The DFINITY Foundation, a not-for-profit organization created to build, promote, and maintain the ‘Internet Computer’ a public computing platform powered by blockchain, today announced the launch of the Internet Computer Developer Ecosystem Program to support network development.
For this first cohort, a total of CHF 200 million ($223M million USD) is ready to be deployed to crypto entrepreneurs and developer teams. The program is accepting applications at dfinity.org/grants.
Focus Areas For This Grant Program Include:
- Canister Development Kits (CDKs) and Agents.
- Developer Tooling (i.e. IDEs, debuggers, logging libraries).
- Infrastructure (e.g. oracles, asset bridges).
- Integrations and APIs (e.g. chat, email, maps).
- Apps and Open Internet Services.
3 Grant Tiers
The first grant cohort will run from May 2021 to August 2021. For $5K and $25K grants, work should be completed within this four-month timeframe. $100K grants will be handled by the Grant Committee on a case-by-case basis. Applications will remain open throughout the cohort, either for accelerated work within the timeframe of the first cohort or for consideration in the next cohort.
The Internet Computer launched on May 10, 2021. Now coupled with the recent release of the Internet Computer Interface Specification and source code, developers have already started building…
Recent developments include:
- OpenChat – tokenized, decentralized encrypted messaging service capable of scaling to millions of users. On May 21, 2021, OpenChat launched an alpha prototype to 10,000 users, quickly becoming one of the most trafficked dApps running on a public blockchain.
- DSCVR – tokenized, open version of Reddit, was built completely on-chain within the first week of the network going live.
- Fleek – an open internet web and app hosting startup; is enabling 11,000 traditional and blockchain-based websites to run on the Internet Computer’s public network.
- Capsule – decentralized social media platform, raised $1.5M in seed funding led by the Beacon Fund.
- ORIGYN – starting with the luxury watch industry; ORIGYN identifies and exposes counterfeits to stop brand dilution and erosion from fake products.
This Internet Computer Developer Ecosystem Program complements the Beacon Fund, a venture fund supporting building on the Internet Computer. Announced in September 2020, Beacon is a $14.5 million fund led by Polychain Capital and supported by Andreessen Horowitz and the DFINITY Foundation.