When Decentralization Meets Negligence: A Narrative of Mismanaged Funds in the Polkadot Ecosystem in Brazil

[brunopachecs]

Introduction – The motivation behind this story

Over the past few years, Polkadot has built one of the most promising decentralized governance structures in Web3. As a long-term investor, technology professional, and ecosystem participant, I have always believed in the future of the network and its potential to become a model of transparency, innovation, and collective responsibility.

But along my journey, especially in the Brazilian context, something started to catch my attention. Events are repeating themselves in Brazil and other countries (there are reports), proposals are approved, significant amounts are disbursed… and the results do not match the investments.

This is a narrative based on public facts. It is not a personal complaint, nor an attack. It is a call to the community’s conscience, a call for collective responsibility, and a legitimate attempt to restore the values ​​that make Polkadot special.

Chapter 1 – The emergence of a worrying pattern

My journey with Polkadot began in 2022, as an investor and, later, as a contributor to marketing and education initiatives. I also work as Head of Growth at Blockchain Rio, the largest blockchain conference in Latin America, which frequently connects with projects in the ecosystem and which today, without a shadow of a doubt, I can say is the main catalyst for partnerships and a platform that delivers high visibility to the Polkadot ecosystem in Brazil.

It was precisely because I was part of this environment that I began to notice a series of proposals, coming from the same group of Brazilian individuals and entities, that share common characteristics:

• Significant requests for funds

• Generic justifications, focused on “Agreements without commitment to deliveries”

• Unclear metrics

• Deliveries difficult to verify

• Concentration of decisions and favoritism among a closed group of bidders

These signals, by themselves, are not proof. But when they are repeated frequently and involve more than $620,000 in salary payments from public funds from the Polkadot Treasury, the community has the duty and the right to take a closer look at these agents and their projects.

Chapter 2 – Business Development Brazil

One of the most iconic proposals was submitted via Polkassembly, with a value of USD 168 thousand. The proposal, which aimed to foster the development of the ecosystem in Brazil, focused on projects that have low network activity and, in some cases, no network activity at all.

BD BRAZIL - FASE 1 https://polkadot.polkassembly.io/referenda/250

In practice, institutions did not have the technical maturity to build on the Polkadot stack. Many of the institutions mentioned had not even advanced to the development phases.

BD REPORT FASE 1 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rn6XyzKhNORTmrBUpsKZXnggZNKtU02b/view

The problem worsened when, after publicly presenting a report without clear KPIs on the results and progress of the projects, the same group submitted a new proposal, worth USD 386 thousand:

BD BRAZIL - FASE 2 https://polkadot.polkassembly.io/treasury/848

This time, even one of the critics of the first proposal, in the discussion stage, was included in the second, which clearly demonstrates a conflict of interests. You can see the discussion in this post on Polkassembly.

DISCUSSION - https://polkadot.polkassembly.io/post/1976

To date, no public report or technical audit has been found on the impacts of this second round.

Chapter 3 – The Codigo Brazuka and the Unfulfilled Promise

Another project submitted by the group was Código Brazuka Tech Academy (request USD 96,000), which promised to train Brazilian developers to work in the Polkadot ecosystem. The intention was noble. However, the available documents of the proposal for continuity in phase 2 indicate an execution far removed from the original scope. Part of the funds was used for activities other than those planned, and there is strong evidence that there was overlapping payments with remuneration already included in the BD proposal. (note that the Código Brazuka project was mentioned in the BD Brasil phase 1 report) https://polkadot.subscan.io/extrinsic/21373022-2 *This payment was not mentioned in the cost spreadsheet available in the report.

Codigo Brazuka fase 1 - https://polkadot.polkassembly.io/referenda/568

Codigo Brazuka fase 2 - https://polkadot.polkassembly.io/referenda/1348

Still, the group returned to OpenGov with a new proposal, trying to distance itself from the previous phases, exempting itself from responsibility for the delivery not made in phase 1.

Note: shortly after the rejection of the second proposal, a partnership announcement was made between Node Hub Web3 (a company managed by the same agents included in the Código Brazuka proposal) and Sunset Labs (a company managed by the same BD Brazil group) to create a physical Polakdot center in the city of Rio de Janeiro.

[Article] - https://www.msn.com/pt-pt/noticias/other/polkadot-mira-crecimento-no-brasil-e-vai-inaugurar-sede-f%C3%ADsica-de-centro-cripto-no-rio-de-janeiro/ar-AA1ztqIQ?ocid=BingNewsVerp

Article - https://bitcoinblock.com.br/2025/02/21/polkadot-e-node-hub-web3/

Chapter 4 – The narrative of exclusivity and the risks to decentralization

At a certain point, this same group began to position itself as the only way to access institutional partnerships for Polkadot in Brazil, presenting a letter of support from the Web3 Foundation.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XjaoGjKyz2UojtameFShOhx8Gey_VYb8/view

The letter, however, does not mention exclusivity. Even so, it began to be used as an argument to delegitimize other participants in the network who sought to build initiatives in a parallel and independent manner.

It is extremely necessary for the Web3 Foundation to manifest itself as an institution and to quickly grant equivalent letters to members of the Brazilian community.

This concentrated use of image raises an important question: are we rewarding good proposals or relationships and narratives?

Chapter 5 – The urgency of transparency

Public documents show practices that deserve extra attention. For example, proof of costs with unofficial invoices, with no connection to Brazilian tax or financial entities, and high accommodation costs, whose values ​​are beyond reasonable limits.

