ATOM as Interchain Money
6 projects funded
$420,000 deployed ($62,500 median/project)

As the Cosmos Hub matures in its decentralization and distribution, ATOM is poised to become the most liquid and functional IBC-native token within the Cosmos ecosystem.

This grant category aims to enhance ATOM’s role as interchain money by expanding its DeFi utility, liquidity profile, and usability as gas within the Cosmos network. Ideal applicants are those building DeFi projects that align with the Cosmos Hub. Potential projects include:

  • Restaking ATOM
  • Liquid Staking Tokens (LSTs) for ATOM
  • ATOM-backed stablecoins
  • Cross-chain money markets and loans for ATOM
  • Options and futures for ATOM
  • Perpetual contracts for ATOM
  • ATOM-based DAOs
  • Interchain payments using ATOM
  • Index funds and DeFi ETFs based on ATOM
  • Automated Market Makers (AMMs) and liquidity pools involving ATOM
  • Insurance and risk hedging protocols
  • Wallets supporting Cosmos ecosystem
  • Bridges within the Cosmos network
  • Research and development for using ATOM as gas
Eligible Programs:

ATOM Interchain Data
4 projects funded
$282,551 deployed ($72,850 median/project)

This category aims to visualize and understand the widespread use of ATOM across IBC platforms. Projects should help the community grasp ATOM’s total value locked (TVL), usage, and movement within the interchain.

Possible projects include:

  • ATOM interchain TVL dashboard
  • Visualization of ATOM bridging flows and usage heatmaps
  • Analytics for ATOM yield farming and liquidity provision
  • Growth metrics for the ATOM ecosystem
  • Generalized ATOM interchain data APIs
Eligible Programs:

ATOM Zone build-out
14 projects funded
$2,007,129 deployed ($124,500 median/project)

The Atom Economic Zone (AEZ) consists of blockchains that borrow security from the Cosmos Hub through shared validators and slashing mechanisms.

This category seeks to expand AEZ by supporting various app chains contributing to the Cosmos Hub’s value. ATOM Zone Build Out grants may evolve into Venture Grants, providing more intimate support to projects. Inspiration for projects includes:

  • IBC and non-native IBC ecosystem bridges
  • Integration grants for consumer chains
  • Security enhancements for AEZ
  • Improved slashing mechanisms
  • Advanced network monitoring tools
  • Consensus algorithm optimizations
  • Stress testing for consumer chains
  • Tokenomic design for AEZ
  • Models for optimizing tokenomics and distribution for AEZ chains
  • Security research on partial set, layered, and replicated security
  • AEZ growth grants, hackathons, and developer bounties
  • AEZ-wide coordination in marketing, business development, and governance
Eligible Programs:

Cross-Ecosystem Collaboration
4 projects funded
$568,380 deployed ($134,190 median/project)

The Cosmos ecosystem offers vast opportunities for economic alignment and partnerships both within and outside its native environment.

This category encourages collaboration to enhance the Cosmos Hub’s functionality and extend its reach, while also unlocking the potential of Web3 technology for traditional industries.

Projects under this category should focus on:

  • Liquidity partnerships and cross-chain collaborative research
  • Cross-chain DeFi integrations leveraging ATOM and asset bridges utilizing ATOM
  • Cross-chain data oracles and identity/reputation systems
  • Developing enterprise integration solutions (e.g., ERP, CRM, SCERT systems) using the CosmosSDK
  • Creating industry-specific use cases in finance, healthcare, supply chain, logistics, energy, and telecommunications
  • Hosting enterprise blockchain showcase events to onboard businesses into the Cosmos ecosystem
Eligible Programs:

Infra & Tooling
9 projects funded
$555,803 deployed ($74,970 median/project)

Effective developer and user tooling is essential for the Cosmos Hub.

This category supports projects that improve access to and the quality of tools and infrastructure we have available to the Cosmos Hub and AEZ – to improve the experience of both developers and users.

Ideas include:

  • Enhancements to governance tooling (UI, voting mechanisms, dashboards)
  • Standardization of developer tooling
  • Providing vital core infrastructure for the Cosmos Hub
  • Creating tools to help users manage their assets
  • New tools and dashboards not covered elsewhere
Eligible Programs:

Latest Projects Funded

Archive Node for the Cosmos Hub
In Progress

Archive Node for the Cosmos Hub

CryptoCrew Validators | $12,000
DAO DAO on Cosmos Hub
Complete

DAO DAO on Cosmos Hub

DAO DAO | $80,000
See all funded projects View stats in Dataroom

Interchain Public Goods
48 projects funded
$592,100 deployed ($1,040 median/project)

Investing in core public goods is vital for the interchain ecosystem’s health. This category supports projects that develop and maintain essential infrastructure, including:

  • Inter-Blockchain Communication Protocol (IBC)
  • Cosmos SDK
  • Consensus mechanisms
  • CosmWasm
  • Open-source libraries
  • Relaying and validating
  • Smart contract development and testing
  • Cryptographic primitives
Eligible Programs:

Latest Projects Funded

Swift Protocol – Round 4
Complete

Swift Protocol – Round 4

Swift Protocol | $680
On-chain registry – Round 4
Complete

On-chain registry – Round 4

Serge Nedashkovsky | $600
See all funded projects View stats in Dataroom

Interchain Security
9 projects funded
$967,000 deployed ($65,000 median/project)

The Cosmos Hub’s ability to rent out its security to other blockchains is a key product that benefits ATOM holders. This category supports the development and optimization of various security frameworks.

