Rise In to drive Celo's expansion across Asia and the Middle East

Celo community has chosen Rise In to lead its massive, accelerated expansion across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) and Middle East/North Africa (MENA) regions. 

This landmark agreement, which received a powerful 95% approval from the Celo community, establishes Rise In as the leader of the new, unified Celo MENA/APAC Hub.

Why This Region is the Future of Web3

This move is a strategic pivot to capture growth in the world’s most crucial emerging markets. The APAC region is a massive technological engine, responsible for generating over $600 billion in on-chain value in 2023. With its vibrant developer ecosystems, the region is key to scaling easy-to-use digital finance and mobile-first applications.

Rise In now serves as Celo’s dedicated presence from Morocco to Japan, taking charge of ecosystem development across countries like Turkey, India, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the UAE. 

Our Aggressive, Developer-First Strategy

Rise In’s mission is focused on total and aggressive developer onboarding. We will leverage the simplicity of the Celo platform, making it extremely easy for developers to start building. We will position Celo as the go-to chain for DeFi, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and mobile-first apps like MiniPay.

Our three-step Builder Funnel will transform fresh talent into successful founders:

1. Generate Interest: Launch high-energy roadshows, hackathons, and workshops to introduce new builders to the Celo ecosystem.
2. Develop & Retain: Host deep-dive workshops and ideation sessions to retain engaged developers and commit them to Celo.
3. Fund & Launch: Provide crucial one-on-one mentorship, funding opportunities, and business development support to guide the most promising projects into Celo’s global programs.

Immediate Impact: Global Events Kick Off Now

To drive this growth, the Celo MENA/APAC Hub is immediately launching a series of on-the-ground events designed to cultivate local talent:

• October 2025 | Zonguldak, Turkey: Kicking off with a Vibe Coding Workshop.
• October 2025 | Kolkata, India: A major Hackathon targeting 100 developers and aiming for 30 project submissions.
• November 2025 | Hanoi, Vietnam: A Developer Workshop scheduled to onboard 100 developers.
• November 2025 | Dubai, UAE: A Vibe Coding Workshop aiming to attract 100 developers and generate 40 projects.
• November 2025 | Bangkok, Thailand: A Developer Workshop aiming to net 100 new developers and 50 projects.

Details and more announcements coming soon!

Our Commitment: Clear, Measurable Goals for 2025

The Celo MENA/APAC Hub is focused on delivering concrete results before the end of the year:

• Onboard over 650 developers to our programs.
• Generate more than 250 new projects on Celo.
• Funnel at least 30 high-quality startups into Celo's global builder initiatives, like the Proof of Ship program.
• Capture significant social media attention, with a target of 500,000+ impressions.

CALL TO ACTION

To find event details, register for an upcoming hackathon or workshop, or learn more about building on Celo in the MENA/APAC region, follow our official website and social accounts. We are actively looking for developers and founders to join our programs in India, Turkey, Vietnam, UAE, Indonesia, Thailand, and beyond!