Executive Summary
Celo EU’s first season of 2025 was all about learning by doing — identifying ecosystem bottlenecks and running targeted experiments to unlock growth across Europe. It was a foundational period, designed not for scale, but for sharpening focus, building trust, and setting the conditions for long-term, sustainable impact.
At the ecosystem level, we focused on governance alignment, Regional DAO coordination, and active participation in key decision-making conversations. We engaged closely with the Celo Foundation, ecosystem partners, and community leaders to address treasury constraints, clarify DAO roles, and co-design a pragmatic path forward. Much of this groundwork will culminate in the first-ever Celo Regional Council Report, set to be published in July 2025.
On the ground, we doubled down on activating local ecosystems, onboarding high-potential projects, and piloting a new wave of community infrastructure — from contributor tracking tools to the first iteration of our Membership Program. Our presence at major events, like ETHPrague, and in grassroots gatherings across Lisbon, Barcelona, and beyond, positioned Celo EU as both a convener and catalyst for ecosystem growth in Europe.
This report is an overview of our progress across three focus areas — Community & Growth, Business & Opportunities, and Coordination — with specific initiatives, learnings, and KPIs that shaped our H1 journey and set the tone for an ambitious H2 ahead.
Written by @Joan_DeRB and @ricaax.
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Focus Area 1: Community & Growth
Summary
This focus area centred on embedding Celo EU within Europe’s diverse builder communities by testing practical, replicable engagement models. Rather than defaulting to a one-size-fits-all approach, we piloted a spectrum of formats — from institutional summits to grassroots breakfasts — to discover what truly drives trust, participation, and long-term alignment.
We structured our efforts across:
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Events & Engagement – ETHPrague, Builders’ Breakfasts, and local meetups in Lisbon and Barcelona enabled high-touch interactions with founders and developers. These low-lift, high-yield events served as crucial touchpoints for onboarding and community-building.
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Content & Communication – We led video production, media coordination, and storytelling to support ecosystem visibility, Celo narratives, and governance processes.
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Governance Leadership – Celo EU supported the coordination of the newly formed Regional Council by organizing weekly calls and drafting initial documentation to help structure governance across the ecosystem. This included outlining roles for regional, country, and continental DAOs, proposing election processes, and working with DevRel, Minipay, Prezenti, Celo Camp, and other teams to align efforts. The goal was to contribute to a shared understanding of how different parts of the ecosystem can collaborate effectively.
This experimentation provided us with critical insights into what formats drive retention and commitment, shaping the future of our contributor incentives and activation logic for H2.
Events
January 2025
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UNDP Brussels: Strategic working meetings on blockchain and impact
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Regional Council kickoff meetings with all ecosystem stakeholders
February 2025
- Barcelona Finance School roundtable with banking institutions on digital assets and regulatory frameworks
April 2025
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B4G Summit (Online): Institutional blockchain summit focused on funding for impact
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UNDP Blockchain Academy: Supported educational sessions for UNDP
May 2025
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ETHPrague Week
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ETHPrague booth with Self, cLabs, and Celo
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Pragma Prague
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ETHGlobal Hackathon
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Celo Builders House
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Builders Breakfast with stakeholders from the ecosystem - SQD, Talent Protocol, Funding the Commons, GrowthePie, Self, cLabs, Celo Foundation and others
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Barcelona BioFi Meetup:Event supporting local ecosystem builders
June 2025
- Event during Unicorn Week with NOVA SBE, Celfocus, Refi Lisboa in Lisbon, Portugal, kicking off a partnership with one of the main universities in Portugal.
