About Us
The Imperial Blockchain & FinTech Society (IBF), originally the Imperial Blockchain Group, was founded in 2021 by alumni Imran Khan and Sean Yu as a small splinter group of blockchain enthusiasts under the wing of Imperial Investment Society. By 2022, IBF had grown to 500 members and became an independent society, reflecting Imperial College London's status as a global hub for innovation (ranked 2nd worldwide).
In February 2024, under the leadership of President Noor Elsheikh, the society established ImperialDAO, the first university DAO in history. This pioneering initiative introduced blockchain-based democratic governance for managing the society’s treasury and fostering a thriving ecosystem of developer projects, exclusive opportunities, and research initiatives.
March 2024 saw the society host the Global FinTech and Blockchain Conference, with over 700 attendees, further cementing its reputation as a leader in the field. By September 2024, Noor established the ImperialDAO Investment Fund, the largest in Imperial’s history by assets under management, offering members unparalleled hands-on investment experience.
In December 2024, the society launched the IBF Developer Team, bringing together a competitive group of blockchain-focused developers and designers to innovate, consult, and compete internationally.
Today, IBF thrives as a gated community of exceptional staff, students, and alumni, united by a passion for blockchain and fintech.
1. ImperialDAO
ImperialDAO Investment Fund
ImperialDAO is home to the largest fund in Imperial’s history by assets under management. Established in September 2024 by President Noor Elsheikh, the fund provides members with hands-on investment experience, helping participants hone their market knowledge, quantitative acument, soft skills, and networks.
Treasury Management
ImperialDAO pioneers the use of blockchain technology for democratic and secure management of the society’s treasury, empowering members to allocate resources effectively and transparently.
Community Impact
Members gain access to exclusive research, developer projects, and investment opportunities, fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing across the DAO.
2. IBF Events & Education
IBF Events connects Imperial’s blockchain and fintech community with global leaders and innovators.
Annual Conference
In March 2024, IBF hosted the Global FinTech and Blockchain Conference, with over 700 attendees. Plans are underway to establish this as an annual flagship event in Imperial’s prestigious Great Hall.
Bi-Weekly Educational Events
On-campus educational events include technical workshops, lecture series, and high-profile industry panels, designed to expand members’ knowledge and skill sets.
Competitions and Networking
Regular events and competitions provide opportunities for members to apply their skills, connect with industry leaders, and explore emerging trends in blockchain and fintech.
3. IBF Developers
Launched in December 2024, the IBF Developer Team is a highly competitive group of blockchain-focused developers and designers.
Innovation
The team works on cutting-edge internal projects that push the boundaries of blockchain applications, such as developing decentralized solutions, smart contract tools, and experimental dApps.
Consulting
IBF Developers provide professional blockchain consulting services to industry partners, addressing real-world business challenges with technical solutions.
Competitions
The team represents Imperial College London at international hackathons and blockchain events, showcasing their expertise and winning recognition on the global stage.
Events and Consulting Project Collaboration
ImperialDAO serves as a key governing body of the Blockchain Society at Imperial College London, currently 600 members strong. Our mission is to educate students and connect them with opportunities in the Blockchain Ecosystem.
We hold bi-weekly events hosted on our campus for members to learn and engage with the thriving Blockchain Ecosystem at the university. Topics we have covered have included DeFi, Venture Capital, Blockchain Development, Quant Trading and more.
Projects seeking to connect and/or present to the Imperial Blockchain Society can get in touch at team@imperialdao.org or at imperialblockchainsociety@imperial.ac.uk.
Notable Members
Noor Elsheikh
IBF Chair (2023-2025)
Chief Investment Officer
Sean Yu
IBF Co-founder & Chair 2022/23
Imran Khan
Shafi Maahe
Minghan Xiao
(2023-25)
Ahmad Danesh
Ghassan Alhalabi
Eren Geridonmez
Jaiditya Khemani
IBF Committee (2023/24)
Dr. Ferda Ozdemir Sonmez, Ph.D.
Dr. Michael Suarez
Victoria Gong
Head of Quantitative Strategy, Fyde
Dr. Sacha Ghebali
Julien Pelegri
Q42 Founder
IBF Committee 22/23
Rohan Khanna
Angela Sun
Encode Club
Weitong Zhang
Zion Darko
Yuvan Chikka
Angela Meilan Farese
Ibrahim Qayyum
Szonja Skenderovic
Partners
Nethermind
Nethermind is a leading infrastructure builder, researcher and core development team in the blockchain space. We empower enterprises and developers worldwide to access and build on the decentralized web.
Collab+Currency
Collab+Currency is a crypto-focused venture fund backing early-stage projects building the next generation of culture and consumer technology.
Solana Foundation
SuperteamUK champion the Solana Foundation in the United Kingdom, leading the country's community of best talent learning, earning and building in Crypto.
Stand Wth Crypto
An advocacy organisation led by Coinbase, focused on mobilising the crypto community to directly engage in the nation's legislative process.
Q42
Q42 is a community-first ecosystem of active finance products for Web3.
Apply to join
Membership to ImperialDAO is currently exclusive to staff, alumni and students of Imperial College London. Applications are reviewed regularly and selection is based on the current IBF committee reaching a majority consensus on your admission.
To apply to the ImperialDAO Investment Fund, either as an active trader or an observer for educational benefit, please apply here.
Those interested in joining the DAO as a general member can apply here.
To join the committee of the Imperial Blockchain and FinTech Society, please email us and enquire about current openings.
Get in touch
For enquiries and partnerships relating to ImperialDAO, please email team@imperialdao.org or send a message to @theimperialdao on X/Twitter
For enquiries relating to the Imperial Blockchain and FinTech Society, please email icbcs@ic.ac.uk
ImperialDAO
AGITE UT UNUM FLOREATE UT MULTI
Act as one, prosper as many