Reflecting on the past six months at ICP Hub Portugal, we are thrilled to share our strides towards becoming the premier Web3 evangelisation and education platform. Our journey is marked by notable achievements in social media growth, a new website launch, and hosting major community events.

Let’s get into it!

Social Media Growth

Our social media presence has seen substantial growth. On Twitter, our follower count surged by 6,000, reflecting an increasingly engaged community. Our Telegram group also saw an influx of 800 new members, while our LinkedIn network expanded by 100 followers. These metrics are a testimony to the increasing interest in ICP Hub Portugal.

We also garnered attention through publications in major media outlets like Decrypt, the Defiant, Yahoo! Finance, Portugal Resident, and more. These features have amplified our mission, reaching a broader audience in the Web3 space.

New Website Launch

A major milestone was the launch of our new website, meticulously designed to support builders at every stage of their project journey. The site offers many resources for developers, founders, businesses, and Web3 partners. 

One standout feature is the ICP Waves3 Accelerator. This program offers a comprehensive educational component with tailored workshops and learning sessions focused on blockchain and Web3. Participants gain access to mentors who are experts in blockchain and decentralised technologies, providing valuable feedback. 

Successful ICP HUB Portugal Events

We are proud to have hosted many successful events in the last six months. Notably, the 2 Build on ICP Hackathons and the launch of the ICP Accelerator Program have nurtured new talent and projects.

ICP Accelerator Program

The ICP Hub Accelerator Program 2024 is a beacon for visionary builders aiming to bring their concepts to market. This two-phase program provides comprehensive support from idea inception to a fully realised solution on the Internet Computer. 

Participants gain integration into the ICP ecosystem, enjoying ongoing support, strategic partnerships, and access to investor networks.

The Build on ICP Hackathon 

This year two exciting hackathons took place under the banner of Build on ICP, offering substantial opportunities and prizes that included marketing assistance, funding support, and other valuable benefits. It included tracks such as AI and Infrastructure, where participants enjoyed training sessions and mentorship from top ICP builders within a supportive community. 

Build on ICP Portugal Hackathon was organised by ICP Hub Portugal, targeted developers and teams from all Europe, encouraging them to build projects on ICP and continue their development beyond the event. This event drew a diverse panel of judges, including leading venture capitalists, renowned builders, and established founders, giving participants a unique platform to showcase their talent and contribute to the IC Protocol ecosystem.

The ICP Ideathons 

The ICP Ideathons provided exciting opportunities for innovators to showcase their Web3 startup ideas. Unlike traditional hackathons, ideathons emphasised creativity over coding skills, requiring participants to present pitch decks and videos to a panel of expert judges. 

ICP Ideathons are online bootcamps and pitch competitions, encouraging developers and entrepreneurs to develop and pitch their Web3 startup ideas. Participants were guided through the process of conceptualising, designing, and pitching their ideas, with a focus on creativity, impact, viability, and presentation. While coding wasn’t required, those with ICP coding skills and relevant certificates had a better chance of winning and could earn additional prizes. 

Other Key Events

In addition to these flagship events, ICP Hub Portugal hosted (and co-hosted) numerous other engagements, including CryptoMondays x ICP: Fuelling WEB3 Innovation in Portugal and CryptoMondays x ICP: NFC Investor Panel & Rooftop Happy Hour. 

We also took an active part in the NFC Conference in Lisbon by co-hosting Web3 Society: Art, Culture & Gaming and Lisbon Degens Party.

All the events mentioned were major successes, and each one surpassed our KPIs regarding attendance, developer and entrepreneur engagement, VC and angel investor participation, and university involvement.

Plan for the Next 30 Days

As we look forward to the coming month, we are excited to roll out a series of initiatives to engage the Web3 community further.

Firstly, our next Hackathon will provide aspiring entrepreneurs and developers with a platform to showcase their best ideas. The event will be organised in collaboration with four different ICP hubs, including ICP Hub Bulgaria, ICP Hub Poland, ICP Hub Germany and ICP Hub Italy. 

Our Accelerator program will nurture and propel visionary concepts into market-ready solutions. This program offers a structured path for startups to progress from initial ideas to fully realised projects integrated within the ICP ecosystem.

Beyond these events, we are dedicated to maintaining a consistent rhythm of engagement through our Weekly X Spaces and monthly local community collaborations. These regular touchpoints will keep our community informed and connected.

The remarkable progress we have made over the past six months is just the beginning, and we are incredibly excited about the future. Together, we will continue to build Web3’s future and create a thriving global community.