Encode x Polygon Grants Programme

Encode Club is distributing 450,000 POL to early-stage Polygon projects building in the Web3 and AI grants track!

Apply below to receive funding for your project!

Apply

Polygon is a protocol and a framework for building and connecting Ethereum-compatible blockchain networks, aggregating scalable solutions on Ethereum, supporting a multi-chain Ethereum ecosystem. Read more here.

Grant Tiers

Depending on the type of your project, you can apply for any of the following grant tiers.

Small Grants (10k–20k POL)

For early-stage projects in the ideation and MVP phase. These grants help teams experiment, develop prototypes, and gather initial user feedback to validate their concepts.

Medium Grants (25k–40k POL)

Designed for projects that have successfully built an MVP and are now working toward a functional first version of their product. This funding supports feature development, initial user adoption, and refining the core offering.

Larger Grants (50k POL)

For projects that have gained early traction. These grants help teams optimise their products, drive adoption, enhance market positioning, and solidify their long-term strategy.

What are we looking for?

We’re excited to support innovative developers, teams, and organisations worldwide that leverage the power of both Web3 and AI on the Polygon Network.

Our grants programme is designed to fund and nurture projects at different stages of development, whether you're experimenting with an idea, building your first product, or scaling an established solution.

Our goal is to support teams that push the boundaries of AI and Web3 and contribute to the long-term growth of the Polygon ecosystem.

Here are some key areas of focus, but not limited to:

AI-Powered DeFi
AI-Enhanced NFTs & Gaming
AI for Smart Contracts & Security
Decentralised AI & Compute Networks
AI in Governance & DAOs
AI-Powered Identity & Privacy

These are just a few examples—if you’re building something groundbreaking at the intersection of AI and Web3, we’d love to hear about it!

Programme Timeline

        
                Date
                Event
            
                Thursday, 20th February
                Applications Open
            
                Thursday, 20th March
                Applications Close
            
                Late March and April
                Reviewing Applications & Milestone Confirmation
            
                Thursday, 1st May
                Grantees Announced
            
                From May 2025 Onwards
                Project Development & Grant Distribution Based on Milestones

FAQs

The maximum funding available per project is 50K POL, with grants categorised into three tiers based on project scope and stage:
- Small Grants (10k–20k POL): For early-stage projects in the ideation and MVP phase. These grants help teams experiment, develop prototypes, and gather initial user feedback to validate their concepts.
- Medium Grants (25k–40k POL): Designed for projects that have successfully built an MVP and are now working toward a functional first version of their product. This funding supports feature development, initial user adoption, and refining the core offering.
- Larger Grants (50k POL): For projects that have gained early traction. These grants help teams optimise their products, drive adoption, enhance market positioning, and solidify their long-term strategy.
Funding is distributed in three separate tranches, ensuring that support is provided at key stages of your project’s development. Each tranche will be released based on specific milestones.
Absolutely anyone is welcome to participate in this programme! If you're excited to create and innovate, you're more than welcome to join.
Not at all! You have the freedom to build your project solo if that suits you best. However, if you’d prefer to collaborate, we’re more than happy to help you connect with like-minded individuals.
Yes, definitely! Both the Polygon Labs and Encode teams will be available to provide technical guidance and answer any questions you may have throughout the programme. Whether you need help troubleshooting, understanding a concept, or refining your project, support will be readily accessible.
Yes, you retain full ownership of everything you create! However, we strongly encourage participants to open-source their projects so that the community can learn from, contribute to, and build upon the foundation you set.

ApplyApply for the Grants Programme