Hotel: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gnr_4JnUuVLprEsFGBtslISwLqG07Qcg/view

[[https://www.booking.com/hotel/br/tropical-barra-rio-de-janeiro.pt-br.html?aid=1726433&label=tropical-barra-rio-de-janeiro-LhvYd JKQKrILgQjnpg6iUgS447230792520%3Apl%3Ata%3Ap1%3Ap2%3Aac%3Aap%3Aneg%3Afi%3Atikwd-341978657909%3Alp9100821%3Ali%3Adec%3Adm%3Appccp %3DUmFuZG9tSVYkc2RlIyh9YbC4OlOULAnvcrFmvh1xnqM&sid=43377032321cc7242b242d5468d5e e1f&dest_id=-666610&dest_type=city&dist=0&group_adults=2&group_children=0&hapos= 1&hpos=1&no_rooms=1&req_adults=2&req_children=0&room1=A%2CA&sb_price_type=total&sr_order=popularity&srepoch=1745048620&srpvid=290b3650cb640604&type=total&ucfs=1&](https://www.booking.com/hotel/br/tropical-barra-rio-de-janeiro.pt-br.html?aid=1726433&label=tropical-barra-rio-de-janeiro-LhvYd](https://www.booking.com/hotel/br/tropical-barra-rio-de-janeiro.pt-br.html?aid=1726433&label=tropical-barra-rio-de-janeiro-LhvYd JKQKrILgQjnpg6iUgS447230792520%3Apl%3Ata%3Ap1%3Ap2%3Aac%3Aap%3Aneg%3Afi%3Atikwd-341978657909%3Alp9100821%3Ali%3Adec%3Adm%3Appccp %3DUmFuZG9tSVYkc2RlIyh9YbC4OlOULAnvcrFmvh1xnqM&sid=43377032321cc7242b242d5468d5e e1f&dest_id=-666610&dest_type=city&dist=0&group_adults=2&group_children=0&hapos= 1&hpos=1&no_rooms=1&req_adults=2&req_children=0&room1=A%2CA&sb_price_type=total&sr_order=popularity&srepoch=1745048620&srpvid=290b3650cb640604&type=total&ucfs=1&](https://www.booking.com/hotel/br/tropical-barra-rio-de-janeiro.pt-br.html?aid=1726433&label=tropical-barra-rio-de-janeiro-LhvYd))

Note: Unofficial invoices handled from an application called invoice maker. In addition to the values, the number of daily rates reported was quite striking, considering that Blockchain Rio 2023 was a 3-day event.

Conclusion – The call to action

Everything that has been exposed here is documented on public platforms. The goal is not to attack, but rather to encourage mature reflection by the community on Polkadot governance. Decentralization requires constant vigilance. And the ecosystem cannot tolerate the formation of fiefdoms that operate without transparency, stifle emerging leaders and discourage legitimate contributions.

We must learn to organize ourselves as an institution. Demand accountability, monitor the performance of agents and develop frameworks with more rigorous technical criteria, we must create mechanisms for new projects to emerge, so that new agents are encouraged to be part of the network. And above all, remember that Polkadot’s treasure does not belong to groups or individuals — it belongs to the entire community.

Bruno P.

Polkadot Contributor | Head of Growth, Blockchain RIO
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

[Gabekoin]

Bruno,

I understand that you’re frustrated. Your recent initiatives and attempts to gain traction within the Polkadot ecosystem have not been successful, and I can see how that might be disappointing.

You may have known Polkadot since 2022 and have participated in one or two proposals. But the reality is that you do not dedicate yourself to Polkadot, and your posture has not been one of collaboration or complementarity but rather fragmentation and unilateralism.

Please reflect on this. You are competing for space, instead of working alongside others who have been building here for years. And — just a personal opinion — I believe this posture is being influenced by people (unnamed in your post) who are feeding you partial narratives.

So, I’ll ask honestly:
Who are your peers in the Polkadot ecosystem? Who are you talking to? Who is on your team? We wonder that because all we see is that you are entirely distant from the things from the ecosystem - Example to ask for the meetup Bounty sponsorship for your project - who advised you to do such a thing?

---

You state that your post is a “call for collective responsibility.” In theory, that’s something I — and many others — support. But your framing is selective, and your interpretation of facts omits the years of structured work done by several contributors in Brazil.

You also disregard on-chain and off-chain governance processes, which have been transparent and public, and most importantly, coordinated across several community leaders — both locally and globally.

And yes — you are a fellow Brazilian. But the way you’ve chosen to engage is of low-quality dialogue. You’re trying to carve out a position without understanding or integrating with long-standing community efforts. You’re ignoring ongoing initiatives — and the people behind them — who have been working full-time in the ecosystem for years.

---

On Your Role and Conflict of Interest

Let’s be clear:
You are Head of Growth at Blockchain Rio — a multi-ecosystem, for-profit event that works with sponsors from various chains, including Polkadot competitors.

That, in itself, is not the issue. You’ve repeatedly tried to use Polkadot funds and legitimacy to bolster non-exclusive projects, sometimes with conflicting interests.

You recently self-proclaimed yourself a Polkadot Ambassador without ever participating in the official program. You’ve provided marketing services (a proposal we supported at the time) and ran the LATAM Day—one of several events you’ve been involved in across ecosystems.

Still, we’ve supported your sensible proposals. For example, when it seemed aligned, we endorsed your Blockchain on the Road idea. But in practice, you used the Meetup Bounty (which we specifically advised against using for sponsorships) to fund actions tied to other sponsors, like Binance — and excluded our team from execution. We were only contacted when you needed connections to universities, which were already part of our BD strategy and relationships.

That’s not a collaboration. That’s opportunism.

You’ve demonstrated no consistent involvement with the Polkadot community. Your proposals have been blocked not due to “centralization” but because they were poorly aligned with the ecosystem’s values and mechanisms.

---

Your Actions Show Fragmentation, Not Decentralization

You didn’t contribute to the community — you tried to bypass it.
You didn’t support members — you attempted to override them.
You’re not here to build together — you want to replace the current community with your own.

---

Let’s address this directly:

“More than $620,000 in salary payments from public funds from the Polkadot Treasury…”

This is false.
No one received that amount in salaries — in fact, none of the proposals were structured as salary payments. All funds were allocated toward project-based deliverables, with scope, budget, and execution details made public on Polkassembly and in open reports.

If Bruno has evidence of salary payments, he should present a detailed breakdown — with names, roles, amounts, and proposal references — instead of relying on vague accusations and misleading totals.

This kind of statement reveals the true intention behind the post. It’s not about transparency or collective responsibility. It’s about building a narrative to delegitimize the work of others, while presenting oneself as a lone voice of integrity.

And let’s not forget — this post was written by someone who created their Polkadot Forum account just one day ago, who has never contributed to governance discussions, who never participated in ambassador meetings, BD calls, or ecosystem coordination efforts.

It’s hard to take seriously a call for “community responsibility” from someone who, until now, has been entirely absent from the community — and whose first action is to attack instead of engage.

---

On Blockchain Rio

Yes, Blockchain Rio is a large event. But that success is not just yours. It has multiple agents in the community, more than Polakdot.

