- PolkaBiz helps Web3 startups grow on Polkadot.  
- They picked 15 teams from 30+ applications for a special grant program.  
- They held a fun pitch contest for these teams.  
- Made a new website called Founders Portal for builders to connect.  
- Over 30 people signed up on the portal.  
- They helped teams even after the program ended.  
- Asking for $62,000 for their work from May to July 2025.

# Introduction

The first PolkaBiz retroactive proposal for January-April 2025 (ref [1544](https://polkadot.subsquare.io/referenda/1544)) was already approved by the community. 

The current, second,  retroactive proposal is for the months of May to July. 

PolkaBiz fills a critical gap in the Polkadot ecosystem by scouting, curating, and accelerating early-stage Web3 startups. Where other ecosystems often throw money at the problem, PolkaBiz brings structure, quality, and hands-on mentorship to unlock real potential.

At the end of this quarter, PolkaBiz reviewed over 30 startup applications for the founders' grant for the Web3Foundation, selected 15 promising teams for intensive support, and concluded the program with a high-energy pitch contest judged by industry experts.

Beyond mentorship, PolkaBiz also introduced post-program follow-ups and successfully launched the [Founders Portal](https://app.polkabiz.eu/signup?to=450)  -  a dedicated space for builders to connect, collaborate, and grow together.

To date, over 30 individuals have signed up and created accounts, with several already showcasing their startups on the platform. The goal is simple: create a dynamic hub where founders building on Polkadot can discover synergies and share progress.

<img height="335" width="602" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXffdd6AumYZ4tIA0TO7CQc4MKddeHdXTw0HjFfBOCxrzo6YPTPtD8QJGw2kPy4E35JCMuX3FNbq0ul34wNxsZSgf9fCjDXXQJ6g6Cnups43gf6-ef9tQpi8mnairHH3hbJG9MJbSQ?key=vjcfykHWMOfkrUpGiwqYcw" />

<img height="325" width="602" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXclbLHHK1I2DfRNyCMtameyFLZYowx_RopJ2W1KE_HG19qF1Sqy6hkAgqaSXN9_phr9DNeQkQadhNpZlnKqcb2k1i4w59T8Y3e9W4GnoMvhf2dVfgxNEuqVrjagt-yIs1IEjJnrLQ?key=vjcfykHWMOfkrUpGiwqYcw" />

PolkaBiz plays an essential role in strengthening the Polkadot ecosystem by mentoring founders, guiding startups, and supporting flagship initiatives such as PBA, PBA-X, Web3 Foundation's Founders Grant Program etc.

The results speak for themselves: we consistently receive strong feedback from both partners and the startups we work with. Our team is deeply passionate about driving ecosystem growth and remains committed to this mission.

This proposal seeks retroactive compensation for the significant efforts and outcomes delivered during this period,  recognizing both the operational execution and the direct impact made.

## Work Completed (May–July 2025)

1. **Web3 Foundation Founders Program**
 * Reviewed over **30+ applications** for the invite-only Founders Grant
 * Selected and mentored **15** promising teams
 * Organized a professional **pitch event** with community judges. See snippets of all the pitches here: [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL\_8FVl5sQhnffeXoiG7He6KjkCykiQQhK](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_8FVl5sQhnffeXoiG7He6KjkCykiQQhK)&#x20;
2. **Portal Development - now live!**&#x20;
 * Launched the[ **PolkaBiz Founders Portal**](https://app.polkabiz.eu/signup?to=450), an open-access hub where founders connect, learn, and showcase their projects
 * Between May and July, we developed and fine-tuned this. It required significantly more work than anticipated.&#x20;
 * Over **30 registered builders**, with multiple startups already listed
3. **Continued 1:1 Mentorship**
 * Provided **post-program support** to selected teams
 * Helped startups iterate, refine, and prepare for grants and accelerators

All of this, including the administrative efforts to manage startup cohorts and program logistics,  was delivered **without upfront funding**, to prove our impact and create a **long-term value funnel for Polkadot**.

## Requested Budget

In the [original proposal](https://polkadot.polkassembly.io/referenda/1504), we outlined a retroactive compensation model of **$62,000 per quarter**. Based on that structure, this request covers the months of May, June, and July 2025, totaling $62,000 for the work delivered during that period. 

**Here is the full document:** [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1D0FfnsJpQwx\_Evap4vwjOI2cQhwzBR7PB57PTFDLijE/edit?usp=sharing](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1D0FfnsJpQwx_Evap4vwjOI2cQhwzBR7PB57PTFDLijE/edit?usp=sharing)&#x20;

PolkaBiz Retroactive Treasury Request May - July 2025.

