Aether Grant

Inspiration

We were inspired by the millions of students around the world who miss out on educational opportunities due to lack of access, transparency, and fairness in traditional scholarship systems. Aether Grant was born to democratize scholarship distribution using the power of AI and blockchain, ensuring that no deserving student is left behind — regardless of their background or geography.

What it does

Aether Grant is a decentralized scholarship platform that uses AI to match students with suitable funding opportunities and smart contracts to automate fair, transparent disbursement of funds. Students can apply without intermediaries, and donors or institutions can track how their funds are used — all in real-time, with full transparency.

Key features include:

AI-powered scholarship matching
Smart contract-based disbursement
On-chain verification and auditability
NFT ScholarPass for recognition and identity
Transparent donor dashboard

How we built it

We built a simple prototype using a web-based front-end (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) connected to a mock backend logic, simulating what a smart contract would do. The current version includes AI-matching logic using a simplified dataset, a clean UI/UX designed for accessibility, and placeholder smart contract logic for fund flow.

Challenges we ran into

As a solo builder on mobile with limited resources, simulating blockchain transactions without writing real smart contracts was a challenge. We tackled this by designing a realistic prototype flow that could later plug into blockchain infrastructure. It was also our first experience integrating AI logic with potential on-chain logic — a rewarding learning curve! 🚀

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Built a working prototype solo, from concept to web app
Designed a transparent user experience for both students and donors
Created a meaningful concept with real-world impact potential
Presented a viable solution for corruption-free scholarship distribution

What we learned

How to design a functional dApp prototype from scratch
Basics of integrating AI-driven logic with blockchain ideas
Importance of user trust and transparency in education funding
The real power of no-code/low-code tools and creativity in hackathons

What's next for Aether Grant

Implement real smart contracts on a testnet (using Chainlink Automation)
Integrate real-time AI for smarter, evolving eligibility logic
Launch a full beta with actual student/test donor accounts
Expand the platform to support micro-scholarships, NGOs, and school partners globally
Collaborate with ed-tech platforms, governments, and scholarship providers