Vana Academy
A 9 week incubation program for data innovators to launch a successful data capital business.
Applications Open Now
program overview
Participants will:
- Learn how data sovereignty unlocks new market opportunities for data enterprises
- Learn how to source and commercialize high-value, user-owned datasets
- Receive mentorship and technical support from Vana engineers and core contributors
- Present their projects to potential investors and ecosystem leaders
- Be eligible for milestone rewards and and future grants
Applications Open Now
WEEK 1-4
Learning Phase
- The Vana stack and ecosystem
- Designing a DataDAO
- Proof of Contribution (PoC) models
- Token design and contributor incentives
Week 5
Proof Phase
- Teams submit MVP drafts
- Selected teams can qualify for up to $5K in milestone-based rewards following evaluation.
Weeks 6-8
GTM Phase
- Tokenomics
- Scaling data contributor participation
Week 9
Proof Phase
- Present to investors and Vana ecosystem leaders
- Selected teams will be eligible for additional grants and ecosystem support
Who should apply?
- Web3 builders exploring how to tokenize and govern user-owned data via DataDAOs
- Data scientists looking to commercialize data with new ownership and monetization models
- AI developers interested in building with consented, private datasets for human-aligned AI
- Founders passionate about data sovereignty and collective value creation in the AI economy
Applications open until June 4th
Program length: 9 weeks
What is a DataDAO?
A DataDAO is a collective where users contribute their data into a shared dataset that is governed and monetized collectively. Think of it as a cooperative for data—built on-chain, Read more here
How do I create a DataDAO?
Refer to the Vana Docs for a step-by-step guide, including boilerplate contracts, best practices for token design, and contributor onboarding.
Do I need to have a dataset already?
No. We welcome both existing dataset holders and those planning to collect data during the program.
What does the reward cover?
Teams that pass evaluation in Week 5 will receive up to $5k worth of USDT to support project development.
How are teams selected for the final pitch?
Evaluation is based on project scope, technical feasibility, contributor strategy, and dataset uniqueness.
Will there be more cohorts?
Yes! This is the first of many. If you’re not ready now, stay tuned for future rounds.
Join the Vana Builder Community on Discord to connect with the Vana Academy team and explore ideas with fellow Data Innovators