July 2025 (Previewed, Q2)
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Blockchain for Good Summit on July the 1st
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Cannes Celo Breakfast on July the 2nd (co-hosted with BGA and Vocdoni): Impact builders, public sector actors, and ecosystem alignment ahead of ETHCC
Governance
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Led and organised the Regional Council and weekly coordination calls with stakeholders from DevRel, Minipay, Prezenti, Celo Camp, Governance, and Foundation
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Regional Council reports are in progress and will be finalized after H1 closes and H2 begins. Previously prepared and shared documentation includes:
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Understanding Celo’s Regional DAOs: Structure, Evolution & Open Questions (Document 1)
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Regional Council, Structure and Election
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Defining Regional, Continental, and Country DAO Relationships
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Aligning the Celo Ecosystem
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Delegation Proposals:
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Supported alignment across DAOs, proposals, and budgets in collaboration with Celo Foundation and ecosystem partners
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Active engagement with ecosystem stakeholders and solid participation in Governance shaping.
KPIs
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Participated in or organized 12 events during H1 2025.
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2 upcoming events in July: Blockchain for Good Summit and Cannes Celo Builders Breakfast.
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Supported 1 major hackathon: ETHGlobal Hackathon.
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Hosted or supported 3 local builder/community events:
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Barcelona BioFi Meetup
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Lisbon Unicorn Week
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ETHPrague side activities
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Engaged in 4 institutional/educational events: (UNDP, B4G Summit, Barcelona Finance School, NOVA SBE university).
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Initiated 2 university partnerships: NOVA SBE (Portugal) and Barcelona Business School.
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Activated presence in 6+ European countries: Turkey, Spain, Portugal, Czech Republic, Germany, and France.
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Engaged 10+ ecosystem stakeholders at events and through collaboration.
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Produced 3 video content
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Drafted 4 strategic governance documents covering DAO structures, Regional Council elections, and ecosystem alignment.
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Ran multiple social media campaigns to amplify events, showcase builders, and support governance discussions.
Focus Area 2: Business & Opportunities
Summary
This focus area aimed to identify scalable models for ecosystem growth by exploring external partnerships, aligning with institutional actors, and testing alternative funding pathways. Celo EU operated at the intersection of strategy, ecosystem architecture, and practical business development, prioritising sustainable value creation over short-term exposure.
One key realisation this season was that product development from scratch is resource-intensive and often misaligned with the European resources. Instead, Celo EU focused on identifying and onboarding qualified protocols that are already generating value and can be integrated into the Celo stack. This approach was validated through our work with Vocdoni, which demonstrated that high-quality infrastructure projects can be onboarded with minimal overhead when ecosystem navigation and alignment support are in place.
On the revenue side, we piloted a model in which core team costs are partially covered by Celo Community Fund allocations, while additional funds—such as sponsorships from partners or matching funds for impact events—are directed toward community initiatives. This separation allows us to protect strategic operations while still enabling flexible experimentation with ecosystem-facing budgets.
We also continued our collaboration with UNDP, participating in strategic sessions and co-organising events in Brussels and the Balkans. This collaboration has positioned Celo as a trusted advisor and opened doors for potential co-funded programs focused on SDG acceleration and financial inclusion.
Finally, we began the process of formalising Celo EU as a legal entity. This will allow us to issue invoices, sign agreements, and develop long-term business relationships in line with EU compliance standards.
Onboarding Projects, the exemple of Vocdoni & DAVINCI
TL;DR: Vocdoni is a decentralised governance and digital voting protocol built to support secure, auditable, and scalable decision-making systems. Combining zero-knowledge cryptography, verifiable encryption, and censorship resistance, Vocdoni provides an infrastructure layer for institutions, communities, and DAOs seeking secure, legally compliant voting.
Vocdoni provides one of the most mature and production-ready governance infrastructures in the Web3 space. Since launching its new chain instance in April 2024, the network has recorded:
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65,419 transactions
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56,624 votes
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1,854 elections
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170 accounts
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11 active validators
(Source: Vocdoni Explorer)
It’s important to note that these figures only reflect data since the latest chain genesis. The protocol has been active since 2019 and has powered over 300,000 votes across municipalities, cooperatives, and activist networks. Earlier data was stored off-chain by design to accommodate privacy regulations in different jurisdictions.
