Karn

Karn is an open-source ecosystem focused on helping women in Latin America learn, build, and take part in collective decision-making. Its work brings together the Karn Institute, which offers technical learning pathways, mentorship, and project experience, and the Karn Protocol, a contribution-based governance system built on Stellar and Soroban. The Institute supports participants as they develop skills and move from training into practical work through collaborative pods and projects.

Within the protocol, contributions are recorded as a basis for reputation and participation; the site describes Mana as the voting power generated by contribution. Karn presents this model as an alternative to governance based primarily on capital, emphasizing collective choice and non-transferable reputation. The ecosystem invites people to join its community and explore the protocol’s open-source code, published under the MIT license.

Through education, project-building, and shared governance, Karn aims to connect technology with real-world impact and expand women’s participation in shaping the initiatives they help create