Since moving into the Ecosystem Support Program from EF Grants, we’ve discussed expanding the definition of “support” to encompass more than just basic grant financing. But what does a broader interpretation of support genuinely entail?
In practice, it signifies something unique for each initiative, beginning with a dialogue. ESP was established to enhance access to a variety of EF’s resources for the community, starting with making our process open to anyone who might require assistance. We invest time in thoughtfully evaluating every inquiry, comprehending the project and investigating how we may assist. Naturally, we cannot finance every initiative, but often we can offer something, even if it involves suggesting extra resources to explore, such as incubators or different funding avenues.
The primary aim of this shift in perspective is to render the process more adaptable and responsive to individual requirements – which is a positive development! Concurrently, the results of this tailored process can be challenging to measure or categorize in the same manner as we can with conventional grants; thus we decided to illustrate rather than just explain. We compiled several instances of projects (along with the fantastic individuals behind them!) that have engaged with ESP’s inquiry approach, received various forms of support, and made a little bit stretch quite significantly.
Archive Node
The concept for Archive Node originated from a tweet. The necessary hardware to operate an archive node, or the monthly costs to acquire archive data via an API, can be excessively high for small projects with limited or no funding. Hunter and Chase, known as DeFi Dude and MysticRyuujin respectively, are long-standing Ethereum contributors with a deep understanding of the obstacles developers encounter in securing affordable access to essential resources; therefore, they aimed to discover a method to facilitate access to archive node data for those developers in need.
The team required a location to host the inaugural node, so we supplied AWS credits to initiate their node. This will provide them with a solid foundation; however, as DeFi Dude articulated in the announcement blog post, once the project becomes more established, the intention is to ultimately transition to a more sustainable and decentralized model of operating nodes using hardware instead of cloud services. Since the project was revealed in late June, the team has successfully established additional nodes (with assistance from community member Dan Matthews) from PieDAO, and has begun accepting applications for access, cultivating a community of developers who can obtain necessary data without incurring the significant expenses of setting up their own node.
While access is currently complimentary, in the future the team aspires to make this a community-funded initiative, with developers requiring the service contributing a small portion of what it would cost them to operate an archive node independently. In the meantime, we are excited to offer this crucial resource as the community surrounding it expands!
Discover more and apply for access at https://archivenode.io/, or follow Archive Node on Twitter @archivenode.
SaveDAI
SaveDAI began as a hackathon initiative, but the team envisioned more ambitious goals: they have persisted in their development with the long-term objective of simplifying the creation of self-insured variants of decentralized assets, enabling users to enhance safeguards for their savings held in decentralized assets. SaveDAI processes DAI through Compound and automatically acquires insurance via Opyn Protocol to generate insured, interest-bearing, dollar-pegged ERC20 tokens that can be transferred, traded, sold, and integrated into other platforms. The saveDAI team is incorporating this architecture into a front-end interface, but the contract has been open-sourced enabling anyone to utilize, modify, integrate, or contribute to the code.
The team’s immediate priority was ensuring that their code was secure and stable to minimize risk to users’ funds. We coordinated a connection with a technical specialist for a code assessment, and they utilized the thorough feedback obtained to enhance their launch strategy and progress development with increased assurance. They are preparing to unveil a public alpha and are eager to receive input from early users!
If you’re interested in learning more, you can explore the documentation, follow along on Twitter @save_dai or participate on Github.
Collegiate B.I.L.U.S
Joe Wesley is relatively new to Ethereum and technology in general, a former NFL player turned motivational speaker – not typically the profile of your average ESP inquirer. Nonetheless, the reality is we relish the opportunity to connect with newcomers, and Joe embodies the type of innovator we want to engage with: imaginative, driven, an enthusiastic learner and motivated by the possibilities of decentralized technology. He approached us with a vision to construct a platform on Ethereum that would tackle a problem he has directly faced as a college and professional athlete from a low-income background: college athletes receive minimal benefits from how their brand, image, and likeness are exploited by others for profit. Joe aimed to empower athletes to forge connections with advertisers, affording them greater control over their brand,data and finances – allowing them to, in Joe’s own words, “earn today and tomorrow from their brand and their reputation.”
Joe’s primary initial obstacle was simply familiarizing himself with Ethereum, its community, and its technology. We offered some preliminary insights on his concept, and he returned two weeks later with a draft of his whitepaper. We recognized that his commitment and passion, alongside his distinct viewpoint, could only enhance the ecosystem; therefore, we sent him to ETHDenver for an intensive training on everything Ethereum. There, he experienced Eth life to the fullest: networking, attending presentations, learning the landscape, meeting Bufficorn, and securing victory in the Exploration Track sponsored by CryptoChicks.
Since ETHDenver, Joe has maintained contact with connections made there and has continued to consult with members of the EF and other specialists while he strives to construct a prototype to share with prospective clients and investors. So far, Joe has operated as a solo entrepreneur, but he is now aiming to expand by employing a CTO who can assist in taking Collegiate B.I.L.U.S. (Brand, Image, and Likeness US) to testnet and beyond.
Reach out or discover more about Collegiate B.I.L.U.S. on Instagram @collegiatebilus!
Ethereum Push Notification Service
EPNS was merely a concept when we first encountered Harsh Rajat. He identified a demand for push notification features within Ethereum, both for public announcements to Ethereum users and for dapp developers seeking a new method to engage users. We recognized a motivated, inventive builder who was thoroughly dedicated to Ethereum’s expansion and success.
Harsh required little more than encouragement and feedback to enhance the idea and discuss subsequent steps. He introduced his concept at HackMoney, where Richa Joshi joined the group. Together, they transformed the foundational idea of EPNS into a multi-layered and continuously evolving architecture that enables crucial information to be shared with Ethereum’s users; dapp developers can target users they know wish to connect with them; and dapp users can select their level of participation and be rewarded for opting into a higher level of interaction with their preferred dapps.
Since HackMoney, Richa and Harsh have directed extraordinary energy toward developing EPNS into what they refer to as “an essential component of web3.” They’ve launched, providing early access and an alpha dapp; been accepted to Gitcoin’s KERNEL Fellowship; and are now expanding their team and formulating a business model that will permit them to create a self-sufficient platform without jeopardizing their commitment to prioritize users’ interests.
Explore https://epns.io/ and stay updated on EPNS’s developments on Twitter @epnsproject.
We cherish the numerous builders we collaborate with for their dedication to discovering the optimal path ahead, even when it isn’t the simplest or most apparent. Although seeking funding is often the most straightforward request, it isn’t necessarily the ideal solution: a grant won’t propel a project forward if we don’t delve deeper to uncover the actual essence of the challenges the project encounters.
Simply because a project isn’t financed through an ESP grant doesn’t imply we aren’t prepared and able to offer substantial and sometimes tangible support. However, we can’t extend assistance to every team that approaches us, as much as we would like to! Just like grants, recipients of other forms of support we provide only reap the rewards by taking ownership of their own success and investing significant effort.
All the teams highlighted in this piece are working toward distinct aspirations, but they share one commonality: they approached us with the transparency and discernment to collaborate with us in identifying the best convergence of their requirements and our abilities.
We have been fortunate to get acquainted with all of these extraordinary builders and are immensely proud of the effort they’ve dedicated. We eagerly anticipate what they will accomplish next!
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