Good day,
I am sharing here a proposal from CodeRaiz for a structured university outreach initiative across Mexico, intended for review by the Zcash Community Grants process and discussion within the wider community.
The intention is straightforward: to introduce Zcash in a setting where it can be properly understood, particularly by students and academic staff who are already engaged in technical disciplines.
Why Mexico??
Mexico has a well-established university system with a consistent output of engineering and computer science graduates. However, exposure to privacy-preserving cryptography remains limited in most academic environments.
Institutions such as:
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional
- Tecnológico de Monterrey
- Universidad de Guadalajara
- Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla
represent environments where technical concepts are already being taught at scale. What is largely absent is sustained exposure to systems like Zcash and, more specifically, to the underlying zero-knowledge cryptography that makes it distinct.
That gap is what this initiative is intended to address in a practical way.
What is Being Proposed??
The plan is to conduct a series of university-based sessions across five cities:
- Mexico City
- Monterrey
- Guadalajara
- Puebla
- Querétaro
Each location would follow a simple structure over one to two days.
Day 1 – Foundations
Introduction to Zcash and its role in financial privacy
Discussion of privacy as a technical and practical requirement
Open questions and discussion
Day 2 – Practical Work
Hands-on sessions using wallets and developer tools
Technical sessions focused on shielded transactions and SDK interaction
Structured exercises using Zcash primitives to explore real privacy problems
The approach is deliberately paced. The objective is understanding, not volume.
Participation Scope
The sessions are intended for a mixed audience:
- Students (undergraduate and postgraduate)
- Early-career developers
- Academic staff and lecturers
The inclusion of lecturers is intentional. In most cases, sustained academic engagement depends more on faculty participation than on student interest alone.
Expected Outcomes
The expectations are kept realistic:
- Several hundred participants across all locations
- A smaller group of developers who continue beyond the initial sessions
- A limited number of campus-based contacts for ongoing engagement
- A small set of early-stage ideas that may later be developed further
The emphasis is not on scale, but on whether any meaningful continuity emerges after the events conclude.
Funding Structure
The proposal is structured in two stages:
- $30,000 initial funding to support preparation and execution of at least three university events
- $17,500 completion tranche released upon delivery of remaining events and submission of final reporting
The intention is to ensure the work can begin in a practical manner, while still maintaining accountability for completion.
Conclusion
This proposal is not presented as an experimental concept, but as a structured and repeatable form of engagement.
If Zcash is to be better understood in regions such as Latin America, it will likely require this kind of direct academic exposure rather than broader awareness efforts.
We would welcome feedback from the community and are prepared to refine the approach further if needed.
Savino Calebresi
CodeRaiz