When I decided to submit a project to Octant’s Epoch 9, I knew it would be competitive.
What I didn’t expect was how much the process itself would reveal, about the Ethereum ecosystem, about the power of storytelling, and about how decentralized funding is evolving.

I wasn’t selected this time.

But being part of the process gave me a rare, inside perspective on what Octant is trying to build: a model where the community funds culture, education, and impact, not through sponsorships or investors, but through decentralized coordination.

And perhaps that’s the real magic of Epoch 9, showing that Ethereum isn’t just code. It’s story, art, and education.

Octant is a public goods funding platform built by the Golem Network, one of Ethereum’s earliest decentralized computing projects, with support from the Ethereum Foundation.

It borrows mechanics from DeFi staking, yield, and allocation, but applies them toward something entirely different: funding public goods.

In practice, Octant transforms DeFi’s financial logic into a tool for sustaining creators, educators, developers, and researchers building for the open ecosystem.

Here’s how it works:

GLM token holders can lock (stake) their tokens for a set period, earning ETH rewards.
During each epoch, participants get to allocate a portion of their rewards to selected projects that strengthen the Ethereum ecosystem, from open-source infrastructure to art, education, and storytelling.
When the allocation window closes, Octant distributes the funds based on how much each project received, then adds a matching pool to multiply the community’s impact.

These allocation rounds are transparent and community-driven, representing one of the most democratic experiments in decentralized funding.

The theme of Epoch 9, titled “Ethereum Stories,” focuses on storytelling as a public good, a global call for creators, journalists, educators, and artists using narrative to make Ethereum human, relatable, and understandable.

According to Octant, more than 700 hours of peer review went into the selection process.
Ultimately, 30 projects were approved, forming a global snapshot of what it means to “tell Ethereum” in 2025.

The allocation window runs from October 8–22, 2025, when anyone who has locked GLM can allocate their ETH rewards to these projects.

At the end of the round, the total amount allocated determines each project’s share of the overall matching pool, making community participation not just symbolic, but financially meaningful.

There’s something striking about a protocol born for decentralized computing investing in human narratives.

Epoch 9 isn’t about new code, it’s about translation, emotion, and access.

Looking at the 30 selected projects, you can see a mosaic of intentions: from investigative journalism to fiction, from educational content to anime.

Together, they show that the culture around Ethereum is just as vital as the technology itself.

A crypto novel exploring censorship and privacy, proving that fiction can also be a form of blockchain activism.

The well-known crypto investigator continues his independent work on fraud analysis and on-chain forensics, bringing transparency to the ecosystem.

From Japan, this initiative blends podcasts and workshops to make Ethereum approachable to local creators and educators.

An investigative audio documentary on the Tornado Cash case and Roman Storm trial, exploring the boundary between open source and free speech.

A series of intimate interviews revealing the human side of Ethereum’s builders, artists, and thinkers.

A training series that teaches creators how to use cinematic storytelling to make Ethereum education visually compelling.

Bringing Ethereum to real-world causes, from humanitarian work to environmental action, through accessible, purpose-driven content.

Bite-sized videos demystifying privacy, governance, and scalability for newcomers to the ecosystem.

A podcast and video series designed to “translate Ethereum into everyday language,” bridging technical and social worlds.

A media campaign accompanying “Vitalik: An Ethereum Story”, aiming to take Ethereum storytelling to global streaming platforms.

A China-based publication providing weekly reports, summaries, and translations to connect Eastern and global Ethereum communities.

A documentary series exploring Ethereum culture and the people behind decentralized coordination.

A practical guide for institutions on tokenizing real-world assets (RWAs) on Ethereum, bridging DeFi and traditional finance.

Quick, 60-second explainers for TikTok and Reels, translating complex Ethereum concepts into visual micro-lessons.

Hand-drawn animations blending humor, art, and crypto culture to reach broader audiences.

A research collective publishing deep-dive reports on governance, decentralization, and network dynamics.

Educational yet entertaining content that lowers the entry barrier for beginners discovering Ethereum.

A gamified learning experience that turns blockchain concepts into playful, narrative-driven adventures.

Bringing together AI and Ethereum, tutorials and experiments exploring trustworthy AI in decentralized systems.

A Latin American creator producing educational videos and socio-economic reflections on blockchain adoption.

An editorial project exploring meaning, coordination, and purpose through essays and cultural analysis.

Combining nature and Web3 education, videos showing how Ethereum can empower environmental action.

A global educational program empowering women and non-binary people through Web3 learning. Now entering its 14th season, SheFi’s inclusion in Epoch 9 highlights education as a public good.

An on-chain storytelling platform reviving its interactive anime White Rabbit, blending art, crypto, and narrative immersion.

A creative hub for filmmakers and storytellers, launching the first Ethereum-focused film festival.

A Korean Telegram channel promoting Ethereum values and updates, strengthening local-global dialogue.

An interview series marking Ethereum’s 10-year milestone and exploring what’s next for the network.

Educational content on Ethereum security, practical guides for developers and everyday users.

Podcasts and live conversations humanizing Ethereum builders and sharing their personal journeys.

Long-form storytelling that turns complex technical research into readable, engaging narratives.

Submitting a proposal to Epoch 9 was an exercise in understanding how the ecosystem defines value.
It wasn’t about competing, it was about entering a dialogue with a community that thinks collectively.

Each step demanded clarity, honesty, and strategic thinking.

Even without being selected, it became clear that something bigger is taking shape: a new model for cultural funding, open, merit-based, and purpose-driven.

Looking at this cohort, three major trends stand out:

1. Decentralized narratives — no single “center” tells Ethereum’s story anymore; it now comes from Japan, Nigeria, Latin America, Korea, and beyond.

2. Education as art — creators are blending technical explanation with creative expression.

3. Ethics and purpose — privacy, inclusion, and freedom of code emerge as core cultural values, not side notes.

In practice, Octant is testing a new social coordination model, decentralized yet curated, open yet value-driven.

It’s a live experiment in how to fund culture as a public good.

As a Brazilian creator and researcher, I see in Epoch 9 a mirror of possibility.

Latin America is still underrepresented in these global cohorts, but the door is open.

Octant’s evaluation focuses on clarity, quality, and consistency, values that creators across the region can deliver with authenticity.

Now is the time to bring our own narratives: stories of Web3 told in Portuguese, Spanish, Guarani, or Tupi...

To show that innovation also comes from beaches, favelas, and public universities.

Living Epoch 9 from the inside, even without the expected outcome, made me realize how purpose and narrative matter just as much as code.

It was a genuine lesson in how Web3 culture is built.

As the allocation window unfolds, I watch and support from the sidelines, rooting for every initiative that expands Ethereum’s cultural reach.

And I’m already looking ahead to Epoch 10, knowing that each round is another invitation to keep building.