Available for opportunities

SamuelBabalola

Web3 Ecosystem Lead & Program Manager

I bridge protocols and developers, designing programs that drive real Web3 adoption across Africa.

300+
Developers Trained
5+
Programs Launched
2+
Years Leading
Lagos, Nigeria
Open to Ecosystem, Program/Ops, Product roles

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About Samuel

Building bridges between protocols and developers, ideas and products

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300+
Developers
5+
Programs
2+
Years

I like to think of myself as someone who builds bridges—between protocols and developers, between ideas and real products. My journey started as a developer in Web3Bridge Cohort 08, but I quickly found myself drawn to the bigger picture: how to design programs, manage people, and create systems that help others succeed.

That path led me to becoming Head of Operations and Ecosystem Lead at Web3Bridge, and today I combine that experience with product and frontend work at Kharon Labs.

Over the past two years, I've helped run and grow programs across Africa—five Solidity bootcamps (Cohorts 09–13), plus Cartesi, Starknet, and a new Backend track—onboarding 300+ developers and guiding projects that went on to secure grants and ecosystem support.

"My focus is always the same: give developers the right environment, structure, and momentum so they can finish strong and ship real products."

Outside of titles and programs, I'm a philomath—I love learning. Right now, it's French (Arabic is next). I enjoy tinkering with Web3 frontend and product tools, and I find joy in understanding the technical side just as much as the operational side.

Looking ahead, I'm curious about how AI and cloud can reshape developer education and access, and I plan to explore those intersections as my career evolves.

Core Competencies

Program Design & Management
Developer Relations
Product Strategy
Ecosystem Building
Frontend Development
Community Leadership

Current Focus

Product Manager at Kharon Labs
Building Starknet financial infrastructure
Learning French (Arabic next)

Professional Journey

From developer foundations to ecosystem leadership—building bridges between protocols and people

Kharon Labs Image

Company photo/logo

2024 - Present

Product Manager & Frontend Engineer

Kharon Labs

Present

Leading product strategy and frontend development for Starknet-based financial infrastructure.

Key Achievements

Driving product roadmap for Web3 financial tools

Leading React/TypeScript frontend development

Collaborating across teams for user-centered solutions

Technologies
ReactTypeScriptStarknetProduct Strategy

Web3Bridge Image

Company photo/logo

2022 - 2024

Head of Operations & Ecosystem Lead

Web3Bridge

2 years

Led operations and ecosystem development for Africa's leading Web3 developer education platform.

Key Achievements

Onboarded 300+ developers across 5 Solidity bootcamps

Launched Cartesi, Starknet, and Backend programs

Secured partnerships and ecosystem grants

Technologies
Program ManagementDevRelEcosystem Development

Web3Bridge Image

Company photo/logo

2022

Developer & Community Member

Web3Bridge

6 months

Started as a developer in Cohort 08, building foundational blockchain development skills.

Key Achievements

Completed comprehensive Solidity training

Built foundational smart contract projects

Transitioned to operations leadership

Technologies
SoliditySmart ContractsWeb3 Development

Programs & Projects

A showcase of the programs I've built, technical projects I've shipped, and community events I've organized to grow the Web3 ecosystem across Africa.

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programs

Ongoing
Program

Web3Bridge Solidity Bootcamps

5 Cohorts • 300+ Developers

Led operations for consecutive cohorts, establishing systematic onboarding and graduate support systems that achieved 85% completion rates.

300+
Developers Onboarded
50+
Graduates (C11)
5
Cohorts
SoliditySmart ContractsDeFi+1
2022-2024
300+ developers trained

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programs

Active
Program

Multi-Protocol Programs

Cartesi • Starknet • Backend

Expanded offerings beyond Ethereum to include specialized protocol tracks and backend development.

3
Protocols
5+
Partners
150+
Developers
CartesiStarknetBackend+1
2023-2024
3 new protocol tracks

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programs

Ongoing
Program

Ecosystem Partnerships

Grants • Sponsorships • Support

Built bridges between protocols and African developer community, facilitating ecosystem growth.

10+
Partnerships
$50K+
Grants Secured
25+
Events
Partnership StrategyDeveloper RelationsEcosystem Development
2022-2024
Multiple partnerships secured

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projects

Completed
Project

Classmate dApp

Educational Management Platform

Decentralized application for educational management with smart contract-based user systems and IPFS integration.

5
Smart Contracts
12
Frontend Pages
Yes
IPFS Storage
ReactSolidityIPFS+1
2023
Full-stack dApp completed

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projects

Active
Project

Payment Integration System

Student Registration Payments

Built Node.js/Express + Flutterwave + Next.js flow with Google Sheets logging for leadership visibility; used across multiple cohorts.