Several Polkadot community members helped build the relationship with Blockchain Rio — including Gustavo, from our team, who supported not only the first edition but many others that followed. It’s important to state clearly:

At the time, the Polkadot brand was nearly burned within the community due to the selfish actions of one person positioning as a “leader” without legitimacy — someone I won’t name here, but whose attitude and behavior were extremely damaging, including trying to use Lauro Gripa’s social capital and reputation (Former Head Ambassador) and others, without their explicit knowledge and consent. This individual, acting in bad faith, almost destroyed the trust between the Polkadot ecosystem and Blockchain Rio.

That said, it’s equally important to highlight and honor the founder of Blockchain Rio, who has always shown professionalism and a genuine commitment to building a serious market — not only for Polkadot, but for multiple blockchain ecosystems. He is someone we trust, and with whom we have an excellent relationship. That’s exactly why we continued to support the project in the following years — because we believe in the mission, in the platform, and in the leadership behind it.

You’re repeating that same pattern now, by generating conflict of interest instead of building bridges.

Let’s also not forget: Blockchain Rio is a business. It makes money from sponsorships. It’s not a neutral ecosystem actor.

---

On the “Centralized Group” Narrative

This is your perception—and it’s understandable. After all, your proposals have not been benignly approved, perhaps because they are not good. Just to be clear, we don’t approve or deny proposals.

We even supported your marketing proposal when it was aligned with the moment and the goals of the ecosystem.

But the group you refer to as “centralized” is, in fact, a community of people who’ve delivered over the years, often without compensation. Many of us helped launch initiatives that have benefited the broader ecosystem, well beyond our individual names. There are many other projects that we supported and helped, and many we dont. We support people who increase value to the ecosystem.

Your tone and approach (spreading lies about the work of several companies operating in the ecosystem for years) reflect someone disconnected from this broader work — someone looking for reputation and overfunding, not long-term impact or participation.

Chapter 1 – “The emergence of a worrying pattern”

You talk about “repetitive events with poor outcomes.” You’re referring to structuring activities that had to happen to lay the foundations of a healthy Polkadot ecosystem in Brazil — a country with little institutional blockchain background.

Results in ecosystem building come with relationships, positioning, and trust. Not marketing metrics. Not tweets.

Chapter 2 – “BD Brazil”

Your criticism that BD didn’t lead to stack usage shows a limited understanding of institutional BD in blockchain.

BD is not sales. We are not selling blockchains. We are creating institutional relationships that amplify Polkadot’s presence in strategic contexts — far beyond paid marketing.

We’re onboarding institutions, forming developer pipelines, building channels to decision-makers, and supporting public and private actors. This is how real networks grow.

In fact, we’re rebuilding the Brazilian Web3 landscape, which was previously damaged by extractive actors—some of whom are still active and generate noise.

All the connections mentioned in BD Phase 1 and 2 — Central Bank (DREX testing), FENASBAC, UTFPR, and many others universities, cities, like Curitiba and São Paulo, industrial federations — didn’t exist before. We built those from scratch and keep continue.

We have supported onboarding for key projects such as Tokeniza, Diode, UTFPR, and the Prefeitura de Curitiba, among others—as detailed in both proposal reports. Additionally, we have launched multiple initiatives with universities and trained engineers who are now actively contributing across the ecosystem. Many of them are participating in recent PBAs and building native Polkadot projects, like PolkaIdentity.

Chapter 3 – “Código Brazuka”

The community supported this project. It faced challenges, including token devaluation and delays in delivery, which we recognize. However, the team has not requested additional funds from the community and continues to work on finalizing the content.

We know for a fact that they are still producing and committed to delivering — and we believe that, very soon, the results will be made public.

In light of your post, I personally shared it with the team and asked them to issue a public statement to clarify the current status and ongoing efforts. We encourage transparency — and so do they.

The accusation of double spending doesn’t hold up under scrutiny. Costs were clearly reported, and the activities are distinct. This is not a case of bad faith, but of managing difficulties openly — something many builders in this ecosystem have gone through.

As for the partnership between NodeHub and Sunset Labs, it is legitimate and based on actual work. Opening a physical space for the Polkadot community in Rio de Janeiro — with infrastructure, visibility, and access — is a milestone, not a scandal.

Chapter 4 – “The narrative of exclusivity”

The Web3 Foundation letter was a compliance tool, not a power move. It helped us work with fundamental institutions that need validation.

Yes — it also demonstrates trust and recognition. Necessary and used to firm partnerships.

Moreover, we’re not alone. We work with Node, Weever, Tensegrity, Curitiba Hub, and many others — opening doors and generating new collaborations daily. You want exclusivity for your team while calling others “centralized.” We are with a lot of other members of the community, not only in Brazil, but also in other countries

Chapter 5 – “Costs and transparency”

Facts:

• 3 rooms × 5 nights (event duration + arrival/departure days);

• $60 per room per night — well below local average;

• Invoices submitted before approval;

• Documents publicly available on the forum.

There is no scandal here. Just logistics.

---

Conclusion

You say you want to protect Polkadot’s values.
So do we. But doing so means building, not attacking who are building for years.

Decentralization requires respect, constancy, and collaboration — especially when there’s nothing to gain.

The door is open for anyone who wants to contribute.

But contribution is not self-declaring leadership or trying to overpower running initiatives.
It’s listening. Respecting. And delivering — consistently, over time.

Being part of a real community takes more than two proposals and a loud voice.

We’re here. We’ve been here. We’re building.
And we’ll keep doing so — with or without your recognition.

---

Gabriel Bonugli

[PrisBaeta]

Hello Bruno Pacheco,

I wonder why a person who knows us personally and has ALREADY SEEN the work carried out by Código Brazuca and has only spoken praise in front of us, would make a post like this. The same person who was crying for a job and in which we also helped, is now badmouthing the project that trains the most people in web 3 technology in Brazil.

Referring to his Free hate attack in “Chapter 3 - The Codigo Brazuka and the Unfulfilled Promise”.