Why it matters for Celo:
Vocdoni brings real-world utility, regulatory compatibility, and a mission-aligned approach to participation, making it a strong fit for Celo’s broader narrative around regenerative systems, on-chain governance, and digital public infrastructure. The platform’s commitment to impact and accessibility aligns directly with Celo’s goals to empower communities and institutions as well to potential partners such as Self.
Celo EU’s Role in Onboarding:
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Prezenti Grant: Celo EU directly supported Vocdoni’s successful application for a Prezenti ecosystem grant, helping the team articulate the alignment between their mission and Celo’s on-chain goals.
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BGA Incubation Program: We facilitated and backed their inclusion in the Blockchain for Good Alliance’s incubation program (Cohort II), positioning Vocdoni to receive dedicated support for scaling.
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Strategic Visibility: We included Vocdoni in core ecosystem events such as the Cannes Celo Breakfast, helping position them as a key public goods partner within the European Celo narrative.
Our team continues to support Vocdoni with growth strategy, product positioning, and ecosystem alignment to ensure successful long-term integration into the Celo stack.
Looking ahead to H2 2025, Celo EU will use this onboarding as a template for identifying and supporting additional high-impact, infrastructure-level public goods projects across Europe.
KPIs
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1 protocol onboarded (Vocdoni)
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1 Prezenti grant facilitated + BGA Cohort II incubation secured, a total amount of $20.000
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3 institutional events supported (UNDP Brussels, B4G Summit, UNDP Academy)
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Legal setup process initiated
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2 funding pathways tested:
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Matching funds
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Sponsored contributions
Focus Area 3: Coordination and Dev Rel
Summary
This focus area centred on building a lightweight but effective coordination system for Celo EU operations—one that prioritises transparency, accountability, and reproducibility across contributors and DAO activities, using Charmverse and similar tools. The goal was not to introduce complex new systems, but rather to implement a modular coordination stack that could be shared with and adopted by other DAOs across the Celo ecosystem.
This effort focused on improving knowledge sharing, and experimenting with contributor management tools. A more detailed technical report is still in development.
Key Insights
One of the key lessons this season was the importance of aligning with the DevRel team on ecosystem-wide tooling. In areas such as contributor tracking and performance metrics, it became clear that adopting systems already supported by DevRel is far more efficient than building independent alternatives.
As a result, Celo EU will no longer invest resources into standalone tooling development in this area. Instead, we will rely on shared standards coming from the core Celo ecosystem and focus on integrating existing protocols led by contributors and ambassadors.
This strategic shift also means we will end our collaboration with the AXMC Guild, who had been developing the Celo EU Veki Membership system. While the initial pilot provided valuable learnings, we believe contributor onboarding and recognition should now be integrated through ecosystem-wide tools—ensuring better compatibility, efficiency, and long-term maintainability.
Nevertheless, the tool developed by AXMC is fully functional and can serve as a valuable asset for other communities. It remains available for reuse or adaptation by ecosystem contributors seeking lightweight solutions for contributor engagement.
KPIs
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Designed and piloted an internal contributor management system (Veki Membership)
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Defined ecosystem tooling strategy in alignment with DevRel team
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Minted 30 NFTs for contributor onboarding and access
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Deployed 9 smart contracts related to coordination and membership flows
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Created or maintained 6 GitHub repositories supporting coordination tooling
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Launched 2 Charmverse workspaces: Celo EU and the Regional Council
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Tested or integrated 5+ ecosystem tools, including Unlock Protocol, Charmverse, Privy, Lemonade, and Hats
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Activated coordination tooling at 2 retreats: Lisbon and ETHPrague
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Delivered a modular membership DApp for wallet-based routing and contributor flows
Community Feedback & Reflections
As we look back on the first half of 2025, one of our key takeaways is how much strength there is in collaboration and how important it is to keep evolving how we work together as an ecosystem.