3+
Cohorts Served
Production Use
Reliability
Node/Express + Flutterwave
Stack
Node.jsExpressFlutterwave+2
2024
Production payment system

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projects

Completed
Project

Backend Curriculum

Comprehensive Learning Track

Designed and developed complete backend development curriculum for Web3Bridge's expansion.

12
Modules
8
Projects
50+
Students
Node.jsExpressMongoDB+1
2024
New curriculum launched

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events

Completed
Event

Web3Lagos Conference

1,000+ Attendees • Flagship Event

Co-organized Lagos's largest Web3 conference, bringing together builders, investors, and enthusiasts from across Africa.

1,000+
Attendees
30+
Speakers
15
Sponsors
Event ManagementCommunity BuildingPartnership Development
2023
1,000+ attendees

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events

Ongoing
Event

Developer Meetups

Monthly Community Gatherings

Regular meetups fostering community connections and knowledge sharing among Web3 developers.

12+
Events
80
Average Attendance
300%
Community Growth
Community ManagementTechnical PresentationsNetworking
2022-2024
12 successful meetups

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events

Ongoing
Event

Hackathons & Competitions

Innovation Challenges

Organized multiple hackathons and coding competitions to encourage innovation in the developer community.

5
Hackathons
200+
Participants
$15K+
Prize Pool
Event PlanningTechnical JudgingInnovation Management
2023-2024
5 major events

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projects

Active
Project

Cohort Program Repositories

Accountability & Reporting System

Designed and implemented GitHub repositories to standardize assignments, projects, and reporting across cohorts. Actively used in Cohort XII, Cohort XIII, and Rust Masterclass I—improving accountability for students, streamlining mentor reviews, and enabling transparent reporting for sponsors.

170+
Contributors
190+
Forks
3
Cohorts/Programs
GitHubDocs/READMEsProgram Ops
2024–2025
Standardized delivery across 3 cohorts/programs

Impact Summary

300+
Developers Trained
9
Major Programs
25+
Events Organized
$65K+
Grants Secured

Beyond Work

I'm a lifelong learner who likes to build and unbox ideas—exploring the intersections between technology, culture, and human connection

Current Explorations

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Language Learning

Language Learning

Current: French
Next: Arabic

Currently learning French with Arabic on deck. Language learning opens new perspectives and connects cultures—skills that translate beautifully to building inclusive tech ecosystems.

Progress: Intermediate French, Beginner Arabic planned

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Web3 Frontend Development

Web3 Frontend Development

Current: React + Web3
Next: AI Integration

I love experimenting with new Web3 frontend patterns, exploring DApp UX improvements, and contributing to open-source projects when I can. It keeps me close to the developer experience.

Progress: Active in React, TypeScript, Web3 libraries

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Movies & Storytelling

Movies & Storytelling

Current: Film Analysis
Next: Content Creation

Movies and storytelling fascinate me—the craft of building narratives that resonate. This passion influences how I think about program design and community building.

Progress: Avid consumer, aspiring creator

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AI & Cloud Exploration

AI & Cloud Exploration

Current: Learning
Next: Building

I'm curious about how AI and cloud technologies can reshape developer education and financial access—areas I plan to build in over time as my career evolves.

Progress: Exploring applications in education and fintech

What Drives Me

Lifelong Learning

Continuous growth and staying curious about new domains, technologies, and perspectives.

Building Bridges

Connecting different worlds—protocols and developers, ideas and implementation.

Real Impact

Work that creates tangible value—programs that help people, products that solve real problems.

Open Collaboration

Diverse perspectives working together. Contributing to open source and knowledge sharing.

Open Source & Community

I contribute to open-source projects when I can and believe in knowledge sharing. Building in public and helping others learn is part of how I give back to the community that taught me.

Community Contributions

10+
Open Source
300+
Mentored
5+
Articles
25+
Events

Articles & Insights

I write about developer programs, ecosystem growth, and what it takes to move from "hype" to real adoption. Recent posts live on Medium/LinkedIn; highlights and new long-form pieces appear here.

Featured Articles

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Medium

Featured
Medium8 min read2024

From Hype to Real Adoption: What Web3 Programs Actually Need

After onboarding 300+ developers across Africa, here's what I've learned about moving beyond the buzzwords to create programs that actually work.

Developer ProgramsWeb3 Adoption
Read Article

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LinkedIn

Featured
LinkedIn12 min read2024

Building Bridges: How to Design Developer Programs That Scale

The frameworks and systems I use to design educational programs that grow ecosystems rather than just teaching syntax.

Program DesignEducation
Read Article

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Medium

Featured
Medium10 min read2024

The African Web3 Developer Journey: Challenges and Opportunities

What I've observed working with hundreds of developers across Nigeria and the broader African ecosystem.

