In　this　study,　a　series　of　strongly　luminescent　organosilica-modified　carbon　dots　were　successfully　synthesized　in　a　scalable　manner　via　hydrothermal　treatment　of　citric　acid　and　glucose　in　the　presence　of　a　silane　coupling　agent.　Organosilica　as　a　stable　component　coupled　with　the　surface　of　carbons　leads　to　the　formation　of　gel-like　materials.　The　obtained　carbon　dots　can　be　homogeneously　dispersed　in　various　polar　solvents　such　as　water　or　ethanol　to　produce　an　optical　solution.　Importantly,　the　abundance　of　organosilica　groups　on　the　surface　makes　carbon　dots　ideally　suited　for　use　as　fantastic　carbon　precursors　for　the　construction　of　porous　carbon　materials.　The　carbons　resulting　from　the　pyrolysis　of　carbon　dots　consist　of　interconnected　carbon　nanoparticles　with　surface　areas　of　up　to　725　m2　g-1　and　nitrogen　content　of　4.84%.　Such　carbons　show　potential　application　as　supercapacitor　electrodes　with　high　specific　capacitance　of　185.4　F　g-1　at　0.5　A　g-1　and　176.3　F　g-1　at　1　A　g-1　in　6　mol　L-1　KOH.　Considered　a　relatively　green　and　simplistic　process,　this　current　synthetic　protocol　would　be　a　promising　avenue　to　access　functional　carbon　materials　with　tunable　porosity,　heteroatom　doping　and　specific　morphology.　©　2018　The　Royal　Society　of　Chemistry.