IE Sci-Tech Joins Singapore's Top Blockchain Gathering
Dean Ikhlaq Sidhu speaks at UBRI Connect as students tackle real-world XRPL development challenges at the XRPL - APEX Hackathon 2025.
Singapore's Marina Bay and the National University of Singapore, were the setting for XRPL- APEX Hackaton, UBRI Connect and APEX 2025, where over a thousand developers, academics, investors, and protocol specialists gathered to share insights and showcase innovation across the XRPL ecosystem. IE School of Science & Technology was invited to take part with both faculty and student delegates, reinforcing its growing role in blockchain development and policy discussions.
Three students from the Ripple-supported Fintech, Blockchain XRP and Policy Gateway Program—Antonio Meneses Escalante, Martin Gutierrez Olarte, and Sergio Verdugo—joined the XRPL-APEX Hackathon, where they developed a programmable escrow solution for cross-border payments using XRPL-native tools such as Hooks, XUMM, and the xrpl-py SDK.
“We’d only just been introduced to XRPL a few weeks before, so jumping into full-stack development was intense,” said Antonio. “But it pushed us to move fast and learn by doing.”
After the Hackathon, students joined Dean Ikhlaq Sidhu researcher Milan Groshev, and Leticia Cabral Calvillo, Program Director of the Ripple supported Fintech, Blockchain XRP and Policy Gateway Program, who participated in academic, technical tracks and further discussions throughout the event.
At UBRI Connect, Dean Sidhu participated in a panel with Francesco Pierangeli (UK CBT & University of Birmingham) and Leid Zejnilovic (Nova SBE) on “Regulator Mindset and Geopolitics,” discussing how blockchain regulation is advancing and what it means for open-source innovation.
Outside the official sessions, the IE Sci-Tech group connected with protocol teams, venture capitalists, and researchers in informal meetings, briefings, and roundtables, gaining firsthand insight into current trends and challenges in blockchain development. “You immediately grasp the level of expertise in the room,” Antonio said.
The experience marked another milestone in the Ripple-UBRI-IE collaboration, led by the IE Impact Xcelerator team, which launched the Gateway Program to equip students with the skills and frameworks needed to navigate emerging technologies and regulatory ecosystems shaping the digital economy. Housed within the IEX Research Xcelerator, the program forms part of IE Sci-Tech’s broader mission to develop critical thinkers and responsible tech leaders through research-driven learning.
Stay tuned for more Gateway Program projects and international collaborations in the coming year!