The project ends now on May 17th, and all the people at polkadot are well informed, suffering and following up. You and your team, Bruno, have always had access, but have never shown any interest in our work. You even met us at a local event in Rio de Janeiro in December 2024 to talk about it and notoriously said that you follow us online. You follow absolutely everything that Código Brazuca does, and we deeply appreciate your commitment to spewing hatred about something that you yourself have access to, including the entire CB team in person, but you prefer to attack us online, in the middle of a holiday in Brazil, where you should be with your family practicing a little love.
The proposal Proposal: Codigo Brazuca + Polkadot Brazil - Tech Academy - from Basic to Advanced - 8 Months Track | Polkassembly paid us around $55,000 usd, never paid us the amount originally requested, which meant that from January until May, the entire Código Brazuca team is finishing the delivery of the project working for free in favor of the growth of the Polkadot ecosystem. You even saw some of the students during the Blockchain Rio 2024 event, as we had a meeting of the students at the Polkadot stand and the project is still online and after completion, everything will remain with Polkadot, also free of charge for the community to enjoy, as our purpose is the growth of developers using Polkadot and not to badmouth other people’s projects online. Remember that ALL POLKADOT TEAMS ARE RECEIVING ALL PROJECT INFORMATION AND ALL PROGRESS. But you’re not part of the international team, but you have access to the course and so on, you didn’t do it because you didn’t want to.

About Node Hub Web 3

Regarding the NODE HUB WEB 3, it exists in Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro Brazil, which you yourself have already signed up for events in the polkadot ecosystem and others made by us at Node Hub and did not go to the event and activations because you did not want to go. Node Hub even made 27 activations in 2024 and 38 onboardings in web 3 technology and all this is included in our PUBLIC REPORT on our LinkedIn and social networks. Once again you spew your hatred for nothing. We are working hard, day after day for the technology ecosystem to grow and these online complaints from someone like you who does absolutely nothing for the ecosystem is worrying.

Everything that Código Brazuca and Node Hub Web 3 do has public reports, aiming for transparency. We here already employ 95% of our students in the national and international blockchain market with our work, which you complain about.

About Projects

Please do something for the ecosystem other than attacking decent projects that deliver value to the community. What you’ve done here says more about what you don’t do by complaining about the people who actually do something.
Our door at Código Brazuca and Node Hub has always been open for you to come and see what’s going on and have useful and lasting collaborations for the growth of the ecosystem, but I never saw you at any of the 27 events we did in 2024, I didn’t see you at any of the 11 workshop and onboarding activations we did from January to today in 2025 at Node Hub.
But I do see you complaining online about various activations just because they’re not done by you. Do you really want to see the ecosystem grow or do you want to attack your friends who attend the same events where you are because you’ve decided that attacking various projects is good for your health or your ego?

About Blockchain Rio, it’s not your event, you’ve been part of their team since 2024, which we even recommended you to join in a positive way and I don’t see you acting positively, but in a strange way. And you’ve even said you’re a polkadot ambassador a few times, at various events, even though you’re not an ambassador. Your actions lack transparency, even in Brazil.

I thought that at the event where I met you in December 2024 and we talked for over an hour about projects here in Brazil, good things would come out of it for the ecosystem as a whole… I think I was just hoping for that.

Building a new project is difficult, people like CB and Node Hub have been working since 2021 helping new projects to rise in the web 3 ecosystem as a whole, presenting our web2 and web3 partners, helping events at universities in which Código Brazuca already operates and you decided to join some people with your narrative of attacking projects. I think you can attack, but only after finding out what has been done. You have our cell phone numbers from the Código Brazuca team, you know all the events we’re doing at Node and at universities and I’ve never seen you at any of them. It seems to me that you’re someone who doesn’t go to anything but wants to complain on the internet to get your star minutes. Please, use your time to do something useful for the ecosystem and not attack friends who helped you get the job you have today.

Priscilla Baeta
COO Código Brazuca and COO Node Hub

[amarcelo]

To Community

Upon reading Mr. Bruno’s post reflecting on our actions as Código Brazuca and Node Hub, I would like to address some important points about what has been said in order to clarify several key issues. I believe it is essential to introduce ourselves so that there are no further doubts about our activities.

Código Brazuca: Transforming Lives and Businesses with Web3 Technology

Código Brazuca was founded with the purpose of transforming lives through education in technology and driving meaningful societal impact. Created by experts with over 20 years of experience in the technology sector, the project has stood out since its inception as a model of educational innovation and social impact.

Our Origin and Purpose

In 2023, we released our first MVP in partnership with Transfero Academy, aimed at teaching young Brazilians in socially vulnerable situations how to program on the Ethereum Blockchain, using EVM and Solidity. We selected 20 young individuals, all with only basic public school education, and over eight months, achieved extraordinary results: 80% of the students completed the program as developers capable of working with blockchain technologies, while the remaining 20% were trained as Product Owners. Before even finishing the course, all participants received job offers, and one year later, they remain employed, actively contributing to the emerging digital economy.

This experience served as powerful evidence that, with the right methodology—developed over two decades by the Partners and Educators at Código Brazuca—it is possible to equip anyone to master complex and revolutionary technologies such as Blockchain. Beyond technical skills, our graduates left the program prepared to tackle market challenges and gain a holistic understanding of the Web3 ecosystem—from technical aspects to the cultural and strategic vision driving the adoption of this groundbreaking technology.

Impact and Results

Since 2022, all of our Web3 initiatives have demonstrated proven success, both in domestic and international markets. Our educational programs boast an 85% employment rate for students during their training, with all graduates securing jobs immediately upon course completion. Additionally, Código Brazuca has trained hundreds of professionals, ranging from young individuals at the start of their careers to C-level executives, consistently delivering tangible results that drive business growth and transform lives.

Node Hub: Building Bridges to the New Digital Economy

Node Hub was estbalished in September 2023, envisioned by the Código Brazuca team to address a critical gap in the market: the challenges of adopting Web3 technologies. With operations starting in March 2024, in Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro. Our goal is to create an environment that connects innovation, education, and business, serving as a catalyst for the integration of blockchain technologies across various sectors.

Our Mission

The mission of Node Hub is clear: to accelerate the adoption of Web3 technologies by promoting education, innovation, and strategic connections. We understand that adoption is the greatest challenge for blockchain, and our role is to prepare companies, startups, developers, and end-users for this transition.

In just 10 months, Node Hub has established itself as a benchmark in the blockchain and Web3 market, delivering tangible results and helping companies understand and implement solutions based on decentralized technologies.

