Dada Devs launches fourth cohort for African women developers to code Bitcoin at protocol level

The program, now in its fourth iteration, builds on two previous cohorts that have already set a benchmark for hands‑on learning in blockchain development. Participants will dissect Bitcoin’s consensus mechanisms, transaction validation, and network topology, then move on to structured code reviews and the delivery of public pull‑requests to core repositories. By positioning itself as an “upstream” training pipeline, Dada Devs hopes to bridge the gender gap in cryptocurrency development and give African women a direct pathway to influence the protocol’s evolution.

The timing aligns with a broader industry push to diversify the talent pool behind open‑source crypto projects. While Bitcoin’s development community has traditionally been dominated by a narrow demographic, recent initiatives, from the Linux Foundation’s Outreachy program to the Bitcoin Women’s Hackathon, have highlighted the need for more inclusive participation. Dada Devs’ focus on the African continent adds a geographic dimension to this effort, tapping into a growing pool of engineers who are increasingly active in fintech and decentralized finance.

Funding for the cohort comes from a mix of private donors and blockchain‑focused grantmakers who see value in expanding the pool of contributors to Bitcoin’s codebase. Though the organization has not disclosed specific partners for this round, previous cohorts have benefited from collaborations with the Bitcoin Core developers and mentorship from established figures in the space.

Applicants will join a virtual classroom that combines weekly lectures, live coding sessions, and peer‑review workshops. The curriculum culminates in the submission of at least one code contribution that is merged into a Bitcoin repository, giving participants a verifiable credential in the open‑source world. Successful graduates are expected to continue contributing to the protocol, mentor future cohorts, and potentially take on roles within the broader cryptocurrency industry.

Prospective candidates can apply through the online form linked in the announcement or via the bio of the original post. The program’s virtual format removes geographic barriers, allowing women from across Africa, and the diaspora, to engage without relocation costs.

Register: here