Why I’m Excited to See AKASHA at ETHWarsaw

The fourth edition of ETHWarsaw, taking place on September 4–7, 2025, is welcoming AKASHA as one of its main sponsors and aims to bring together the brightest minds and boldest ideas.

I’m Simona, co-founder of ETHCluj, and earlier this summer in June we had the honor of welcoming AKASHA as our main sponsor.

Looking back, I can honestly say that AKASHA wasn’t just a sponsor for us and our partnership was going way beyond anything transactional - it was an expression of a true collaboration and a demonstration of Ethereum values.

They were a partner in every sense, deeply aligned with the spirit of what we wanted to build in Cluj-Napoca. They trusted us, supported our decisions, and gave us the space to focus on creating the kind of event that felt meaningful and wholesome to our community, as well as aligned with the broader ecosystem vibe. Their presence made a tangible difference - for us as organizers first and foremost, but also for everyone attending. It helped the event feel more like a shared space where Ethereum’s values were not just discussed, but actively lived.

Knowing that AKASHA would also be joining ETHWarsaw in September genuinely made me happy. From my experience working with them, I could tell that their support would bring the same sense of care, trust and thoughtful involvement. It reassured me that the event would benefit from not just their sponsorship, but their genuine engagement and commitment which the participants would most certainly feel it too.

As I am writing this, I can only imagine the amount of work and preparation the ETHWarsaw team is going through right now. Pressure is always highest just before the event — anyone who has organized any type of event, professionally or personally, can tell you that. What people don’t always mention is how important it is to have the right allies by your side, rooting for you as you give your absolute best.

This brings to mind one little moment - a detail, if you will - from when we were going through similar moments with our ETHCluj team. We were all struggling to do our best in setting up the conference experience: adding sponsor booths, banners, and visuals, when we realized that one of Akasha’s setups was taking up too much space in the venue. We risked having to compromise part of the attendee experience to accommodate it.

As we turned and tried to figure out a solution, I heard someone from Akasha team say: “This is not the Akasha way.”

These words stayed with me as they resonated with something I had intuitively perceived from the very first moment I met Mihai Alisie and the Akasha team: they will always prioritize values over anything else, even when it might not be to their immediate benefit. What stands out, moreover, is how these values reflect the spirit of Ethereum itself - decentralization in decision-making and agency, openness in sharing ideas and being flexible to other people’s opinions and way of thinking, collaboration across diverse communities and entities, and fostering trust through transparency and integrity.

Details like this speak strongly about the way Akasha is built - both as a team and as an evolving system: kindly and gracefully enabling human connection and freedom of mind.

Who is AKASHA?

To speak a bit about who Akasha is and for those of you who may not know them yet, AKASHA Foundation is a nonprofit developing software for community coordination, while also supporting physical hubs around the world where Ethereum’s ethos comes to life.

AKASHA was founded by Mihai Alisie, who co-founded Ethereum in 2013 and created Bitcoin Magazine in 2011 with Vitalik Buterin. Their roots run deep in the Ethereum movement, but what inspires me most is how forward-looking their vision is.

What They Do

✨ They support global hubs and residencies inspired by Ethereum’s values, such as the AKASHA Hub in Barcelona and the Urbe Hub in Rome.

✨ Build software tools that empower freedom of mind, connection, and collective intelligence.
✨ Contribute to pioneering projects like Etherlaken, a 100,000+ square meter hub of possibilities for Ethereum which was just announced during the “Ethereum 10 Year Anniversary” event in Zug, Switzerland.

Etherlaken: A Civilization Incubator

One of the most exciting initiatives AKASHA embarked upon is Etherlaken. Located in a beautiful natural setting, Etherlaken is designed as a civilization incubator — a place to grow communities, tools, and systems that could shape the future of society.

By fostering collaboration, Etherlaken aims to accelerate solutions that serve the common good. It is more than just a place - it’s a living real-world expression of how decentralized collaboration can take root in the real world. It gives physical form to values that have shaped the ecosystem from the beginning: openness, decentralization, human connection, and long-term thinking.

AKASHA is helping shape the technology layer there, gradually weaving in web3 features, intuitive interfaces, and decentralized values. It’s a way of making Ethereum not just something we talk about, but something we experience.

It is being built near Interlaken, Switzerland - a breathtaking region of lakes and mountains, long associated with neutrality and dialogue. The location is now being transformed into a Zukunftscampus (‘future campus’) - a hub for science, creativity, and human-centered collaboration.

The vision is simple yet ambitious: to create a hub where researchers, builders, and changemakers can tackle some of the most urgent issues of our time, from climate resilience to food and water security. Etherlaken isn’t about chasing short-term gains, but about building the foundations for long-lasting impact, standing as a “lighthouse for human progress”. It is designed not only to generate ideas but to turn them into practice, with the potential to foster both sustainable development and meaningful local opportunities. At its core, it embodies the same spirit that animates Ethereum itself: empowering people to co-create systems that serve the common good.

If you are curious - yes, you can even visit. Etherlaken offers free guided tours:(https://etherlaken.com/)

Why This Matters for ETHWarsaw

When AKASHA supported us at ETHCluj, what struck me was how seamlessly their mission resonated with our community’s energy. They weren’t just in the background, they were part of the conversation, helping us reflect the best of Ethereum’s spirit.

I know ETHWarsaw will experience the same, moreover as Akasha will be directly involved in supporting the event’s hackathon. With AKASHA on board, the event will not only showcase cutting-edge tech but also spark the deeper reflections on coordination, culture, and human connection that make Ethereum so unique.

Looking Ahead

So just to sum it up, for me, AKASHA represents the heart of why we gather at these conferences: to imagine and co-create a better future, together. Beyond that, I’d even go further and say they are a team of very special individuals, working toward a noble purpose - precisely because each member is genuinely driven by ethical values. That’s something I deeply admire and look up to.

I’ll be cheering for ETHWarsaw this September, knowing that with AKASHA in the mix, the experience will be even more meaningful.

The best is yet to come✨

Simona