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What we look for
Driven teams
We value small, agile teams with full-time founders and a development team of less than 10 people, ideally.
Stage of development
Projects should be at the MVP, beta, or post-launch stage. Early research projects are also welcome to apply but priority would be given to projects with early signs of problem-solution validation.
Clear milestones
Project founders are able to draft clear and realistic project milestones that are synergistic for both the project and Circle.
Excellent UI/UX
Blockchain adoption is hindered by poorly designed UI/UX flows. Does your project have a clear and comprehensive user journey?
Application process
Submissions* are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis.
- Submit your application.
- If your proposal is a good fit, the Circle team will reach out to you within approximately four to eight weeks and send an invitation to meet with the team to align on milestones.
- The Grants committee shares the decision of your application.
- If successful, due diligence will start, followed by agreement execution, after which you will receive the initial tranche payment.
FAQs
The Developer Grant is Circle’s grant initiative designed to catalyze innovation and growth of projects building USDC features and functionality. By providing targeted funding, the aim is to support the development of real-world applications and solutions by early-stage startups, visionary developers, entrepreneurs, and builders.
Founders, developers and visionary entrepreneurs who are integrating USDC payments into their apps, protocols, or research projects are welcome to apply. We look for projects at various stages of development, from early concept, to scaling solutions.
- Funding ranging up to $100,000 in USDC
- Operational and co-marketing support
- Potential referral to Circle Ventures
- Access to direct product support
- Access to consultation with Circle’s compliance product experts
The Developer Grant directly supports projects that increase the utility, adoption capabilities and distribution of USDC. We are interested in accelerating projects that have identified a clear solution to a problem.
Grant amounts are tailored to match the specific needs and potential impact of each project. Amounts can range from an initial $5,000 (in USDC) to jumpstart early-stage development up to $100,000 (in USDC) to scale promising applications.
Here are some of the key questions focused on throughout the application review process:
- Is the project leveraging USDC to unlock a real use case?
- Does the project have simple and accessible UI/UX implemented?
- Does the project have a skilled and motivated team?
- Does the project integrate other Circle products like CCTP, Programmable Wallets or Gas Station to unlock new features?
- Does the project solve an actual problem?
Referrals don't guarantee investment, our team selects prospects based on various factors and will get in touch if there's interest.
Learn more about Circle Ventures here.
Please join our Discord and ask any questions in the #developer-grant channel. Even if you don’t have questions, come tell us about your project!