- Polkadot needs upgrades to handle more transactions and keep parachains running smoothly.  
- The Quadrivium team will work on 5 key improvements for Polkadot-SDK.  
- These include faster data storage, better testing, and ensuring parachains stay online.  
- The team built KAGOME, a Polkadot client already used on the mainnet.  
- Parity and Web3 Foundation will help guide and review the work.  
- Funding requested: $288,000 USDC.  
- Quadrivium paused KAGOME development after a rejected proposal but still wants to help Polkadot.  
- The team specializes in blockchain tech and has deep Polkadot knowledge.

Quadrivium Polkadot-SDK improvements proposal 1

- Attended Rare EVO event to represent Polkadot  
- Spent 14 hours at the booth over two days  
- Had great talks about Polkadot with visitors  
- Asking for $100/hour for time plus travel and food costs  
- Shared event updates and videos online  
- Worked with others like Mythical Games  
- Looking for future business opportunities

Compensation Request for Polkadot Representation at Rare EVO

- Polkadot wants to work with Hong Kong's OASES to grow its Web3 projects.  
- PolkaPort East (PPE) will help Polkadot set up a company in Hong Kong.  
- The partnership will help Polkadot get support like money, rules, and new friends.  
- Polkadot will help other projects move to Hong Kong for benefits.  
- The plan costs about $35,700 to start the new company.  
- Extra money not used will go back to Polkadot.  
- Projects interested can talk to PPE for help moving.

Instruct the PCF to sign a strategic cooperation agreement with Hong Kong’s Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises (OASES)

- Polkadot is planning a big 3-day conference in Buenos Aires in November 2025.  
- It will have 2 main stages, 18 themed rooms, and a 24-hour hackerspace.  
- Around 3,000 people will attend, with many from outside Polkadot.  
- There will be hackathons with prizes and fun activities like gaming and art.  
- The event is free, with food and drinks included.  
- It will happen just before Devconnect, a major Web3 event in the same city.  
- The budget is $738,749, but they hope to save money and return some to the treasury.  
- The goal is to show Polkadot’s strength and bring the community together.

**Main prop:** [**sub0 - BA 25 Flagship Conference**](https://docs.google.com/document/d/12A0cjXGTNsyzLCk7wW_tWJEpA0_hXm-cNzoUaGF2gMo/edit?usp=sharing)

Polkadot is stepping into a new era. 

That’s why we’re proposing a new flagship Polkadot conference in Buenos Aires this November: a 3-day, deeply immersive edition of sub0 that includes a main product stage and grows into a annual global flagship conference for the ecosystem.

Set against the backdrop of Devconnect, in one of the most vibrant Web3 regions in the world, this is Polkadot’s chance to open its doors to the global ecosystem and show what we’re really made of.

This proposal falls outside the scope of ecosystem bounties because of scale. We are happy to bring Polkadot's flagship event to OpenGov!

**Check out the full 35-page proposal** [**here**](https://docs.google.com/document/d/12A0cjXGTNsyzLCk7wW_tWJEpA0_hXm-cNzoUaGF2gMo/edit?usp=sharing)**.**

**Review the detailed budget** [**here**](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1PDB62sjXFX-8wW5zqYKG4TZmYvN9N9Tx/edit?usp=sharing\&ouid=112447013957930173689\&rtpof=true\&sd=true)**.**

**The plan:**

 - 3,000 attendees over 3 days

 - 2 main stages (Product + Development), plus 18 immersive rooms

 - 24/7 hackerspace, 2 hackathons with min. $15K in Polkadot bounties (plus sponsor bounties) 

 - Major activations across gaming, governance, identity and art

 - 70% of attendees expected from outside the Polkadot ecosystem

**We’re ready for it.**

This conference will bring the whole ecosystem together to build, collaborate and move the Polkadot mission forward. All of it free to attend, fully catered, and designed for maximum real-world impact.

We’re inviting the community to help shape this event from the ground up. The proposal is now live.

**Location:** Bubble Studio

Before Devconnect, BA, Argentina

**Dates:** 14th, 15th, 16th November 2025

| What | 3 days, 2 stages: a product stage and a development stage, 18  highly immersive themed rooms,  24hr hackerspace & full catering, morning, noon and into the evening activities.  |
| ------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Where | Bubble Studio12 minutes from the main tourist area, Palermo.15 minutes from the Devconnect venue, La Rural.Regular shuttle buses to and from the conference. |
| When | 14, 15 & 16 November 2025.24 hours, with main conference times from 10 am to 6 pm, plus an evening agenda and hackathon.  |
| Guests | 3,000 guests over three days, including students, Polkadot eco and ecosystem outsiders.  |
| Themes | Resilient infrastructure,  Polkadot Hub, Bringing the world to Polkadot, JAM |
| Budget | Total budget: 738,749.00 USDC - Tickets will be free of charge and include access to a 24-hour hackerspace, side events, immersions, food and beverages, morning, lunch and PM. |

**FAQS**

**Why not go to the Events Bounty?**

Flagships have been historically community-driven initiatives, and a proposal of this size should be as transparent as possible.

