Build a Blockchain Startup

Decentralized Application (dApp) Development and Entrepreneurship

Advanced Topics in Entrepreneurship & Innovation
INDENG 190E-002/290-002 (3 Units)
Spring 2022

Come learn why Marc Andreessen, creator of the modern web browser, says blockchain is “the most important invention since the internet itself,” and Andreessen Horowitz, his namesake VC fund, announced on June 24, 2021 a new $2.2B Crypto Fund III to invest in blockchain startups.

The Web 3.0 movement strives for a next generation of the Internet that champions security, privacy, and openness all while creating an even more seamless experience. Protocols building with blockchain technology are leading this movement, creating platforms that will be the foundation for Web 3.0 in years to come.

In this course, students will work in teams directly with three leading protocols to build a prototype around a use case of students’ choice, following our theme of Web 3.0. Students will have access to developer support from these protocols throughout the course, and the course will provide technical and entrepreneurial training through the instructor, mentors and guest lecturers.

Students will learn about and understand the motivation behind Web 3.0 and blockchain, dive into and build on these emerging blockchain protocols, gain practical skills while building functional prototypes, and present at an end-of-course “demo day.” Teams will also compete for a coveted spot in the SCET Collider Cup and be considered for UC Berkeley’s blockchain startup accelerator - the Xcelerator.

Blockchain platforms include Polkadot (created by the co-inventor of Ethereum, Gavin Wood), Algorand, and the original smart contract platform, Ethereum.