ShardLab and Indonesia's EKRAF Expand Blockchain Talent Partnership as Protocol Camp Cohort 9 Closes in Bali

• MoU with Indonesia's Ministry of Creative Economy (EKRAF) signed at Southeast Asia Blockchain Week 2026 in Bangkok
• Cohort 9, the program's third Asia-wide batch, concludes its 12-week bootcamp with a Final Demo in Bali, Indonesia
• Applications for Cohort 10 now open, with a kickoff during EastPoint:Seoul 2026

SEOUL, South Korea and BALI, Indonesia, Aug. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- ShardLab, the blockchain innovation arm of Hashed, will close Protocol Camp Cohort 9 with a Final Demo at Melasti Beach in Bali, Indonesia, on August 21. The program's third Asia-wide batch follows a Memorandum of Understanding with Indonesia's Ministry of Creative Economy (EKRAF), signed at Southeast Asia Blockchain Week (SEABW) 2026 in Bangkok.

Under the MoU, a joint effort to develop blockchain talent across Southeast Asia, six Indonesian participants joined Cohort 9 of ShardLab's 12-week builder bootcamp after an international screening process. For Indonesia, the placements are part of a broader push to build national capacity in decentralized technologies and digital assets.

At SEABW, Deputy Chairman for Digital and Technology Creativity (EKRAF) Muhammad Neil El Himam delivered a keynote on how blockchain and Real-World Asset (RWA) tokenization could turn Indonesian intellectual property into investment-grade assets.

"We see blockchain as an opportunity to grow the economic value of Indonesia's creative economy, and programs like Protocol Camp give our builders a direct path into the industry," said Muhammad Neil El Himam, Deputy Chairman for Digital and Technology Creativity, EKRAF.

"The government wants Indonesia to be not only a market, but a builder. We want more Indonesian founders, developers, creators, and entrepreneurs building world-class solutions, and bringing Indonesian IP from local heroes to national champions and global markets," said Teuku Riefky Harsya, Minister of Creative Economy, Indonesia.

The Minister also highlighted that blockchain has strong relevance to Indonesia's creative economy because of the country's substantial pool of creative talent and intellectual property. He noted that blockchain can strengthen IP management, increase productivity, and create new economic value for society.

Cohort 9 passed its Mid Demo checkpoint in Seoul in July 2026. Over 12 weeks, participants moved from concept to working product. All participants are fully sponsored, matched with a dedicated mentor each week, and finish the program with a product rather than a certificate. At the Final Demo in Bali, teams will present their products to mentors, partners, and the regional blockchain community.

The Protocol Camp model is already yielding tangible achievements. BeBridge won the grand prize at the SEABW 2026 AI Hackathon and launched DollarParking on Google Play, letting stablecoin holders across Asia use USDT to gain exposure to tokenized U.S. equities. ContentDAO now matches brand campaigns with creators in more than 30 countries.

Applications for Cohort 10 are open at protocolcamp.com through August 30, 2026. The 12-week program starts during EastPoint:Seoul 2026 in Seoul and is open to developers, designers, and product builders across Asia, covering both blockchain and AI. Protocol Camp has selected approximately 124 builders from roughly 500 applicants to date.

"Asia is no longer just adopting global technology; it is actively shaping its future. We are deeply grateful to Indonesia's Ministry of Creative Economy (EKRAF) for their forward-looking vision and support in empowering local talent. As Web3 and AI rapidly integrate across the region, we aim to make Protocol Camp the premier launchpad where top builders from Indonesia and across Asia connect, build, and scale real-world innovation," said Hojin Kim, CEO of ShardLab.

ABOUT SHARDLAB

ShardLab is the innovation arm of Hashed, a leading global digital asset venture capital firm. Established through the strategic partnership between Hashed and SCBX, Thailand's leading financial technology group and the parent company of Siam Commercial Bank, ShardLab researches, builds, and scales frontier technologies through R&D, venture building, and ecosystem development.

By connecting founders, enterprises, researchers, and institutions, we transform bold ideas into real-world innovation. Our mission is to accelerate the adoption of AI, digital assets, and emerging technologies while building a more connected and innovative future across Asia.

MEDIA CONTACT

Rachel Kim • Head of Marketing • [email protected]

SOURCE ShardLab