AfricaDeveloper Experience
Read Article

Latest from Medium

Medium

MediumDec 20246 min read

Why Most Web3 Bootcamps Fail (And How to Fix Them)

The common pitfalls I see in developer education programs and practical solutions that actually work.

EducationWeb3Program Management

Medium

MediumNov 20249 min read

Product Thinking for Ecosystem Builders

How product management principles can transform how we approach developer relations and ecosystem growth.

Product ManagementDeveloper RelationsStrategy

Medium

MediumOct 20245 min read

The Philomath Advantage: Why Continuous Learning Matters in Tech

How embracing the philomath mindset has shaped my approach to building programs and products.

LearningCareer DevelopmentPhilosophy

Medium

MediumSep 202411 min read

From Developer to Operations: My Web3Bridge Journey

The story of how I transitioned from Cohort 08 participant to Head of Operations, and what I learned along the way.

Career JourneyWeb3BridgeOperations

Topics I Write About

Developer Programs

How to design, launch, and scale educational programs that actually help developers build real products.

8 articles

Ecosystem Growth

Strategies for building bridges between protocols, developers, and users to drive real adoption.

6 articles

Product & Operations

Lessons from building products and operations systems in the Web3 space.

5 articles

African Web3

Insights from working in and building for the African blockchain ecosystem.

4 articles

Learning & Growth

Thoughts on continuous learning, career development, and the philomath mindset.

7 articles

Community Building

How to foster genuine communities around technology and shared learning goals.

3 articles

Stay Updated with My Writing

Follow me on Medium and LinkedIn for regular insights on developer programs, ecosystem growth, and the future of Web3 in Africa.

Speaking & Media

Sharing insights on developer education, program design, and ecosystem growth at conferences and community events

Recent Speaking Engagements

Event Photo

Starknet Developer Summit

Summit Panel

Starknet Developer Summit

Panel Speaker

Ecosystem Growth Strategies for Layer 2 Solutions

October 2023
Virtual Event

Participated in panel discussion on growing developer ecosystems around Layer 2 technologies.

Key Points

Shared experience launching Starknet bootcamp programs

Discussed developer onboarding challenges and solutions

Event Photo

African Blockchain Week

Workshop

African Blockchain Week

Workshop Facilitator

From Developer to Operations: Career Transitions in Web3

September 2023
Cape Town, South Africa

Led hands-on workshop on transitioning from technical roles to operations and ecosystem leadership.

Key Points

Guided participants through career transition frameworks

Shared personal journey from developer to Head of Operations

Event Photo

Web3Bridge Community Call

Community Talk

Web3Bridge Community Call

Featured Speaker

The Future of Developer Education in Web3

August 2023
Virtual Event

Discussed evolving trends in Web3 education and the role of community-driven learning.

Key Points

Explored new models for developer education

Discussed integration of AI tools in learning

Event Photo

Cartesi Developer Workshop

Technical Workshop

Cartesi Developer Workshop

Technical Speaker

Building Educational Programs for Layer 2 Protocols

June 2023
Virtual Event

Presented on designing effective educational programs specifically for Layer 2 protocol adoption.

Key Points

Demonstrated program design frameworks

Shared metrics for measuring educational success

Media Appearances

Podcast Interview

Podcast Interview

The Future of Web3 Education in Africa

Web3 Africa Podcast45 minutes

Deep dive into the state of Web3 education across Africa and strategies for sustainable growth.

December 2023

LinkedIn Live

LinkedIn Live

Building Developer Programs That Actually Work

LinkedIn30 minutes

Live discussion on common pitfalls in developer education and practical solutions.

November 2023

Written Interview

Written Interview

From Cohort 08 to Head of Operations: A Web3Bridge Story

Web3Bridge Blog10 min read

Feature story on my journey from student to leadership at Web3Bridge.

October 2023

Speaking Topics

Developer Program Design

8 talks

How to build educational programs that scale and create real impact in Web3 ecosystems.

Ecosystem Growth Strategies

6 talks

Frameworks for growing developer ecosystems, building partnerships, and driving protocol adoption.

Career Transitions in Web3

4 talks

Navigating career transitions from technical roles to operations, product, and leadership positions.

African Web3 Ecosystem

5 talks

Insights on building and scaling Web3 initiatives across African markets and communities.

Interested in Having Me Speak?

I'm available for conferences, workshops, panels, and community events. Let's discuss how I can contribute to your event.

Let's Build Something Useful

Whether you're looking to build programs, grow ecosystems, or create products that drive real adoption, I'd love to hear from you.

Quick Response Promise

I typically respond to emails within 24-48 hours. For urgent matters, LinkedIn messages tend to get faster responses. Looking forward to connecting!