What Node Hub Does:

Node Hub is more than just an innovation space — it’s a meeting point between the present and the future of technology. Our key activities include:

Blockchain Technology Onboarding: We host events and initiatives that introduce blockchain technologies in a practical and accessible way for diverse audiences;

Education and Training: We organize lectures, workshops, hackathons, and courses designed to equip companies, leaders, startups, and developers with the skills to effectively use Web3;

Business Development: We facilitate the transition of startups from Web2 to Web3 and foster connections between investors, companies, and entrepreneurs, creating business opportunities;

Strategic Partnerships: We collaborate with public and private companies, municipal governments, and academic institutions to drive blockchain adoption in Brazil;

Ecosystem Development: We promote collaboration and knowledge-sharing among market players, creating a supportive environment for innovation.

Impact and Results

Since March 2024, Node Hub has achieved significant milestones, establishing itself as a strategic partner for companies aiming to explore and adopt Web3 technologies. Key accomplishments include:

27 onboarding and business events focusing on blockchain technologies, conducted by the Código Brazuca team and partners;

42 lectures and workshops on new markets and blockchain-based business opportunities, delivered by the Código Brazuca team and partners;

Strategic connections facilitated between startups and major companies, including Gol, Petrobras, Eletrobras, Núclea, Transfero, Klever, and Monkey Branch;

55 networking and business events, expanding our innovation ecosystem;

Successful deals in blockchain technologies with platforms such as Polkadot, Cosmos, Akash, Diode, KleverChain, and Cardano.

A major highlight was the exclusive blockchain technology business stage at Rio Innovation Week, the largest innovation and technology event in Latin America, solidifying Node Hub’s role as a leader in the digital transformation of the Brazilian market.

Why Choose Node Hub with Código Brazuca?

Proven Track Record: In just one year, we have demonstrated our ability to deliver tangible results and connect various players within the Web3 ecosystem;

Strategic Approach: We understand market challenges and provide tailored solutions to facilitate the adoption and effective use of blockchain technologies;

Expanded Ecosystem: Our work bridges startups, enterprises, governments, and communities, fostering a fertile environment for innovation and collaboration;

Transformative Education: We train professionals across sectors, with proven positive KPIs in the Brazilian market, from technical specialists to C-level executives, equipping them to tackle the challenges of the new digital economy;

Impact-Driven Focus: We serve as a bridge between Brazil — a market of 203 million people — and the future of the internet, preparing companies and individuals for Web3 and blockchain technologies that aim to scale their businesses effectively and strategically.

Node Hub is building the future today. Through our strategic vision, proven results, and commitment to innovation, we are transforming the way companies and individuals interact with Web3.

Choose Node Hub with the Código Brazuca team as your strategic partner and become part of this technological revolution that is reshaping the delivery landscape in the Brazilian market. Together, we will shape a more dynamic, innovative, and connected ecosystem.

What Code Brazuca and the Node Are Doing with Polkadot:

• Educational Journey

Our educational journey that began in June 2024 is now coming to an end in May of this year, when we will make available the courses we recorded according to our syllabus , as presented in Referendum 568 and mentioned in the post. We even had to re record several lessons, since Polkadot (especially Substrate) underwent a series of updates. The full training will be delivered as agreed.

• Polkadot at Rio Innovation Week
  The Node invited Polkadot to appear on two stages at Rio Innovation Week 2024, the largest innovation event in LATAM. Over five days, Polkadot was exposed to an audience of 185,000 people and had its brand promoted to roughly 410 companies and 2,000 startups.

• Physical Hub in Rio

Our physical space—the Polkadot Hub in Rio de Janeiro—is located in Ipanema. Any member of the Polkadot community may work there 24/7 by reserving in advance at our hub page

• Monthly Community Meet ups

Every month we host a Polkadot community meet up at our Hub to discuss protocol developments and opportunities for anyone wishing to participate in the ecosystem. These events are publicized within our communities and online.

• Nationwide Events
  We bring Polkadot with us to events across Brazil, presenting its value to our partners and clients and showcasing the strength of its ecosystem and technology.

If you’d like more information, I recommend viewing our publicly available report on LinkedIn:
(ENG Report Código Brazuca and NODE 2024.pdf - Google Drive)

A Few Points for Bruno’s Reflection
Perhaps a lack of information is why this post was written:

1. Read My Medium Article

I recommend reading my article on Medium : “From Training to Transformation: The Impact of Polkadot with Código Brazuca”((From Training to Transformation: The Impact of Polkadot with Código Brazuca | by Antônio Marcelo Ferreira da Fonseca | Medium)) wich is very clear and transparent.

2. Attend Our Events
   I have never seen you at any of our events. You even registered for our recent Polkadot event at the HUB and didn’t show up. Frankly, I’m not sure you’ve ever visited our Hub.

3. Your Change in Stance
   I found your shift in tone surprising. In December 2024, we spent nearly an hour discussing projects and Brazil’s ecosystem, and you spoke enthusiastically about what we were doing. The post you wrote doesn’t feel like it came from the same person.

One thing I’ve learned early on is that “you never close a door” at any point ,yet, there are times when doors are truly locked and never reopened. I strive to remain as professional as possible, but some doors, once close, stay close.

Antônio Marcelo CEO Código Brazuca e CEO Node HUB

[brunopachecs]

Response to comments received following publication on mismanagement of funds in the Polkadot ecosystem in Brazil.

First of all, I would like to thank you for the engagement that this discussion generated. It is a sign that the ecosystem still cares and this motivates me to continue acting seriously and transparently. I would like to take this opportunity to inform you that the opinions presented here are my personal opinions as a participant in the Polkadot ecosystem and do not reflect an official position of Blockchain RIO.

All the initiatives I have participated in within the Polkadot ecosystem have been successful, both in terms of KPIs and the real impact generated. The results of all these initiatives are public, measurable and, it is important to highlight that in some cases, they were obtained without any subsidy or favoritism — something rare in an environment in which, unfortunately, the use of public funds is not always accompanied by due accountability.

The publication that gave rise to this discussion aims precisely to highlight: questioning the use of treasury resources and the lack of clear reports for financial auditing and evaluation of results. It is also a warning about the formation of closed circles of power that act as “guardians” in certain places and attack other agents in private groups, taking advantage of their already established relationships, while demonstrating little transparency in their deliveries, low quality in deliveries and, in some cases, questionable fund management practices.

Despite this, I have always maintained my collaborative and constructive stance, decentralizing space for voice and participation, including to the group responsible for Business Development Brazil (BD Brazil), whose members are now trying to invert the narrative, attacking me personally once again, without presenting concrete evidence as I did here.

