The BlockchainGov Newsletter #27 | November 2025
November was quite a month! This month’s update provides a full download of the Argentina Onchain Residency, the governance debate at the University of Buenos Aires, the national educational tour conducted with the Polkadot Blockchain Academy, our participation in the Coop AI workshop in Istanbul, and the first Network Nations community call + the launch of the new website.
👀🕸️ Dive in with us!
I. 🇦🇷 Argentina Onchain Residency 1-14th of November @ Edge City Patagonia
What happens when blockchain technology intentionally hit’s institutional reality? Argentina Onchain Residency - a collab between BlockchainGov, the Ethereum Foundation, Mechanism Institute, Polkadot Blockchain Academy, Crecimiento & SEED Latam brought together public officials, technologists, researchers, and community builders to prototype institutional upgrades for Argentina’s digital future.
Over two intense weeks, we tested a new methodology for bootstrapping blockchain implementation at an institutional level - and it was an unmistakeable success. Instead of designing for a self-referential crypto ecosystem, we built for situated, real-world implementation. Week 1 focused on discovery: mapping Argentina’s legal, political, and infrastructural landscape while deepening our understanding of the metapolitics of technology, legal strategies, and other real-world use cases. Week 2 then shifted into a full design sprint led by ian ✺ from Syndicate.
How did we make sure what we prototyped was at all relevant? We did some initial research! BlockchainGov’s Sofía Cossar conducted interviews with 30+ officials across the public, private, and third sectors. From these conversations, we extracted problem statements, turned them into design briefs, and finally prototyped custom blockchain solutions tailored to the realities of Argentina’s institutions during week 2.
If you would like to see the problems the institutions provided, you can find them here: Final_Argentina Problem Statements
This approach effectively flipped the script on the common critique that blockchain is “a solution looking for a problem.” By grounding the technology in civic needs and political realities, its potential became concrete, legible, and actionable. We are so pleased with this methodology and are planning for future iterations.
▶️ If you have 3 minutes and want a quick overview, watch Lovisa Björna’s presentation during the final Demo Day at Edge City: https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1MnxnPaWnvMGO (Starts at 54 minutes.)
▶️ If you have 50 minutes and want to fully dive into each of the demos, you can explore the detailed presentations here, with another full description of the residency given in the first 10 minutes: [
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🗞️ And if you prefer the written word, Andrej who helped organize the residency shared some reflections on his Substack.
The residency was led by Ori Shimony, Sofia Cossar and Lovisa Björna , with essential coordination support from Livia Deschermayer and • Andrej Berlin. For Week 2, the design sprint was hosted by ian ✺ from Syndicate, guiding teams from briefs to prototype concepts. Thank you all who participated and: a very big and heartfelt thanks to Edge City who created the container for us to experiment with this method and make this all possible.
II.The Politics of Argentina’s Onchain Transition — Edge City Panel Recap
At the end of Week 1 of the Argentina Onchain residency, we hosted a highlight: a full-house panel led by Sofía Cossar on The Politics of Argentina’s Onchain Transition.
It was a rare, very candid exchange between institutional representatives and on-chain innovators. Our panelists brought perspectives from across Argentina’s digital & political landscape:
Maria Victoria P. National Ministry of Human Capital — @MinCapHum_Ar, @vicpicchio
Augusto Ardiles Buenos Aires City Government — @augustoardilesd, @gcba
Diego Martin Diaz Fintech Argentina Chamber — @CamaraFintechAr
Maria Milagros Santamaria Crecimiento — @crecimientoar
Thank you to all the panelists & participants!
III. A Landmark Debate on Agentic AI & Digital Governance at the University of Buenos Aires
During Devconnect, the historic Salón de Actos at the University of Buenos Aires Faculty of Law became the stage for a critical debate on Agentic AI.
Dr. Primavera De Filippi, Dr. Gavin Wood and Dr. Juan Gustavo Corvalán debated the future pathways to govern AI as it’s legal status evolves, and it was one of the most charged debates we’ve seen. In collaboration with the Polkadot Blockchain Academy, the Faculty hosted an audience of over 300 students, scholars, and professionals to explore how AI and blockchain are reshaping governance and institutional trust. Their discussion marked a significant milestone in fostering regionally grounded conversations about our technological future. Hosted by the IALAB, and the Faculty of Law, Polkadot Blockchain Academy, and with the dedicated support of Pauline Cohen Vorms, Marina Marchesotti, and the wider team.
IV. PBA x BlockchainGov on Tour
In partnership with the Polkadot Blockchain Academy, Primavera De Filippi and Lovisa Björna continued their educational tour across Argentina—part of a growing BlockchainGov initiative focused on strengthening blockchain literacy, educational resources and public understanding. The first stop was Santiago del Estero, where we had the privilege of engaging with more than 400 students at a major event hosted at the Fórum Convention Center.
This visit marked a significant step for BlockchainGov’s educational mission, opening a structured dialogue not only with students but also with regional leadership across the Norte Grande. Alongside the student session on Web3, decentralized systems, and digital identity, the delegation met with the ten governors of the Norte Grande region and later held a dedicated conference for over ninety policymakers.