Celo EU was created to serve as a bridge between global strategy and local execution, between institutions and grassroots builders, between ideas and implementation. We’ve been proud to support many ecosystem efforts this season: from content and coordination to hosting events and amplifying initiatives. But we’ve also noticed a recurring pattern that deserves reflection.
Too often, we’re brought into initiatives only after decisions are made or when there’s a last-minute need to host, support, fund, or execute. And while we’re always happy to roll up our sleeves and contribute, over time, that kind of engagement can feel one-sided.
We believe regional actors like Celo EU bring far more to the table than logistics or free labour. We’re deeply embedded in the communities where these initiatives take root. We know the builders, the regulators, and the cultural context. When we’re brought in early — as partners, not just implementers — the work becomes stronger, more relevant, and more likely to succeed.
At the same time, early and visible collaboration strengthens the regional hubs themselves. It shows the world what makes Celo unique: a decentralised ecosystem with local depth and global coordination. When local and global actors stand side by side — not in silos, but in sync — it reflects the kind of layered strength we want the world to see.
We’re not asking for more credit or control. We’re asking for a deeper partnership.
The more we shift from “ask and execute” to co-design and co-create, the more resilient, inclusive, and powerful this ecosystem becomes — not just in Europe, but everywhere Celo is building.
Team Updates
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Erik Brinde, from Avantgarde Finance, joins the core team as Governance Advisor and multisig signer.
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Andrea steps down from the multisig.
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Jordi Farré Pifarré consolidated himself as Content Lead.
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AXMC guild, led by Andrea, stops supporting Celo EU tech development.
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Rica takes the lead of Celo EU.
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Joan de Ramón’s role shifts toward Governance, BD and Strategy.
New contributor and ambassador positions will be opened soon.
Conclusions: Local Traction, Global Strategy
H1 2025 marked the moment Celo EU turned strategy into motion. Our model is simple: we translate Celo’s Vision 2030 into tangible local realities and feed local innovation back into global direction. That’s the flywheel: a self-reinforcing loop where top-down strategy meets bottom-up momentum.
Celo’s global goals, advancing stablecoin adoption, financial inclusion, and zk-based identity infrastructure, are only as powerful as their execution on the ground. That’s where we come in.
We direct funding, tools, and mentorship to local builders and communities. In return, we surface critical insights, projects, protocols and builders that sharpen ecosystem growth and governance. This two-way motion — from global to local and back — is what sets our approach apart.
Our next phase is about deepening that system:
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Local nodes are the backbone of our strategy. Embedded in key European cities and led by trusted partners, these hubs onboard new projects, re-engage experienced builders, and serve as local anchors for the ecosystem. They reflect regulatory, cultural, and community-specific needs while staying aligned with Celo’s global vision. We’re already in conversation to launch our first local node in Türkiye, with more to follow.
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Our Ambassador Program will expand to support grassroots leaders already shaping their ecosystems. Ambassadors will receive training, funding access, and ecosystem visibility — becoming cultural translators of Celo’s mission and values in their own communities.
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Academic and institutional partnerships will help scale our impact. In H2, we’ll launch a Community Development Program in collaboration with European universities to upskill new talent, onboard developers into web3, and embed Celo-native thinking into the local educational landscape.
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We’ll also invest in strengthening ecosystem-wide coordination, through continued work in the Regional Council and deeper alignment with other Regional DAOs — ensuring local realities help guide global governance.
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Finally, we’ll establish a dedicated content agency to support ecosystem stakeholders across the region — helping partners, builders, and protocols communicate with greater clarity, consistency, and cultural relevance.
We believe ecosystems don’t scale through forms or hype.
They scale through relationships — builders who stay, contributors who return, and communities that grow with you.
That’s our operating system:
trust → activation → contribution → ownership.
And now that it’s moving, the next phase is all about acceleration — with stronger structure, clearer playbooks, and deeper presence.
Locally grounded. Globally connected. Strategically aligned.