It is precisely because of ethics and responsibility that I cannot, under any circumstances, associate myself administratively with initiatives that show signs of poor management of resources, unexplained payments and lack of transparency in their deliveries.

I would like to make it clear, however, that I am open to collaborating with any agent in the ecosystem that proposes legitimate initiatives with high added value, good management and a team with a history of honest conduct. I have worked with different members of the ecosystem to develop projects aimed at Brazil and Latin America, always based on decentralization and plurality.

It was like this in marketing projects, it was like this in meetups, even when some of those involved campaigned to discredit legitimate initiatives with high added value for the ecosystem, in some cases even being paid for this.

Decentralization is expressed in actions, not in speeches.

Blockchain on the Road - (Most recent initiative where I personally guarantee space for BD BRasil in an initiative together with the Blockchain RIO. company in which I hold the position of Head of Growth) BLOCKCHAIN CURITIBA_ENGLISH.mp4 - Google Drive

The truth is that, even though I kept my distance from initiatives managed by you — given the issues already mentioned regarding manipulated invoices, poor use of resources and low-value deliveries, I was never invited to collaborate with any of them.

What is happening now is a desperate attempt to divert attention simply because there are no answers to the facts. Why did we have 3 responses from those involved here and none of you explained the payment of the US$6,000 dollars? How do we verify the results of the projects covered by the BD report? Where are the 100 developers trained by Código Brazuka? Is there a way to test and measure the level of knowledge of your developers and your instructors? Where are the official invoices for the expenses? What do you have to say about double remuneration? Where are the concrete results of the more than 620 thousand dollars entrusted to you? Your silence in the face of these questions is deafening.

The accusations against me are unfounded—they are smokescreens thrown by those who should be held accountable.

You should worry less about trying to defame me with assumptions and untruths, and worry more about explaining precisely to the community how you used such a significant amount of public money from the treasury, even more so when we place these values ​​within the context of Brazilian reality.

In response to the hotel invoice, the account does not close. Where are the official documents?

The proposal to continue the Código Brazuka program - phase 2 informs that amounts in the order of 67 thousand dollars were received, now you are saying that you received only 55 thousand.

Honestly, it is regrettable to see that in a country like Brazil, a regional reference, we have witnessed the misuse of funds by agents who received hundreds of thousands of dollars and delivered nothing relevant. It is unacceptable.

[PrisBaeta]

“First of all, I’d like to thank you for the engagement this discussion has generated.‘’

A total of 5 people engaged. Including those who have seen you defend yourself against your childish attacks.
You have disguised personal attacks with lies from your own head with talk of concern for community funds for the collective good. Justifying your lamentations in the form of “I’m going to complain a lot on twitter/x”, a stance that perhaps even suits you. That part I thought you’d be an adult, but I was wrong again…

It’s a good thing that your personal opinions don’t reflect Blockchain Rio’s ‘official’ position, even though your actions are accountable to the company, because you’re making a point of writing that you’re from the company, in order to justify your ‘legitimate concern’ about an ecosystem you’ve never been a part of.

You haven’t presented any concrete evidence of Bruno Pacheco, “Head of Growth at Blockchain RIO”. You threw around a lot of information hoping to generate some positive buzz for yourself [and your hidden team]. Your collaborative stance is only valid for you when there is money involved for your pocket, as your team had nothing else approved, whatever they put as a project, you thought it was fair [in your narrative of defensive offense, where no one was remembering your existence because you don’t deliver anything to the ecosystem] to come and ask for an explanation from all the other projects approved by the polkadot community just because YOU AND YOUR TEAM are not in the projects in question.
A tip: The people who should be informed about Polkadot who ARE OFFICIALLY FOLLOWING these projects, ARE BEING INFORMED. You’re just generating a lonely narrative of “well, nobody chose me, why don’t any of my projects go through?” and continuing to persist in your mistake. I suggest you go into therapy, or find a job that really occupies you, because it seems that the current one isn’t enough for you. I think it’s healthier than attacking us, but now you’re openly attacking us.
This is like some village gossip.

You are ‘open to collaborate’ with everything debated here, but you have NEVER come to ANY OF US OFFERING ANY OF YOUR COLLABORATION. Your stance is biased, unfounded, lacks transparency and, after this post, you are a person who has no principles and no ethics. I really didn’t expect this from you. I didn’t expect this from a “Head of Growth at Blockchain RIO”.

You sought to centralize everything in you and your team, but you sell a “we are decentralized” speech. If the project isn’t done by you, your tendency is to attack others. Once again, this time I’ll put it in bold, to see if you read it properly THE PEOPLE OF POLKADOT ARE BEING OFFICIALLY INFORMED OF EVERYTHING THAT IS HAPPENING IN THE PROJECTS. If you, Bruno Pacheco, are not being informed, it means that YOU ARE NOT ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO NEED TO BE INFORMED ABOUT POLKADOT. I think you’re having some difficulty understanding this part.

“Decentralization is expressed in actions, not speeches.‘’ So far, I know all the people who have actually done something for the Web 3 ecosystem in Brazil, and I’m not just talking about Polkadot here in this sentence, and your name doesn’t appear in any action taken.

Just as you mentioned that Blockchain Rio is not responsible for your actions, why are you using Blockchain Rio activations to say that you delivered something? Since Gabriel, Gustavo and John were the ones who gave all the accounts? You bypassed them and even officially claimed to be a Polkadot ambassador at the Blockchain ROAD Talks. All your actions lack transparency.

The 100 developers are fine, thanks for asking, most of them are employed and, once again, even before the course is over, because we are excellent in our deliveries. Are you upset because you want to know everything about every project? You don’t own any of the projects mentioned, if only YOU were part of one of the projects, surely you would know all the administrative processes. You are openly attacking us, just as you are attacking all the projects to cover up your frustration at not having any more projects approved at Polkadot.

Man, your posture is pitiful. I understand your frustration, but I don’t understand your attacks. Remember: the people responsible for monitoring proposal 568 are being duly informed of everything. Are you not being informed? You’re not on the polkadot team or on our Código Brazuca team. In fact, until this post, you never even cared about how the project was going or whether we needed help. And let it be known that you didn’t offer anything in this proposal either.
As soon as we finish the project, which is still ongoing, you will have a report of all the work done, because unlike you, the work done by Node Hub and Código Brazuca has public reports.

