The summer season in Split will be opened by the fourth edition of BlockSplit – the conference that has been gathering experts from the region for years on the topic of blockchain, today’s most intriguing technology.

This year, even the mayor of Split, Doctor of Science Ivica Puljak, will join the BlockSplit participants. He will moderate a panel on decentralized science, apparently the main challenger of traditional academic systems and a brand new approach to reaching scientific conclusions and establishing collaboration.

“I always say that science is one of the most beautiful human activities.

I am proud that Split is a place that welcomes new technological solutions with open arms, especially solutions that will make science more accessible to everyone.

Our academic, business and civic community recognized the importance of taking advantage of this opportunity and making this step forward on the BlockSplit stage. I look forward to being part of the discussion,” said Ivica Puljak.

Decentralized science is based on the democratization of access to scientific processes so that everyone, regardless of the resources at their disposal, can participate in and monitor scientific projects and their progress.

Ivica Puljak is an elementary particle physicist and professor at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Naval Architecture of the University of Split, and during his career, he participated in one of the most significant scientific discoveries of this millennium – the Higgs boson, the smallest particle in the known universe.

The search for Higgs boson lasted decades. Teams from various countries participated in the project, and, in an instant, it became certain that for further research it would be necessary to build a machine whose parts came from all corners of the world.

Although such an undertaking required a centralized structure that would monitor the needs of the entire team and its subunits, as well as overall progress, and its financial overview, today the question is increasingly raised whether a centralized approach is a good way to conduct all research in the academic community.

From efficiency to fairness, the decentralization made possible by blockchain technology offers new solutions to several problems that a growing number of scientists are warning about every day.

These are the questions that BlockSplit and its guests will try to answer during the completely new accompanying program – the DeSci Track.

Here, the stage will be shared by well-known names in the community who are leading this scientific and technological revolution, such as Joshua Bate, founder of DeSci World, and Sarah Rouse, co-founder of SpaceBioDAO.

The fourth edition of BlockSplit, sponsored by NEAR, Tenderly, and General Magic, will also host the most exciting startup program so far with the Web3 Startup Pitch competition and attractive prizes.

The numerous prizes for the best startups include $10,000 in software services from Blank, $1,500 in Calimero Network credit, $2,000 in legal services from the Hrdalo and Krnić law firm, and accelerator programs at Inn Mind and The Blox.

Aside from an opportunity to win prizes, the startups will pitch in front of an audience that will include investors from key investment funds such as LAUNCHub Ventures, Meta Change Capital, and Daedalus Angels.

We can expect really great things from this year’s BlockSplit! Tickets are still available, so don’t miss a chance to get yours and take part in this great event!

Text and photos: BlockSplit