South African-based startup Tari Labs has launched a free online blockchain technology university to train developers and address a growing demand for experts. This will also serve as an incubator for blockchain projects.

“Tari Labs University aims to become a go-to destination for easily-accessible learning material for blockchain, digital currency and digital assets, from beginner to advanced level,” says Tari Lab Senior Contributor Cayle Sharrock.

Blockchain talent

Sharrock says that Tari Labs has since its inception focused on “giving talented people the chance to develop their abilities. The Tari Labs University is a natural next step in sharing knowledge and learning from the community in turn”.

The venture was launched earlier this year by a consortium co-founded by South African blockchain and crypto expert Riccardo “Fluffpony” Spagni. He says the aim is to redefine “the way we work with digital assets, like in-game items, digital collectables, concert tickets and loyalty points”.

Spagni states that “as with any open source project, we see the learning material as living or ever-evolving”.

The bigger picture

He explains that “the bigger picture here is to assist in constructing an ecosystem for developers and enable them to leverage the Tari protocol. We’re ultimately part of a network, and the more participants it has, the more successful it will be”.

“The more blockchain experts we can help develop, the better it is for the ecosystem. From the start, Tari Labs has been all about giving talented people the chance to develop their abilities. The Tari Labs University is a natural next step in sharing knowledge and learning from the community in turn”.

South African tech talent

Tari Labs’ development team is based in Johannesburg. Spagni claims that much of the talent needed to help build the Tari protocol already exists in South Africa.

Tari Lab’s team has created “the most useful decentralised platform that empowers anyone to create digitally scarce things people love”. This will enable users to manage and transfer digital assets with more flexibility, allow true digital scarcity, and break down the industry-specific silos in which businesses currently operate.