A digital and Madrid-based CV protected by blockchain

The newspaper La Razón has reported on the Community of Madrid‘s funding of SmartDegrees‘ University Smart Portfolio use case in the new Spanish Blockchain Services Infrastructure (ISBE) in a report, which we reproduce in full below:

“The regional government is promoting this app from the startup SmartDegrees. Focused on students and teachers, it will allow them to record their academic achievements. Students and teachers now have a digital portfolio in which to record and certify their academic achievements: from final degree or master’s projects to seminar attendance, awards granted, or qualifications. All this is done through blockchain technology, which allows users to share these credentials securely and interoperably on platforms such as LinkedIn, as well as with institutions, other universities, or in the workplace.

This is the University Smart Portfolio (USP) project, developed by SmartDegrees, one of the startups receiving support from the Community of Madrid. The regional government has awarded grants to 20 SMEs to develop innovative technology-based solutions. Under this premise, these companies will carry out projects aimed at solving real challenges in key sectors such as cybersecurity, finance, education, healthcare, and freight transport.

SmartDegrees has received nearly €100,000 from the regional government. In this initiative, it has collaborated with the University of Design, Innovation, and Technology (UDIT) in Madrid, which already integrates this digital portfolio into its internal systems, validating its usability and workflows in a real-life scenario. Similarly, this system is being tested with the Sicomoro Foundation, also located in the capital. All of this under the framework of the European Campus Card Association (ECCA).

Stored in nodes

Unlike traditional systems, where all information is stored in one place and can be vulnerable, blockchain technology stores data in different “nodes” at the same time, making it very difficult for someone to change or access it.

Thus, every time a change is made, the data is stored in multiple nodes. Once the information is used, it is recorded, which generates greater trust. This way, users have more control over their information and decide when and with whom they want to share it.

Subsidy line

This project anticipates the European Digital Identity Regulation (EUDI), which the European Commission will implement in 2026 and which establishes the right of all EU citizens to have a digital identity. The USP project allows citizens’ academic information to also be included in this digital identity.

The subsidy line was launched by the regional Ministry of Digitalization in early 2025 with the aim of promoting the use of emerging technologies within the region’s industrial fabric. The program has received a total investment of €2 million, part of the Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan, funded by the European Union – Next Generation EU.

Furthermore, it is part of the regional government’s strategy to accelerate the digital transformation of Madrid’s business ecosystem, promoting the adoption of emerging technologies with a high economic and social impact.”