Binance Labs Grants First Fellowship Round Supporting Open-Source Blockchain Development

Binance Labs, the venture arm of leading cryptocurrency exchange Binance, today announced a grant of US$15,000 to each of its first three open-source Fellowship projects: Ironbelly, a mobile wallet for the Grin blockchain; HOPR, a privacy-preserving messaging protocol; and, Kitsune Wallet, an upgradeable on-chain wallet. Ironbelly, HOPR and Kitsune Wallet will join the Binance Labs Fellowship as the first ‘Fellows’.

“The Binance Labs Fellowship supports developers and researchers in creating free and open-source projects, enabling new innovations and businesses in the cryptocurrency economy,” said Teck Chia, Partner at Binance Labs. “Through the Fellowship, we want to support early-stage projects by passionate developers who want to create the key building blocks for the entire blockchain industry. On behalf of the Binance community, we would like to thank these projects for their contribution to the blockchain ecosystem.”

Binance Labs Fellowship is an initiative to fund and support open-source development projects that contribute and have infrastructure value to the global blockchain ecosystem. Developers and researchers will receive guidance and resources from the Binance Labs network.

“We have seen firsthand how innovation depends on an engaged community of developers and entrepreneurs who imagine ideas and create new projects to bring products to market,” said Flora Sun, Director at Binance Labs. “The more talent an industry attracts to the space, the higher chance that it will be successful and Binance Labs hopes to further enable the overwhelming talent and builders of our industry. Thus, our part is to support early-stage projects that are helping to create the building blocks and infrastructure for larger utility and enabling growth in the blockchain market.”

Ironbelly, HOPR and Kitsune Wallet are accepting matching contributions through Gitcoin Grants on grants received before April 19, 2019.

Open-source developers and blockchain researchers are encouraged to apply for the Binance Labs Fellowship at: https://binancefellowship.com/

Binance Labs aims to realize the full potential of blockchain technology, supporting: early-stage blockchain projects through the Incubation Program; top entrepreneurs through strategic direct investments; and open-source developers through the Fellowship.

About Binance Labs

Binance Labs is an infrastructure impact fund and an initiative launched by Binance to incubate, invest in, and empower blockchain and cryptocurrency entrepreneurs, projects, and communities. The mission of Binance Labs is to solve the problems that matter most to the ecosystem and change the world for the better. For more information about Binance Labs, visit: https://labs.binance.com/.