Across these engagements, we explored how blockchain and digital governance can enhance institutional transparency, support long-term development strategies, and provide practical tools for public-sector innovation. We had a great time, and the enthusiasm from students, governors, and policymakers alike reflects a strong and growing demand for accessible, responsible blockchain education in Argentina.
🎠 Onwards to Mendoza:
Primavera De Filippi was the keynote speaker at Blockchain: Governance and Innovation Cases, an event hosted by the Universidad Champagnat in partnership with the Polkadot Blockchain Academy. Addressing a room filled with academics, policymakers, and innovators, she delivered a powerful analysis of how blockchain can reinforce institutional transparency, rebuild public trust, and enable new regulatory experiments. Her keynote set the intellectual foundation for the entire conference, shaping the conversations that followed on digital identity initiatives like Mi Luján Digital presented by Intendente Esteban Allasino, as well as open-source economic models such as OpenVino, introduced by Mike Tango Bravo. The event closed with a panel led by PBA specialists and local academics — including Marcelo Palma, Luis J. Canessa, and moderator Carlos A. Aguiló S., — underscoring the growing momentum for blockchain education and innovation across the region.
Big thank you to the whole PBA team, and especially Marina Marchesotti, Gigi Heleg, María Sdrigotti, Carlos A. Aguiló S, Alan Cura & Pauline Cohen Vorms.
👀🗞️
Read more about the Blockchaingov x PBA tour in these newspaper articles: Blockchain: la tecnología que se afianza en Latinoamérica y ofrece posibilidades de desarrollo — ElDinero https://eldinero.com.do/344083/blockchain-la-tecnologia-que-se-afianza-en-latinoamerica-y-ofrece-posibilidades-de-desarrollo/
Líderes mundiales disertaron en el Centro de Convenciones Fórum sobre “El Futuro es Web3” — Gobierno de Santiago del Estero https://sde.gob.ar/2025/11/19/lideres-mundiales-disertaron-en-el-centro-de-convenciones-forum-sobre-el-futuro-es-web3/
Líderes mundiales disertaron en el Fórum sobre el futuro es Web3 — Exclusiva https://exclusiva.com.ar/locales/lideres-mundiales-disertaron-en-el-forum-sobre-el-futuro-es-web3/
“Blockchain en Mendoza”: expertos internacionales debaten gobernanza e innovación en la Universidad Champagnat — PortalTIC https://portaltic.com.ar/blockchain-en-mendoza-expertos-internacionales-debatieron-gobernanza-e-innovacion-en-la-universidad-champagnat/
Blockchain, gobernanza e innovación: un encuentro de alto nivel en la Universidad Champagnat — El Sol https://www.elsol.com.ar/educacion/blockchain-gobernanza-e-innovacion-un-encuentro-de-alto-nivel-en-la-universidad-champagnat/
Blockchain, gobernanza e innovación: un encuentro de alto nivel en la Universidad Champagnat — ElNueve https://www.elnueve.com/protagonistas/blockchain-gobernanza-e-innovacion-un-encuentro-de-alto-nivel-en-la-universidad-champagnat_20251120/
V. Counter-Narratives for an Alternative AI Ecosystem
Istanbul, Türkiye — November 11–14, 2025
Across four days in Istanbul, participants from more than thirty countries surfaced an urgent, shared concern: AI is being shaped by the few, with profound consequences for the many. The gathering highlighted emerging counter-narratives grounded in cooperative governance, diversity, and solidarity as the basis for a more democratic AI ecosystem. Tara Merk and Morshed Mannan contributed to the conversations, speaking about the role of data centers in shaping resilient futures and how traditional regulatory approaches are failing to keep pace with the scale and speed of today’s AI concentration.
For a deeper dive, read the recap by Trebor Scholz here: https://platform.coop/blog/voices-from-istanbul/
And watch Morshed’s talk here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XGeo_wVF8nNTlAeZX5JY_-R4f6nGcSSe/view
VI. Network Nations — First Community Call
We also hosted the first Network Nations community call, bringing together collaborators, researchers, and early participants to align on the emerging vision and share updates from recent workshops and field work. The discussion highlighted the growing energy around community-defined sovereignty and the practical pathways emerging from our shared efforts. A full Network Nations post will follow in the coming days, offering a more detailed overview of the framework, the roadmap ahead, and ways to participate in the next phase.
In the meantime, please check out the new website, it’s beautiful:
https://networknations.network/
VII. Walk the Talk — Exploring Governance While on the Move
We’d also like to highlight Esen Esener, LL.M, LL.M new video series Walk the Talk, where she shares research insights while literally walking through her ideas. In recent episodes, she explores themes like “stay resilient or centralize,” alegality, and other questions at the core of emerging governance systems. Watch it here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/esen-esener/
IX. Coming Up: Governance Futures × Democratic Innovations — Live Session (11 December)
On 11 December, Jamilya Kamalova, the Governance Futures podcast, and Democratic Innovations are co-hosting a joint live session exploring the shifting relationship between democratic systems, digitally networked communities, and emerging governance architectures.
This conversation is perfect for researchers, practitioners, policymakers, DAO contributors, and civic technologists working at the intersection of democracy and digital governance.
🔗 Sign up here: https://luma.com/nlmg1isq
That’s all from us this month. Thank you for reading this months newsletter!
Keeping you posted as always,
Until soon, The BlockchainGov Team 🕸️👀