Cardano Strengthens Its Academic Foundations Through Partnership with PUC-Rio for Blockchain Research

Cardano is partnering with PUC-Rio’s Ledger Labs to investigate decentralized finance, tokenized assets, and governance structures of decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs). This collaboration is part of Cardano’s wider strategy in Latin America, which also includes a prior partnership with SERPRO in 2025, and supports ongoing projects in Argentina and the Middle East. The Cardano Foundation is establishing a research-focused partnership with the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio), a leading academic institution in the region. The emphasis is on fostering innovation within blockchain technologies, especially regarding the energy industry. An Examination of Cardano Foundation’s Recent Collaboration. Over the past ten years, the two partners have collaborated with Brazil’s state-owned oil firm Petrobras on prior initiatives related to the use of blockchain in energy production, distribution, and sustainability projects. The collaboration will mainly concentrate on renewable energy solutions and how blockchain can enhance the efficiency, transparency, and security of the sector. This project will take place at PUC-Rio’s Ledger Labs, which is a specialized center dedicated to researching the applications of Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) in business, finance, and governance. The Cardano Foundation is additionally supporting the A.L.B.A program that takes place at the laboratory. This aligns with the Foundation’s ongoing collaboration with Argentina’s Universidad Tecnológica Nacional. “This partnership establishes a basis for significant applications in energy and philanthropy, focusing on social impact,” stated Leonardo Lima, Vice-Dean of PUC-Rio and leader of Ledger Labs. He stated, “It is a wonderful opportunity to work together with one of the top blockchains globally, recognized for its security and commitment to ESG standards.” Some key research topics we will explore are decentralized finance (DeFi), tokenized assets, and governance frameworks for decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs), among others.