1. Introduction
CeloIndia DAO is a community-led initiative dedicated to cultivating a regenerative and inclusive blockchain ecosystem across India. In line with the broader Celo mission, we focus on empowering individuals through decentralized collaboration, wallet adoption, and blockchain education.
During H1 2025, these activities were carried out under the Celo Regional Council’s Ambassador Program, which served as a foundation to test scalable community models. With positive traction and growing interest, CeloIndia DAO is now being formed to build on the momentum and operational insights of the ambassador phase. This report highlights our Q1 progress, challenges, and early community development efforts.
2. Mission & Vision
Our mission is to build a vibrant, decentralized, and community-driven ecosystem in India powered by Celo. Our vision is to empower individuals—particularly from underserved and rural regions—through accessible blockchain education, hands-on wallet onboarding, and DAO participation. We envision CeloIndia DAO becoming a catalyst for Web3 innovation and social impact across the nation.
3. Summary of Activities (Q1 2025 – Ambassador Program Phase)
3.1 Education & Awareness
In Q1, as part of the ambassador initiative, we organized two in-person blockchain training sessions in colleges and hosted two webinars featuring ecosystem builders. Topics included Valora wallet onboarding, Celo basics, and real-world ReFi use cases. These sessions provided students and developers with first-hand exposure to blockchain fundamentals.
3.2 Wallet Adoption
We successfully onboarded over 100 participants with Valora wallets during our events. Using real devices and guided instructions, new users learned how to securely manage wallets and interact with ReFi apps. Many of these sessions occurred in rural and semi-urban areas, where blockchain is largely unfamiliar, highlighting Celo’s value in grassroots financial access.
3.3 Community Building
The Telegram group, which started from zero, grew to around 50 active participants by the end of Q1, fostering peer learning, event coordination, and ecosystem engagement. Meanwhile, the @IndiaCelo Twitter handle was launched, gaining early momentum with regular posts, community updates, and builder spotlights. These platforms now serve as foundational communication and support channels for the emerging DAO.
3.4 Ecosystem Coordination
In Q1, we started building connections with various members of the Celo ecosystem to better understand how we can align and contribute. These early efforts helped us gain insights into ongoing initiatives and identify areas where CeloIndia can add value. As we transition into a DAO, we aim to continue growing these relationships to support collaborative and impactful activities in India.
4. Marketing & Outreach Efforts
Our outreach strategy during the ambassador phase included campus-based awareness drives, poster campaigns, and pamphlet distribution. Word-of-mouth advocacy through educators and local influencers proved effective, especially when combined with wallet incentives. Continuous engagement via Telegram and X (Twitter) further amplified our reach and retention.
5. Challenges Faced
Operating under a limited budget in H1 meant we had to prioritize high-impact and cost-efficient activities. Delivering sessions in rural areas came with connectivity challenges and required customized content formats. Moreover, blockchain terminology in English proved to be a barrier—pointing to the need for localized, multilingual content.
6. Lessons Learned
Mini Hackathons and guided workshops act as high-conversion funnels for onboarding developers. Wallet incentives work best when paired with real-life ReFi applications, such as local savings circles or transparent fundraising. Engaging educators boosts credibility, while continuous feedback from users enables rapid iteration of our strategy.
7. Twitter and Telegram Analytics (Q1 2025)
The @IndiaCelo Twitter account showed strong engagement during the early phase. With just 24 followers, our first 100 posts achieved a total of 1,320 views, averaging 83 views per post with a median of 74. The views-per-follower ratio was a notable 343.75%, which is 247.60% higher than the industry average of 96.15%.
Engagements totaled 67, with an average of 4 engagements per post, matching the median. The engagement-to-follower ratio stood at 17.45%, which is 15.98% higher than the average (1.46%), and the overall engagement rate was 5.08%, exceeding the average rate of 2.72% by 2.35%.
Our Telegram group, launched during H1, grew organically to 48 members. These users—many of whom have onboarded with Celo wallets—actively engage in ecosystem Q&A, project discussions, and event feedback. The rapid community growth highlights the interest and relevance of a DAO-led approach.
8. Call to Action
As we step into the DAO formation phase, we invite builders, educators, students, and ecosystem collaborators to join and contribute to the CeloIndia movement. Whether you’re experimenting with ReFi, interested in grants, or building the next dApp, you’re welcome to co-create this decentralized future with us.
Follow us on Twitter: https://x.com/IndiaCelo
Join our Telegram community: Telegram: View @CeloIndia
9. Conclusion
H1 2025 marked a foundational phase for Celo in India, beginning with the Ambassador Program under the Regional Council’s support. Through dedicated efforts in education, wallet onboarding, and grassroots outreach, the initiative successfully activated interest among students, developers, and rural communities. These efforts funnelled new builders to Celo, fostering early adoption and experimentation. Despite funding and logistical challenges, the community demonstrated resilience and enthusiasm for building with Celo. With promising engagement on social media and growing participation in Telegram, the foundation is now set for scaling these efforts through the newly formed CeloIndia DAO in H2 2025. We look forward to strengthening our on-ground presence, fostering deeper ecosystem collaborations, and empowering the next wave of builders and users in India’s Web3 future.