Ancient8 Opens Registration for OP Grant Program Season 1

Ancient8 has opened registration for its Grant Program Season 1, allocating a total of 200,000 $OP tokens provided by the Optimism Foundation.

Offering grants of up to 25,000 $OP tokens per project, the program is designed to drive innovation and growth in the blockchain gaming sector. The initiative provides funding, mentorship, and resources to support both established contributors within the Ancient8 ecosystem and newcomers with innovative ideas.

By focusing on both existing and prospective projects, the grant program aims to enhance tools, improve user experiences, and strengthen infrastructure essential for a robust blockchain gaming ecosystem.

What is Ancient8?

Ancient8 is a community-driven, gaming-focused Ethereum Layer 2 solution designed to address the scalability and adoption challenges of web3 gaming and consumer dApps. Built on the OP Stack and enhanced with Celestia’s modular blockchain technology, Ancient8 combines speed, cost-efficiency, and advanced tools to provide an infrastructure for on-chain gaming development.

Ancient8 has evolved from a gaming guild into a comprehensive gaming infrastructure chain and seeks to empower the next 100 million Metaverse citizens. The platform is dedicated to driving mass adoption, democratizing access to gaming, and delivering a modular blockchain that enhances the on-chain experience for players and developers alike.

The Grant Program Season 1 is a significant step forward, powered by a 500,000 $OP grant from the Optimism Governance Fund. Ancient8 intends to utilize this funding to cultivate a dynamic ecosystem where creators and developers can collaborate, innovate, and scale their solutions.

How does the Ancient8 OP Grant Program work?

The Ancient8 Grant Program Season 1 is powered by 200,000 $OP tokens from the Optimism Foundation, offering funding of up to 25,000 $OP tokens per project. The program is designed to empower projects to innovate, scale, and contribute to the growth of the Ancient8 and Optimism Superchain ecosystems.

The program focuses on two categories: Existing Projects and Prospective Projects, each with distinct timelines, eligibility criteria, and processes. Funding and milestones are tailored to each project’s architectural complexity, vision, and category, with all grants adhering to a one-year token lock-up period under Ancient8 and Optimism’s Collective Grant Policy.

Existing Projects: This track is for individuals and teams that have already contributed to the Ancient8 ecosystem. It recognizes their efforts and supports their continued work to drive long-term sustainability and impact. This category is intended to reward and scale up high-performing, scalable projects.

• • Jan 15 – Feb 28, 2025: Registration Phase
  • Mar 1 – Mar 15, 2025: Screening Phase
  • Mar 16 – Apr 30, 2025: Performance Review Phase
  • May 1 – May 16, 2025: Decision-Making Phase

Eligibility Criteria:

• • Active contributions to the Ancient8 ecosystem.
  • Demonstrated long-term commitment and measurable impact.
  • On-chain activity, such as wallet interactions and verified contracts.

Process:

• • Applicants register with details of their contributions and key achievements.
  • The Ancient8 Foundation Council conducts a two-month performance review.
  • Shortlisted projects proceed to a community ranking and voting phase, where $A8 stakers decide the final funding recipients.
  • Projects receive milestone-based rewards as they achieve set goals.

Community Involvement:

• • $A8 stakers participate in governance by voting on Snapshot during the Decision-Making Phase (May 1 – May 16, 2025).
  • Participating stakers are incentivized with $A8 tokens, with details to be announced closer to the voting period.

Prospective Projects: This track supports new projects aiming to deploy or expand within the Ancient8 ecosystem. It emphasizes onboarding innovative initiatives that improve gaming infrastructure, user experience, growth tools, and content creator networks. This category intends to provide funding, mentorship, and resources to ensure successful launches and integrations.

• • Jan 15 – Feb 15, 2025: Registration Phase
  • Feb 15 – Feb 28, 2025: Preliminary Review Phase
  • Mar 1 – Mar 15, 2025: Decision-Making Phase

Eligibility Criteria:

• • Clear project goals and budget allocation.
  • Strong alignment with Ancient8’s ecosystem growth objectives.
  • Demonstrated innovation and technical feasibility.

Process:

• • Applicants submit detailed proposals outlining their goals, budget, and expected outcomes.
  • Proposals undergo evaluation by the Ancient8 Grant Council, with approval requiring at least 6 out of 10 votes from council members.
  • Projects receive milestone-based funding tied to progress and delivery, as defined during the evaluation phase.

The grant evaluation process is overseen by experienced web3 professionals, including members of the A8 Governance Partners and the A8 Foundation Council. High-profile figures like Trung Nguyen, co-founder of Axie Infinity, are among the council members, ensuring a rigorous and credible selection process.

Interested applicants are encouraged to visit the official website for more information about Ancient8 Grant Program.