It Takes A Village - Polygon's New and Improved Grant Program

Introduction

In the challenging landscape of startups, navigating in the world of Web3 adds an extra layer of complexity. Recognizing these hurdles, Polygon Village has reemerged with a new and improved grant program, injecting over 110 million MATIC tokens into the ecosystem. However, this initiative extends beyond just financial support and provides a comprehensive program that offers strategic guidance, mentorship, co-working spaces, ideation frameworks, and introductions to venture capitalists.

the revitalized Polygon Village stands as a testament to a collaborative effort, shaped directly by the insights and feedback from the developer community. It has evolved into a nurturing environment for founders of all expertise levels, providing a platform to build, learn, connect, secure funding, receive mentorship, and exponentially scale their ventures.

Taking a Tour of Polygon Village

What is Polygon Village?

Polygon Village is like having your personal cheer squad for startups aiming to launch, grow, or scale in the business world. It's a personalized, one-on-one support system designed for specific startup needs.

What support can you expect?

Mentorship: Gain access to the Village Mentor Network for one-on-one sessions tailored to your specific needs.

Vouchers: Receive credits from service providers like Google Cloud, AWS, Infura, Alchemy, and more.

Office Hours: Get dedicated meeting time with the Polygon Village team to ask questions and receive valuable feedback.

Grants: Seize the opportunity to apply for grant funding through various Village Grant campaigns.

Accelerator Access: Get introductions to ecosystem accelerators to boost your startup journey.

Masterclasses: Attend classes taught by experts in the Polygon ecosystem, covering key areas for startup success, such as how to raise your first check.

Startup Networking: Access Village Builder House Events and credits for co-working spaces to connect with other startups.

VC Office Hours: Secure meeting opportunities for funding advice and feedback from notable venture capitalists.

Founder Initiatives: Enjoy exclusive one-on-one meetings with Polygon Labs leadership.

Scaling: Have a dedicated contact for Developer Relations/Developer Success to help your team build on the Polygon protocols and navigate the Polygon stack.

Who Can Join?

The Village Startup Support program welcomes applicants from all startup stages. Whether you're just starting out, have a robust community, or need scaling support, this program is tailored specifically to meet your startup needs.

In essence, Village Support is your startup's ally, offering a range of resources and guidance to help you navigate the challenges and thrive in the competitive landscape of business.

Let's take a deeper look into the types of support Polygon Village will offer:

Grants

Village Community Grants powered by Quadratic Funding:

This community grant initiative is open to all projects, regardless of their stage of development or type. Whether it be DeFi, gaming, infrastructure, social, or any other domain, this program is open to all projects.

The grants will be disbursed through various channels, with a unique focus on community involvement facilitated by quadratic funding. Polygon Labs announced the kickoff of Polygon Village with two Community Grant rounds in collaboration with Gitcoin and Giveth.

BUIDL on Polygon #1 Village Community Grant Round powered by Giveth:

This round is aimed at creators, builders, and projects contributing to the growth of the Polygon ecosystem.

Funding: 170,000 MATIC

Application period: November 9 - November 30

Infra on Polygon Village Community Grant Round powered by Gitcoin:

This round is designed for projects developing infrastructure within the Polygon ecosystem.

Funding: 130,000 MATIC

Application period: November 9 - November 30

Polygon Labs says these grants are not your traditional style, but these are "Cool Grants" leveraging the power of quadratic funding. Quadratic Funding is a mechanism allowing community members to make donations of varying amounts, essentially serving as votes on fund allocation.

In simpler terms, Quadratic Funding equals resource allocation in a democratic fashion. It's not just about securing funding; it's about building a robust community around your project. The strength of your project lies in numbers—the more backers you attract, the more funding you unlock.

Village Build Ideas Grants:

Village Build Ideas grants are aimed towards teams actively developing a vetted project from the Village Build Ideas repository. These ideas are carefully curated and defined by product leaders spanning various domains within Web3. Teams or developers without a concrete idea of their own are encouraged to explore and consider building out a Village Build Idea. Meeting project milestones unlocks grant support, fueling further development.

Village Startup Support

Going beyond financial assistance, Polygon Village offers a tailored support program featuring immersive guidance, strategic support, 1:1 mentorship, and access to an elite network.

Founders can explore and apply for vouchers, gaining material discounts on fees for various services and benefits provided by top solution providers in the Polygon ecosystem.

Village Vouchers

Founders can leverage Village Vouchers, gaining access to credits and perks from leading solution providers within the Polygon ecosystem. This not only accelerates project development but also aids in cost saving endeavors.

Vouchers cover a spectrum of categories, ranging from security and smart contract audits to storage and compute solutions, Web3 infrastructure, and tooling for DeFi, NFTs, DAOs, and more.

Village Builder Houses

Polygon Village extends its support offline through co-working spaces, known as Village Builder Houses, fostering collaboration among founders. These physical spaces, located in select global locations, provide real-world support, networking opportunities, and startup workshops.

Conclusion

Polygon Village has emerged as a beacon of support for innovators and entrepreneurs within the Polygon ecosystem. As founders navigate the challenges of building in Web3, Polygon Village's multifaceted approach becomes instrumental in not just securing funding but in fostering a community-driven environment where projects can flourish, connect, and scale. For those wanting to explore more information or to get involved in Polygon Village, start your journey here.