Applicants can focus on:

  • Partial set security
  • Layered (mesh) security
  • Replicated security
  • Economic implications of different security models
  • Novel shared security concepts
  • Optimization of security frameworks
  • Improving efficiency and resilience against attacks
  • Simulation and testing of security models
  • Creating interchain security standards
  • Mechanism design to incentivize participation and prevent malicious behavior
Eligible Programs:

Marketing, Growth & Developer Engagement
27 projects funded
$967,403 deployed ($20,000 median/project)

Promoting the Cosmos Hub and AEZ to developers and users is crucial for driving onchain activity.

This category supports activities that highlight the Cosmos Hub’s innovations, supports developer engagement and onboarding, and fosters community engagement.

Potential projects include:

  • Developer education, mentorship, and training programs
  • Local community events and meetups
  • Developer-focused workshops and hackathons
  • Content translation and localization
  • Enhancement of developer documentation
  • Brand ambassador programs
  • Educational and promotional content (podcasts, videos, interviews, articles)
  • Multi-channel marketing campaigns
  • User feedback and engagement programs
  • Co-marketing and cross-ecosystem promotional activities
Eligible Programs:

Latest Projects Funded

Huginn: ATOM Community Activation in Istanbul
In Progress

Huginn: ATOM Community Activation in Istanbul

Huginn Tech | $16,000
Cosmos Hub – Accelerate Nigeria
In Progress

Cosmos Hub – Accelerate Nigeria

Cosmos Nigeria / Popeblack | $27,250
See all funded projects View stats in Dataroom

R&D
6 projects funded
$467,981 deployed ($67,241 median/project)

Research is fundamental to informed decision-making. This category focuses on applied research to enhance the Cosmos Hub’s economic impact and effectiveness. Possible research topics include:

  • Optimization of staking mechanisms
  • Tokenomics research for liquidity, price stability, and growth
  • Network performance analysis and optimization
  • Economic resilience testing and game theory
Eligible Programs:

Uncategorized / Other
0 projects funded
$0 deployed ($0 median/project)

Ventures
7 projects funded
$1,350,000 deployed ($100,000 median/project)

If you’re busy building a decentralized future and are looking for a partner to help you scale, we want to hear from you.

Our Cosmos Hub Ventures Program offers flexible investment funding solutions tailored to your project’s needs, seeking equity, tokens or warrants in your start-up.

Eligible Programs:

Latest Projects Funded

Sphinx
In Progress

Sphinx

Sphinx | $100,000
Drop Protocol
In Progress

Drop Protocol

Drop Protocol | $50,000
See all funded projects View stats in Dataroom

Cross Industry Collaboration
0 projects funded
$0 deployed ($0 median/project)

Note: This category has now been merged into Cross-Ecosystem Collaboration

To unlock the potential of Web3 technology for traditional industries, this category supports the integration of enterprise systems with the CosmosSDK. Projects should aim to onboard enterprises and businesses into the Cosmos ecosystem, focusing on:

  • Developing enterprise integration solutions (e.g., ERP, CRM, SCERT systems)
  • Creating industry-specific use cases in finance, healthcare, supply chain, logistics, energy, and telecommunications
  • Hosting enterprise blockchain showcase events

Developer Experience
0 projects funded
$0 deployed ($0 median/project)

Note: This category has now been merged into Marketing, Growth & Developer Engagement and/or Tooling & Infra.

Improving the developer onboarding and experience within the Cosmos ecosystem is crucial. This category supports projects that enhance developer tools and education, with a special focus on the AEZ. Potential projects include:

  • Developer education, mentorship, and training programs
  • Feedback mechanisms for developers
  • Retrospective open-source grants program
  • Developer experience improvement hackathons
  • Standardization of developer tooling
  • Enhancement of developer documentation

Security Audits & Risk Framework
0 projects funded
$0 deployed ($0 median/project)

Note: This category has now been deprecated, as audits and risk analysis are built into all application funding requests. Standalone security-related projects could be found in other categories.

To ensure the safe deployment of community pool capital, this category focuses on developing tools and resources for security and risk management in the Cosmos Hub and AEZ ecosystem. Projects may include:

  • Independent security audit services
  • Cosmos security and validation certification program
  • Development of security audit tools and software
  • Community-driven bug bounty programs
  • Risk management research and framework development
  • Risk monitoring, mitigation strategies, and scoring algorithms