[PRESS RELEASE – London, United Kingdom, November 14th, 2023]

The Rootstock Grants Program, a trailblazing initiative within the cryptocurrency landscape has committed a further $2.5 million towards funding a new wave of ground-breaking projects that are built on Rootstock, the world’s first Bitcoin Sidechain. 

The exciting initiative stems from the desire to further the growth and development of the dynamic dApp ecosystem on Rootstock. By providing financial support to developers and projects, the Rootstock Grants Program aims to assist the creation of innovative solutions, from DAOs to peer-to-peer payment solutions, which deliver new value to Rootstock and Bitcoin users. Those wishing to apply for funding as part of Wave III should do so before the fast-track entry deadline of 17th of November.

The move follows the announcement of the winners of the first two waves of the Rootstock Grants Program. Since its launch, the scheme has supported a total of 20 developments across the cryptocurrency ecosystem. From the backing of Asami, a transparent monetization mechanism built for the creator economy to OKU, a DEX funded by the Uniswap Foundation, the programme is supporting all aspects of crypto innovation.

The highly Competitive Grants program has received over 1000 applications so far with over 50 pitches delivered and 20 projects gaining approval from the committee made up of judges from across the Bitcoin and Rootstock ecosystem. This includes Jameson Lopp, John Light, Mauricio Tovar and Matías Caricato, Daniel Fogg and Sergio Demain Lerner.

In the past year, the Rootstock Grants Program has also helped in the development of Footprint Analytics, a project that aims to provide data-rich insights into the blockchain world, as well as Tuki, a solution that focuses on the Latin American market and provides a means to make digital assets a part of daily life. Incredibly, these are just a few examples of the vast array of transformative projects being funded.

Launched in 2018, Rootstock combines the security and store of value of Bitcoin with the programmability of Ethereum. Over 60% of the hashing power of Bitcoin also secures the Rootstock sidechain making it the most secure and decentralized smart contract platform in the world. The network has rapidly become known as ‘the home of DeFi on BItcoin’ with over $300m total native value locked.

Speaking on the launch of Wave III of the Rootstock Strategic Grants Program’, Ongun Özdemir, Venture Associate at IOV Labs commented: “By using Rootstock, the world’s most secure smart contract platform, developers can build on the best digital asset, Bitcoin, with the financial backing and network they need to succeed. ”

Ongun Özdemir continued: “Innovation holds the key to the future of web3. With the Rootstock Grants Program, we aim to empower ventures of this nature, ensuring they have the resources and mentorship they need to flourish. We’re proud to see a diverse array of solutions being developed, which will greatly enrich the Rootstock ecosystem.”

“Over the course of the first two waves of the program, a large number of innovative projects have helped shape the Rootstock ecosystem into the foundation for a new global economy. Once again, we’re calling on founders and builders to submit their applications to tap in to $2.5m of funding for projects that align with our vision of a safe and equitable global financial system that enables everyone to participate and prosper.”

To apply for the latest wave of the Rootstock Grants Program, please visit: https://rootstock.io/grants/

About IOV Labs

IOV Labs develops the blockchain technologies needed for a new global financial ecosystem that fosters opportunity, transparency, and trust.

The organization currently contributes to the development of the Rootstock blockchain and Rootstock Infrastructure Framework (RIF).

The Rootstock network is one of the more secure smart contract platforms in the world, designed to leverage Bitcoin’s unparalleled hash power while extending its capabilities.

Rootstock Infrastructure Framework (RIF) is a suite of open and decentralized infrastructure protocols that enable faster, easier and scalable development of distributed applications (dApps) within a unified environment.

For more information, visit the IOV Labs website.