressed challenges related to GDPR compliance, intellectual property rights, and long-term infrastructure sustainability.

Participants and Impact

Of the 23 participants, 18 came from the academic community, while the remaining participants represented the development and private sectors. This mix enabled an exchange of diverse perspectives and bridged the academic community with industry practitioners in exploring DeSci approaches.

The Meetup further increased the visibility of the Web3 Innovation Hub project and provided participants with an opportunity to share experiences and identify simple pilot applications that could be developed in the future through project and inter-institutional collaboration.

About the Project

The Web3 Innovation Hub (W3IH) project, number 101179566 – ERASMUS-EDU-2024-CBHE, is implemented within the Erasmus+ programme. The project aims to build capacity in higher education institutions through the integration of Web3 technologies and decentralised science in academic research and education.

×