As blockchain ecosystems evolve and flourish, several organizations and foundations are emerging, eager to fuel innovation by offering grants and funding support to pioneering blockchain startups and projects.
However, many blockchain-focused grants have transcended the traditional boundaries of capital. These blockchain-focused grants offer collaboration, mentorship, an efficient community and ecosystem, and more, nurturing projects that leverage blockchain’s transformative power to drive positive change across diverse sectors.
In this blog, we discuss seven 2023 blockchain-focused grant programs that support beyond capital, uncovering the tremendous opportunities they present to ambitious blockchain and Web3 founders.
A blockchain grant refers to funding organizations, foundations, or institutions provide to individuals, teams, or projects working on innovative initiatives related to the blockchain industry.
These grants support the development, research, and implementation of blockchain-based solutions across various industries and sectors. They typically offer financial resources, mentorship, networking opportunities, and access to expertise to empower recipients in their pursuit of creating impactful and transformative blockchain applications.
Blockchain grants play a crucial role in fostering innovation, encouraging collaboration, and driving the adoption of decentralized technologies by providing the necessary resources for projects to thrive.
AngelBlock has relaunched its startup grant program, which aims to promote innovation in the blockchain space. The AngelBlock Grants for Startups winners will receive a grant of $15,000 in AngelBlock’s native token, $THOL, and also have the opportunity to raise additional capital through AngelBlock’s decentralized fundraising protocol.
To be considered, startups must be utilizing a token or hybrid model, show market traction, and be in the pre-Token Generation Event stage. Selected startups may also join AngelBlock’s incubation program, which provides regulatory assistance, code audits, UI/UX support, and tokenomic strategy guidance.
Furthermore, the ecosystem offers a decentralized and non-custodial platform for token-based fundraising. The platform also incorporates on-chain vesting and milestone-driven token allocation systems, ensuring secure fund disbursement and allowing projects to define deliverables and release timelines. In addition, AngelBlock charges zero fees, allowing projects to have complete control and reinvest in their growth.
The program has notable partnerships with the European Tech School and ETH Warsaw, as well as the support of Nicholas Merten, the founder of DataDash, which adds credibility to the initiative.
The HUMAN grants program is designed to incentivize individuals and organizations to contribute to the growth and development of the HUMAN Protocol. The primary objective of the grants program is to expedite the widespread adoption of the HUMAN Protocol and revolutionize the future of work and how organizations connect to workforces and workers to opportunity.
The grants program features three distinct types of grants: Explorer ($10,000 max), Builder ($ 50,000 max), and Innovator (up to $250,000). In addition to financial assistance, recipients of the grants will also benefit from development and strategy support, mentorship, assistance with marketing and launch communications, access to third-party vendors and specialists in the ecosystem, as well as exclusive community channels.
Building on the HUMAN Protocol offers numerous advantages, including trustless processing of work agreements through smart contracts, utilization of open-source technology for developing customized solutions, and access to a global workforce. Additional advantages include cost-effective acquisition of high-quality data labels, and the availability of additional HUMAN solutions like Proof of HUMANity for safeguarding against bots.
Proposals submitted for grants will undergo evaluation based on their merits, credibility, and the potential value they can contribute to the HUMAN ecosystem.
Ocean Protocol Foundation (OPF) Shipyard is designed to empower entrepreneurs in creating open-source Web3 solutions on Ocean Protocol. The program prioritizes the advancement of technical integrations with AI and crypto applications, along with the development of data-sharing services.
To be eligible for funding, projects must leverage Ocean technology or the OCEAN token, be open source, boast an experienced team, demonstrate working code, showcase a clear use case, and contribute to the adoption and scalability of the Ocean ecosystem.
Applications undergo meticulous evaluation by the Ocean Protocol core team, assessing key aspects like milestones, project technology, business models, market validation, and alignment with Ocean’s mission and value.
Successful applicants get $35,000 to $75,000. Shipyard projects also receive extensive technical support and valuable business development guidance, including referrals and connections with potential partners. In addition, Shipyard grants programs provide marketing opportunities, allowing projects to benefit from increased visibility and exposure.
Axelar is committed to empowering groundbreaking Web3 ideas that can significantly impact the world. Through its grant program, it offers up to $25,000 to kickstart idea-stage projects.
The Axelar Grants Program support extends beyond financial assistance, as it provides mentorship and insight, technical guidance, ecosystem support, and access to an esteemed network of investors.
The grants are categorized into four main areas: Open Source, Infrastructure, Research + Education, and Community Growth. By providing financial resources and comprehensive support, Axelar aims to empower innovative teams and catalyze the realization of transformative Web3 projects.
Idle Finance unveiled an updated version of its Idle Grants Program (IGP 2.0) to attract a wider range of contributors and foster growth within the DeFi ecosystem.
The program offers developers the chance to shape the future of finance by contributing to the Idle ecosystem. The program received 30 applications in the previous edition and rewarded five projects. Building on this experience, Idle Finance has introduced a list of tasks called requests for proposals (RFPs) to engage a broader audience.
Contributors can explore the available tasks and propose new ideas through the official form. Grant rewards are divided into small-size grants, medium and large grants, starting from $15,000.
Although the program’s support beyond capital is not clearly defined, successful contributors can join the Idle Leagues after the grant. The Idle League is Idle’s governance system or DAO. It is responsible for business development, technology, legal matters, and administration activities to ensure the long-term maintenance and advancement of the protocol.
This allows contributors to actively participate in the distributed decision-making processes that shape Idle Protocol’s future.
Lisk Accelerator Program supports the development of Web3 solutions on the open-source Web3 platform. The program offers grant funding of up to $270,000.
The accelerator program aims to incentivize the growth of Lisk’s technology stack and promote Web3 innovation. The program welcomes startups committed to long-term Web3 implementations, particularly those working on app-specific blockchain solutions.
It operates in two phases, with the first batch of applications accepted from March 20 to June 30, 2023, and the second phase from September 1 to November 30, 2023. Furthermore, the program offers four funding stages: Bootstrap Grant, Builder Grant, Booster Grant, and Breakout Grant, each catering to different development milestones.
Asides from funding, successful applicants will receive mentorship, networking opportunities, and marketing support. By participating in the program, projects will also retain full equity when they go to market, giving them full rights to potential profits while contributing to the growth of Lisk’s Web3 ecosystem.
Telos has introduced the Telos Ignite initiative, aimed at funding developers working on Web3 solutions using Solidity, Native C++, and Vyper smart contracts to drive the growth of the Telos ecosystem.
The initiative seeks to fund passionate teams building on Telos and those committed to advancing Web3 ecosystems. The program’s main focus is on blockchain ecosystems, tools, infrastructure developers, and projects related to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) sustainability.
Successful Telos Ignite Grant Program applicants gain access to a range of valuable tools that guarantee the sustained expansion of their projects. Accepted developers will not only receive funding but also benefit from developer tools, resources, mentorship, and direct support from the Telos development team.
In addition, they will receive end-to-end support in the development and commercial strategy, and recognition as Telos Ignite Initiative winners on social platforms.
The blockchain-focused grants discussed here go beyond supporting initiatives with only capital. They offer more to blockchain startups and projects, presenting tremendous opportunities and empowering ambitious founders to leverage blockchain’s transformative power and drive positive change across diverse sectors in 2023 and beyond.
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