Can The Stellar Accelerator Kickstart Your Web3 Idea?

Stellar Community Fund Drives Innovation in Blockchain Development

The Stellar Community Fund (SCF) is set to launch Cohort 9 of its Kickstart Program, providing developers and founders with an exceptional opportunity to build, launch, and scale their projects on the Stellar network. Since the launch of the Soroban smart contract platform in May, the Kickstart Program is also open to builders working on DeFi projects and other decentralized applications.

Applications for the Kickstart program are now open and will close on November 17, 2024, with the program running from December 2-6, 2024.

Kickstart Program - 5-Day Virtual Accelerator

The SCF Kickstart program is a structured, five-day virtual boot camp that provides early-stage developers and founders with hands-on mentorship and a path to potentially access funding from the Stellar Community Fund. This program is specifically designed for participants who have a concept and want to transform their ideas into tangible projects built on Stellar.

Each day of the program focuses on a key development area:

• December 2, 2024 - Define Your Minimum Viable Product
• December 3, 2024 - Create a UI/UX Mockup
• December 4, 2024 - Outline Technical Architecture
• December 5, 2024 - Develop a Go-to-Market Strategy
• December 6, 2024 - Pitch Your Product to Industry Experts

After completing the Kickstart boot camp, developers can apply for the SCF Kickstart Award, potentially earning up to USD $15,000* in XLM to validate and develop their projects. Projects that demonstrate initial traction may then become eligible for the SCF Build Award.

Build Program - Roadmap To Launch

The SCF Build Program supports projects that have moved beyond the concept phase and are ready to scale toward market launch. Offering up to USD $150,000* in XLM, this award assists teams with development costs, community integration, and resources needed to finalize their products.

The Build Program benefits include:

• Financial Support - Up to six months of development costs
• Access to Stellar LaunchKit - Includes audit credits, infrastructure offers, and additional funding mechanisms
• Community Integration - Stellar actively supports partners and developers on the network

To apply, teams must submit a detailed proposal outlining their project goals, budget, and how they meet eligibility criteria. The application process includes community voting and a panel evaluation, with funding distributed in tranches based on development milestones, ensuring projects stay on track.

How To Apply

Developers interested in joining the Kickstart program can apply at: https://communityfund.stellar.org/kickstart.

Following the November 17th, 2024 deadline, selected participants will receive preparation materials and guidance from the Stellar Development Foundation and the SCF team. Teams that complete the Kickstart program and demonstrate project potential will have the option to scale further with the SCF Build Award.

The USD valuation of the budget request in XLM will be calculated using the CF Stellar Lumens-Dollar Settlement Price on the day of payment as administered, maintained, and reported by the cryptocurrency index provider CF Benchmarks Ltd. (using the ticker XLMUSD_RR) (available at https://www.cfbenchmarks.com/indices/XLMUSD_RR). Learn more in the SCF Handbook.