Maryland, USA, 2026 — The Maryland Blockchain Association will host Block chAIn Bootcamp 2026, the first International BlockchAIn & Workforce Expo Conference, from July 13 to July 17, 2026, at Capitol Technology University. Built around the Building Careers, Blockchain, Investment & Business theme, the weeklong event is designed as Maryland’s gateway to the emerging-technology economy. The goal is to create a shared stage for the students, builders, regulators, and institutions shaping the next generation of digital infrastructure.
The conference anchors Maryland Blockchain Week 2026, an initiative focused on supporting innovation and economic development with clear goals for career seekers and builders. Positioned as the Mid-Atlantic’s blockchain hub, the event is co-hosted by the Blockchain Legal Institute and the Maryland Blockchain Association. It convenes 30+ speakers drawn from policy, industry, and academia.
Its mission is direct: foster the economy by creating a talent pipeline in innovative tech. Organizers aim to upskill young people to become blockchain and AI practitioners while seeding Maryland’s growing digital asset economy, which the Association positions as a $10B+ opportunity.
The program brings together a broad ecosystem of researchers, founders, investors, developers, legal experts, and public officials in one environment where technical ideas can move from discussion to application. Confirmed speakers include US SEC Commissioner Hester M. Peirce, leader of the SEC’s Crypto Task Force; Dr. W. Scott Stornetta and Stuart Haber, co-developers of the early blockchain; Dale Chrystie, blockchain strategist at FedEx; and Graham Dodge, VP at TEDCO. Maryland lawmakers, including US Senator Angela Alsobrooks, State Senator Dr. Ron Watson, and Delegates Adrian Boafo and Pam Queen, round out a roster that bridges global expertise and local momentum.
The week centers on six hours of daily interactive workshops for a deliberately broad audience: high school and college students, teachers, guidance counselors, lawyers, accountants, entrepreneurs, government workers, real estate and health care professionals, retirees, and workforce partners. Workshop tracks include AI & Crypto for Non-Profits; AI, AI Agents & Business; Cybersecurity; the Fintech Ecosystem; Government Blockchain Fundamentals; International Trade & Embassy Task Forces; Stablecoins; and Accounting & Tax Workshops. A hackathon, exhibits, and curated side events, including CryptoMondays and BitAngels, run alongside the main conference.
The program is deliberately built for the whole ecosystem, bringing every part of the digital asset economy into the same room. Attendees range from first-time learners to U.S. SEC commissioners – spanning students, teachers, lawyers, accountants, entrepreneurs, banks and credit unions, family offices, government workers, real estate and health care professionals, regulators, and workforce partners.
“This event exists because the future economy will be built by people who are prepared for it today,” said Jacqueline Cooper, Chief Executive Officer of the Maryland Blockchain Association. “Our goal is simple but ambitious: turn curiosity into careers. By bringing students, regulators, and industry leaders into the same room, we are building a talent pipeline that keeps Maryland competitive, opens real opportunities for career seekers and builders, and proves that responsible innovation and economic development go hand in hand. We want every participant to leave with a clearer path into the digital economy, not just a better understanding of it.”
The conference reflects a deliberate emphasis on workforce readiness and responsible adoption. By placing frontier technology in an academic setting and pairing it with continuing education credit for legal, real estate, and accounting professionals, the event aims to make blockchain, AI, and digital asset literacy accessible to a wider regional audience while strengthening the institutions that can help guide adoption.
To help attendees make the most of those five days, the event offers an official free networking app, Thrilld. Using AI-driven matchmaking, it connects founders, investors, developers, and legal tech experts based on shared goals, streamlining how attendees discover the agenda, match, and meet on-site and beyond.
Block chAIn Bootcamp 2026 is backed by the region’s institutions, having already attracted a broad network of sponsors, partners, and media platforms across blockchain, AI, finance, academia, government, and community development. The lineup includes the Digital Chamber, the Maryland Tech Council, Chainlink Labs, Hacken, Constellation Network, the Blockchain for Good Alliance, the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland, Morgan State University, and the Virginia Blockchain Council, among others.
The summit will also feature two major announcements. The Association is launching a Global Petition to eliminate the statute of limitations for victims of digital asset crime. This reform initiative calls on legislative bodies worldwide to ensure that the passage of time no longer shields bad actors in the digital economy. In addition, a post-event E-Book will be produced and distributed, compiling information about all of the event’s speakers.
Block chAIn Bootcamp 2026 will take place from July 13 to July 17, 2026, at Capitol Technology University, Maryland. Tickets, speaker applications, sponsorship information, hackathon registration, and community updates are available through official channels, including the event website.
About Block chAIn Bootcamp 2026
Block chAIn Bootcamp 2026 is the first International BlockchAIn & Workforce Expo Conference, bringing together pioneers of blockchain, AI, and Web3 in Maryland, USA, from July 13 to 17, 2026.
Hosted by the Maryland Blockchain Association, the event connects students, institutions, researchers, regulators, builders, and investors to explore how emerging technologies intersect, turn ideas into real-world careers and experiments, and strengthen a talent pipeline rooted in Maryland’s growing digital asset economy.
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About the Maryland Blockchain Association
The Maryland Blockchain Association (MDBA) is a statewide nonprofit trade association advancing blockchain innovation in Maryland through advocacy, education, and community building.