Are you asking all projects to open all invoices? Are you a revenue auditor? I haven’t seen your credentials. If so, then I can ask the projects you represent to open theirs. Man, you’re pathetic.

After all, Código Brazuca received $55,000 for 12 months’ work, while other 3-day events receive up to $80,000 from sponsors. Where is the oversight of the money that the Blockchains invested, including Polkadot paid for these events? How many projects and proposals have been given back to the Polkadot ecosystem in dollar amounts?

Are you clearly accusing us of embezzling? I hope the owner of Blockchain Rio is aware of what you are saying here, representing him, using his event as a springboard for your distorted speech. It’s people with your unfounded and lying stance that are burning Blockchains in Brazil.

You could have joined forces with people who have been active in the ecosystem for years, but you decided not to. And now you’ve decided to attack the only serious projects in Brazil that show results…

‘‘The proposal to continue the Código Brazuka program - phase 2 informs that amounts in the order of 67 thousand dollars were received, now you are saying that you received only 55 thousand.’’ It wasn’t approved, I’ll paste the link here for you to read Código Brazuca Academy | Polkassembly
You say you are paying attention to the Polkadot ecosystem and yet you didn’t follow what happened? Do you have a vision problem or did you really not follow anything? Because from your speech, it is clear that you didn’t follow anything. Or are you a ghostwriter here? Because your stance does not match what you personally discussed with me and Antônio at the December 2024 event. The answer to this question of yours is answered in the refill that was denied, go back to your post and read it. Translate it with a translator if you need to. Ask someone who knows how to read for help. If you still have difficulties, I recommend reading comprehension classes. But I believe that your interest is only to attack us because you are frustrated. I will give you another 3 minutes of my attention.
Do you know what that means? That we’re doing this part of the work for free. For the growth of the Polkadot community because we believe above all in delivering our work and that this will make the difference in the Brazilian development ecosystem. But again: You never cared about that.

In December 2024, at Bamba labs, you came to talk to me and Antônio Marcelo about the refill and that this was what the Polkadot ecosystem was all about, and that was the end of it. You’d certainly shut down the project because they didn’t pay you, so do you know what we did? We continued with the project.
Blockchain’s growth potential in Brazil is incredible, but there are people like you who defame our ecosystem by trying to justify something you never delivered.

I think it’s healthy for you to present more projects, I think it’s healthy for other people to present more projects in Brazil and for everyone to continue with their work. Do you know why? Because the ecosystem will grow with more projects being done.
Again: You have our cell phone numbers. You have our emails. You know all the events we do and will do, you’ve signed up for some and you haven’t been to any of our events, ever.
You distort your own speech.

I’ll finish by reinforcing something that perhaps you and your team haven’t understood:
THE PEOPLE AT POLKADOT ARE BEING OFFICIALLY INFORMED OF EVERYTHING THAT IS HAPPENING IN THE PROJECTS.
If you Bruno Pacheco are not receiving our project updates, it means that you are not part of the project on either side.

Remember that we are only commenting on this post because you have openly attacked us.

Bruno, go on your way doing your projects, because I believe that all projects are valid in some way. Keep following our social networks and read our reports, although education is not a relevant topic for you, it is important for the ecosystem and yes, we do a good job, it’s not for nothing that we have important partners with us.

I believe we have already answered all your attacks, after all, we have a legitimate right of reply, and if you don’t like the answers we’ve received, that’s your problem. Remember that there are people from Polkadot following all of our reports during the project, as we are providing all of the information in a transparent manner.

You continue to attack the working groups in an arbitrary manner and with your centralizing discourse.

You will prove in court everything that you alleged here in your words here and in your other post. Maybe you are not used to it, but there are rules. And some rules only protected by LGPD, Constitutional Law and Criminal Law. And you will respond in lawsuits in the Brazilian justice system.

Priscilla Baeta
COO Código Brazuca and COO Node Hub

[Gabekoin]

​​Hi Bruno,

This is my last interaction.
I’ll respond only regarding BD — and the way you presented your post.

1. Your post is defamatory, dishonest, full of conjectures, and clearly driven by self-interest. It’s not about transparency — it’s about your agenda. You choose to accuse and offend the honor of who works continuously. That’s unethical — and a crime in many jurisdictions (also in Brazil).

2. You call yourself a Polkadot contributor, but you’ve barely contributed — and barely hold any DOT.
   You acted with conflict of interest, using Blockchain Rio’s name and John’s reputation to build your own narrative. You ignored our strategy and intentions, aligned with our BD strategy that is inside the Web3 DF program (the letter is used as a tool and not as some way of exclusivity - which is what you are trying to twist to create a scandal, but that will not happen). There are other people, really Polkadot Contributors, that came humble and are contributing to the ecosystem.

3. In our relationship with you (regarding Blockchain on the road), we can affirm: You excluded key people, ignored our given advice and regular process to build a path to achieve true support of the community. You acted alone. That’s not contribution with ongoing projects — that’s ego and misalignment. You’re not building for the Polkadot ecosystem in Brazil. You’re building for yourself — and damaging both Polkadot and Blockchain Rio in the process. If you can’t see the conflict of interest — it’s because you don’t want to see it and that’s why I’m disappointed with Blockchain Rio having you as an account manager with us (BD Brazilian team).

4. Polkadot has structure, roles, and governance — it’s a human-driven blockchain organization.
   OpenGov, curators, bounties, DVs, OG Tracker, Web3 Foundation, Parity, and official programs like ours with BD Brazil. These structures — and the reputations behind them — are far beyond your personal needs or ambitions. There’s a clear hierarchy of roles, agendas, strategies, and engagement programs. Polkadot operates like an organization — with departments, leaders, procedures, and people who earned their place through contribution and responsibility. We respect that structure. We respect those people. Polkadot is built by them (us) — not by outsiders pushing their own narrative of success. You’re trying to force your way in without useful contributions, selling your self-image and chasing treasury proposals. My advice: Engage with real community leaders — and local leaders. Engage with those who’ve been part of official programs for years, not with made-up titles (like you that called your self ambassador on a public event - never respected or participated on official ambassador program in any period of the Polkadot History) or opportunistic agendas that destroy hard work.

5. BD started as an experiment.
   The proposal was approved by the Open Gov, with the goal of: understand how to engage serious institutions and attract valuable projects. The “deal” KPI was the only way to measure progress — but it didn’t capture the full scope of what we built: pipelines, partnerships, institutional trust, and positioning.

