The Starknet Foundation is thrilled to announce the launch of the Catalyst Program, a 20M+ STRK initiative designed to ignite and accelerate transformative change within the Starknet ecosystem as well as to recognise dApps that have created significant value for Starknet users. This program recognises the hard work and innovation of applications built on Starknet—specifically decentralised applications (dApps) with active users—while encouraging future development and long-term sustainability.
The Catalyst Program offers substantial grants to top-performing applications, to enable the next wave of groundbreaking innovations for Starknet users. Ultimately, the Catalyst Program will benefit users. Eligible applications will be required to put the grants towards use cases and improvements that will improve the user journey and user experience through new features and better interfaces.
Next Steps
This initiative follows the Starknet Foundation’s announcement of its Seed Grants Program to support early stage applications on the network. With Seed Grants and Catalyst in place, as well as a major upcoming program that will cater for more established builders, the Starknet Foundation will soon have support programs in place for app builders of all maturities building in the ecosystem.
Following this launch, the next priority initiative is a significant user-centric program to succeed the first round of Provisions which we are targeting to launch by the end of Q3.
Empowering Applications on Starknet
Starknet, known for its unparalleled scalability, security, and low transaction costs, has become the preferred environment for a wide range of innovative projects. The Catalyst Program embodies Starknet’s commitment to fostering innovation and supporting applications from the moment they enter the ecosystem through to becoming self-sustainable. This program is a prime example of the Starknet Foundation’s dedication to supporting all ecosystem projects.
Starknet’s unique combination of advanced technology and a developer-friendly environment makes it an ideal platform for innovators. Built on the cutting-edge ZK-STARK technology, Starknet ensures that applications can scale without compromising on security, offering a seamless experience for users and developers alike. This makes Starknet the go-to choice for those looking to build robust and scalable solutions.
Evaluation and Selection of Catalyst Recipients
All user-facing applications (excluding any infrastructure or public goods currently covered under other initiatives) were considered for the Catalyst Program. The eligible applications were evaluated based on the following metrics with varying weights, including:
- Total Value Locked (TVL)
- Has the Project Received External Funding?
- Fees Generated
- Has Project Launched a Token?
- Active Users
- Time on Mainnet
- Transactions
- Security & Audit
- Community Engagement
- Innovation
- Potential Impact
- Embeddedness
Qualifying Catalyst recipients were sorted into two categories: (1) Trailblazers; and (2) Rising Stars.
These metrics were carefully considered through an internal evaluation by the Starknet Foundation, with assistance and validation from an independent third party to ensure the accuracy of the evaluation outcomes.
Spotlight on Trailblazers
As we embark on this journey, we want to highlight some of the exceptional projects that have been awarded grants under the Trailblazers category. These projects are trailblazers in their respective fields, each bringing unique innovations and significant contributions to the Starknet ecosystem.
Ekubo — The leading AMM and their latest High Float Low FDV token launch
Moody Salem, the founder and lead behind Ekubo, is one of the leading DeFi minds on Starknet. Hailing from the original Uniswap team, Moody built Ekubo on Starknet because he believed in the technical capabilities of the Starknet stack. Ekubo is an improvement on the UniV4 AMM design, a design that Moody worked on and led while at Uniswap.
As the leading AMM on Starknet, Ekubo has captured a large majority of spot volume since their launch late last year. Recently, the team launched its native token in a High Float Low FDV model, a decision that starkly contrasts the current tokenomic designs today. This highly innovative and divergent approach provides retail traders and users with an opportunity to align themselves with the protocol at the valuation typically available only to VCs. This approach also includes radical transparency, with the entire unlock schedule of 100% of the tokens published on day one. This High Float Low FDV token model will hopefully set a new standard in token economics.
Ekubo’s roadmap includes plans to introduce additional features that will provide even greater liquidity and trading efficiency. The team is also exploring partnerships with other DeFi projects to create a more interconnected and robust ecosystem on Starknet.
AVNU — The leading aggregator and innovator of the Paymaster
Mentor, the founder of AVNU, is a multi-time founder and a leading voice within Starknet’s DeFi ecosystem. His leadership and vision have driven AVNU to the forefront of DeFi innovation on Starknet. AVNU has introduced Paymaster, a revolutionary feature that enables gasless trading for users. This innovation eliminates transaction fees for users and has significantly changed the user experience and accessibility of DeFi on Starknet. Paymaster is an open-source infrastructure that pushes the boundaries of UX possibilities on Starknet.
AVNU’s future plans include expanding the Paymaster feature to support more complex transactions and integrating with a broader range of DeFi applications. This will make it even easier for users to transact on Starknet, making gas fees a relic of the past.
Influence — Fully on-chain MMO and upcoming game launch
Trailblazing the vertical of fully on-chain games, Influence is a grand strategy MMO with a fully player-owned open economy. The project is led by a team of industry veterans with extensive experience in gaming and blockchain technology. Their commitment to creating immersive blockchain-based gaming experiences has positioned Influence as a leader in fully on-chain games.
With critical development stages reached, successful beta tests, and strong community feedback, Influence’s highly anticipated mainnet launch is set for June 27th.
Set in the not-so-distant future within the asteroid belt of Adalia, the game challenges players to survive and thrive through mining, building, trading, and exploration. With a loyal following and community, future expansions and game features, and an upcoming launch, excitement is building. The team is committed to open development alongside the community, progressively decentralizing the game to ensure a truly player-driven experience. Influence seeks to create a universe of experiences around Adalia that is led by the community and truly unstoppable.
Realms — Fully on-chain universe and a conclave of on-chain games
Realms is a network of fully on-chain games and autonomous worlds. The project has roots in Dom Hoffman‘s Loot project and allows you to build fully on-chain worlds permissionlessly. Realms is currently developing its fantasy world of provable games on Starknet.
The project is a creation of Biblio DAO. DAO members and the tight-knit community are collaboratively building the ecosystem. Early contributors like Loaf and Redbeard identified the potential of STARKs to meet the needs of onchain world-building. The DAO is now three years into its mission to create fun games that will bring millions of daily players to Realms. Several game studios are building games that will be launched into the Realms ecosystem on Starknet over 2024.
Nostra — DeFi Super App
Nostra is the top DeFi protocol by TVL on Starknet. The brainchild of a team of experienced developers and crypto enthusiasts dedicated to creating a comprehensive all-in-one platform for cryptocurrency activities, Nostra is developing a DeFi Super App that allows users to buy, sell, stake, lend, and borrow all within one platform.
This project aims to simplify and streamline the user experience, making it easier for everyone to engage with crypto assets. Nostra’s comprehensive super app integrates multiple cryptocurrency functions into a single, user-friendly interface. With the successful launch of key features and rapid user adoption, Nostra’s roadmap includes the introduction of advanced financial tools and services that will provide users with even more ways to manage and grow their crypto assets.
Rising Stars
In addition to the Trailblazers, the Catalyst Program also recognizes and supports a diverse array of Rising Stars projects that are poised to make significant contributions to the Starknet ecosystem. These projects span various sectors, including DeFi, gaming, and social applications and more.
Here are some notable Rising Stars:
- ZKX: Innovating in the DeFi derivatives space and providing a home for speculative traders on Starknet.
- zkLend: One of the leading money markets that offers fast and affordable ways to borrow on Starknet.
Other Rising Stars such as StarknetID, Fibrous Finance, Focus Tree, Haiko, Carbonable, mySwap, Jediswap, Nimbora, Carmine, Hashstack, 10KSwap, RabbitX, SithSwap, and StarkDeFi are all pioneering new technologies and methods within their respective fields, contributing to the robust overall growth of the ecosystem.
