Summary of my Journey

Phase 1: Testing Coordination Hypotheses (2021-2022)

Started with a question my PhD couldn't answer: can you coordinate impact measurement across borders without central authority? ReFi Spring became the experiment. 27 events across 20+ countries reaching around 2,500 participants, all without traditional hierarchy. Created the first Portuguese-language ReFi content, testing whether localized knowledge scales better than translated materials. The experiment worked, but taught that decentralized coordination requires replicable frameworks, not just removing hierarchy. This insight shaped later research on multi-stakeholder systems.

Growth 0 → 27 events • 1 → 20+ countries • 0 → 2,500 participants in 10 months

Phase 2: Infrastructure for Data Collection (2022-2024)

Shifted from events to building infrastructure. ReFi DAO became methodology for 29 local nodes, each one a data point proving community-led governance scales. Blockchain na Escola turned educational certification into on-chain proof of impact, generating verifiable community data across five Brazilian states. At General Magic, managing $3.5M in fundraising revealed how capital allocators actually make decisions. The pattern became clear: community data IS valuable to investors, but only when structured, verifiable, and speaking their language. This realization drove postdoctoral research on integrating multi-scalar data for capital allocation.

Growth 0 → 29 global nodes • 0 → national education program • 0 → $3.5M raised

Phase 3: Proving the Model (2024-2025)

Took Web3 products through the institutions studied during my PhD. Led Ekonavi's tokenomics through Central Bank LIFT Labs (where PIX was created), became finalist, proving regenerative finance can meet regulatory standards. Won G20 Hackathon with Bank of International Settlements. At CeLatam, grew from researcher to DAO member and built usebalaio.com. The insight: the gap between Web3 innovation and institutional adoption isn't technical, it's translation.

Growth Researcher → DAO governance • Central Bank finalist • G20 winner

My Web3 work isn't separate from research, it's where theories get tested. PhD in Institutional Analysis studied organizational coordination, then built ReFi DAO (29 nodes, 18 countries) and learned that decentralized institutions need replicable frameworks, not just ideology. Master's in Justice Theory explored equitable systems, then founded Blockchain na Escola and discovered that inclusion requires meeting institutions where they are. Now the Risk Analysis postdoc develops frameworks while testing them managing real capital allocation.

This loop is why the frameworks actually work. They've been tested in the field, failed, adjusted, and refined through what scales in reality.

Scaled initiatives internationally without losing local context. ReFi Spring grew to 27 events across 20+ countries by creating frameworks others could replicate. The 29 ReFi DAO nodes work because each has autonomy to adapt while maintaining coherence. Blockchain na Escola became Brazil's first Web3 education program by building specifically for Brazilian institutions.

Launching products that win recognition requires understanding what validation looks like in each ecosystem. Helping clients raise $3.5M revealed that fundraising isn't about sounding impressive, it's about demonstrating risk understanding and mitigation strategies. Building infrastructure that outlasts founding teams requires creating methodology, not just momentum. Portuguese-language Web3 content opened markets English-only resources couldn't reach. Connecting academia, government, and Web3 communities works by translating between these worlds.

Published comparative analysis of stablecoins (USDC, DAI, BREAD), DeFi attack modeling, and regenerative finance ecosystem research. Work available at marcelorefi.github.io.