6. The KPI and mechanism was approved by OpenGov.
   The structure was - A team and curators, and reporting to the OG Tracker — all defined, voted, and executed as proposed. Deals were validated by curators based on clear criteria. If approved on the proposal criterias (a binding valuation mechanism), they were rewarded. That was the system approved and delivered. For future ones it can be different (e.g. now we do have a different mechanism with Web3 Foundation).

7. Transparency and Privacy was delivered — fully aligned with the proposal.
   Everything that you need and will access are on The proposal + report = everything is there - criteria, multipliers and deals. You may draw your own conclusions, but the transparency exists — within what was approved and required. All details were shared with OG Tracker. Decentralization doesn’t mean you will have access to confidential documents.

8. The KPI was closing validated deals — nothing more.
   It didn’t cover long-term relationship management or ecosystem development. Still, we kept all relationships active and expanded projects far beyond what was scoped. Each deal was evaluated by curators, who often required proof such as MOUs, LOIs, cooperation agreements, smart contracts, or even workshop outcomes. The type of validation depended on the nature of each deal — and we provided everything required. That was the process, approved by OpenGov, and we followed it fully.

9. BD Phase 2:
   We’re in direct contact with OG Tracker. Some deals are under NDA or ongoing execution, so we respect institutional timing. Serious institutions demand confidentiality — and they certainly wouldn’t want people like you accessing sensitive details. But the report to the community will come in the proper time.

10. The Continuation Effort: The first and second BD proposals gave us long-term relationships and a strategic agenda. We now continue this work under a Web3 Foundation contract, with a clear scope: Business Development and ecosystem growth through partnerships with universities, enterprises, government, and startups. Our strategy connects all these fronts into a cohesive, scalable approach.

11. Just to Remember - You were invited to collaborate — and declined.
    You refused to join the national BD strategy during Blockchain on the Road. John tried to explain, asked for other invitations, and asked to understand more about your project because clearly, you made wrong choices in Polkadot. The “letter” that you asked John was going to be a way to get you near this (without real efforts). But Now, you attack without knowing its scope, progress, or hearing.

Conclusion: Your attitude doesn’t build trust — it destroys it.

You hold the title of Blockchain Rio Growth, but here, you didn’t represent Blockchain Rio here, nor Polkadot, nor the community agenda. You acted with clear conflicts of interest.

Your behavior helps no one — not Blockchain Rio, not the blockchain community, not Polkadot, and certainly not even yourself. And we both know you’re not acting alone — even if some prefer to stay in the shadows, aligned with your proposals.

We have a clear goal, a strategic agenda, and we’re fully engaged with the community. You chose not to contribute — instead, you focused on creating initiatives for your own benefit.

If you truly want to be part of this ecosystem, start small: organize meetups, collaborate humbly, align with existing agendas — ours, Código Brazuca, NodeBR, and others. But at this point, I’m no longer comfortable introducing you to anyone.

You’re involved in other ecosystems, you’ve avoided real engagement with Polkadot’s core initiatives, and your only participation was tied to a working group linked to people banned from the ecosystem 3 years ago for toxicity and manipulation. And yes — you know exactly who they are.

Take care.

[amarcelo]

I will only respond on behalf of Código Brazuca, since the other matters are not within my knowledge.

Regarding our receiving 67,000 instead of the original 95,000: you claim to be so connected to the ecosystem—did you follow the DOT price fluctuation at the time we submitted our proposal and when we actually got paid? There was a devaluation, and during that period it wasn’t yet possible to receive payment in USDT, which explains the difference. You didn’t catch that, did you?

As for the final balance of US$ 55,000, that was the price we paid by choosing not to convert in the hope that the token would return to its original value. Our mistake—life goes on. The course continues to be delivered, even at our own financial loss. Along the way, it had to be updated and several classes had to be re‑recorded. We even paid taxes on what we received, because as a Brazilian company we have accounting obligations to the tax authorities, as well as to our instructors and for our operations. That is called ethics and transparency.

Another matter is a transfer to our account made by John Rhodell. We needed to settle commitments for our course operations, and John helped us by loaning the amount. Here is the transaction: https://polkadot.subscan.io/extrinsic/21373022-2
And all people can see some screenshots about it here, in the my last reply of this post - https://polkadot.polkassembly.io/post/3066

Concerning your claim that nothing was delivered, I think your comment is made in bad faith or shows a lack of understanding of what is going on. However, you can clarify your doubt by asking a student you referred—he is taking the course and is now about to be hired by a blockchain that supports Polkadot. There are others on the same path. Once again, this shows that you are either lost in your assertions or perhaps influenced by third parties frustrated that they don’t have our expertise and methodology in their own projects.

With respect to measuring results, the course is not over yet, but don’t worry—I’ll share one piece of data with you: people are already employed in various fields, including blockchain, both in Brazil and abroad. The student you referred is one of them. In fact, before finishing the course, they were already hired.

In my opinion, regarding your concern about technical evaluation, my best gauge is the job offers being made and the projects being conceived by the students. I even hope that Polkadot will take an interest in them. Our course was designed to train developers but with the goal of providing a professional opportunity to those who didn’t have one. It’s not charity—it’s about bringing technology access to people and changing their lives.

And to be perfectly clear: if you think we’re not providing follow‑up, we do care about that. We’re sending updates to the Web3 Foundation and keeping them informed about what we’re doing and the course’s progress.

Now, don’t worry! At the end we’ll produce a report (I guess you haven’t seen our previous ones, right?), detailing what we’ve done on this journey and how we can help Polkadot improve other educational proposals. We’re thinking of the Polkadot community, the Web3 Foundation itself, our partners, and our students—and we will share all of it. Our idea is that this could become a document—perhaps a foundational guide—so that other projects can learn from our lessons. (Don’t worry: you and your friends will have access, and it will be public; maybe your proposals that didn’t pass will succeed. Think of this as open‑source, collaborative consulting.)

I know that you and others (sometimes on our side) are upset about not being with us, building something real. But everyone chooses their own path, right?

As for us, it’s at least four years working here in Brazil with web projects—actually delivering results, unlike many who only talk.

Anyway, this is my last post, because wasting time with frustrated people seeking their minute of fame is exhausting…

That is truly unacceptable.