**Why do you have a success fee?**

The budget accounts for 19.5% for WebZero agency fee & salaries, including the success fee if targets above 60% are met. It’s important to add that WebZero salaries are also key functions that save us from outsourcing: social media & content manager, DevRel and hackathon coordination, logistics, set design, creatives & agenda management.

**Why Devconnect?**

Devconnect is set to be the most significant Web3 conference of the year with 25,000 visitors descending upon Buenos Aires from Nov 10. Timing sub0 during Devconnect captures an already-assembled, highly technical audience, multiplies media reach, and makes travel logistics easier for speakers and sponsors who plan to attend both weeks. This offsets speaker costs to zero, as many high-level figures will be in town.

By running concurrently with Devconnect, we gain significant leverage. This approach amplifies our attendance and allows us to focus our budget on enhancing the event experience, rather than on extensive marketing. Crucially, we still deliver a powerful, uniquely Polkadot-branded presence.

For Polkadot's senior leadership, attending Devconnect is essential, even with many of our representatives based in Europe. Devconnect stands as the world's largest developer conference in web3 and attracts thousands of teams. Therefore, it's strategically vital for our key players to converge during the initial three days to solidify connections, then fan out to capitalise on those relationships within the broader ecosystem.

**sub0 Bangkok cost less than 500k, why the price increase?**

We're upgrading the experience to include concert-grade immersions, professional-grade livestreaming that will reach thousands globally, new scholarship initiatives, and a refined focus on one of the biggest hackathons on Polkadot. This will be extraordinary and unprecedented.

sub0 Bangkok was our first time organizing a major conference, which severely impacted team health due to a lack of staff and resources. Done in just eight weeks end-to-end, several corners were cut to make the event a success. Agency fees were not included. The venue was an abandoned warehouse without toilets or electricity. Police were called multiple times.&#x20;

It’s important to add that Argentina is significantly more expensive than Bangkok due to inflation dramatically impacting the country; therefore, costs are much higher.

All quotations have been heavily negotiated, with multiple quotes requested from different vendors per budget item for a full assessment.

Please note that we are aiming to send 10% or more back to the treasury via sponsorship revenue and aim to be well under budget.

sub0 25 Polkadot Flagship Conference in Buenos Aires

- Polkadot needs legal representation in the U.S. and clearer rules for treasury proposals.  
- This proposal funds research to study Polkadot’s legal status and treasury contracts.  
- It will create a public website (Polkadot.law) to share findings.  
- The budget is $50,000 USDC for research and the website.  
- The project will take six months.  
- The research will help Polkadot and other DAOs with legal clarity.  
- The team includes legal experts and a project manager.  
- Future steps may include more legal tools if the community approves.

Polkadot.law – Academic Research to Strengthen Polkadot DAO Legitimacy and Global Reach.

- A new app called Pixelproof is being built on Polkadot.  
- It will store photos securely and privately, like Google Photos but decentralized.  
- Users can log in with a wallet and upload photos without needing passwords.  
- The app works on both web and mobile.  
- People can pay for extra storage using regular money (fiat).  
- The budget for the first version is $225,000.  
- The goal is to show how Polkadot can make real apps for everyday people.  
- The team listened to feedback and made the plan simpler and cheaper.

[Over the past two weeks](https://polkadot.polkassembly.io/referenda/1631), we’ve listened closely to the community, reviewed feedback from delegates and DVs, and re-evaluated our priorities. This updated proposal reflects that input with a **substantially reduced budget and a tighter, clearer scope**.

Our goal remains the same: to build the first flagship consumer-facing dApp on Polkadot, a decentralized alternative to Google Photos that puts user ownership and privacy at its core.

This version focuses exclusively on delivering a **lean, functional MVP**. Core features include decentralized photo storage, embedded wallet authentication, and basic sharing and access controls—everything needed to prove real-world adoption and lay the groundwork for future development.

We’ve also strengthened the technical clarity and business logic, adding a detailed Design Document outlining architecture, budgeting, and delivery milestones.&#x20;

This proposal is a first, concrete step to show what Polkadot-native infrastructure can achieve. We’re excited to help set the stage for the next generation of decentralized apps.

![PixelProof.jpg](https://i.ibb.co/rGW7vXGK/Pixel-Proof.jpg)Apillon, in collaboration with Parity Technologies and R0gue, is proud to submit this proposal for **Pixelproof** - a fully decentralized, production-grade photo storage application built on the Polkadot ecosystem. Our goal is simple yet bold: to create the **first flagship consumer-facing dApp** on Polkadot that rivals mainstream solutions like Google Photos, but with **true user ownership, privacy, and decentralization** at its core.

Despite Polkadot’s maturity in infrastructure and protocol-level innovation, the ecosystem still lacks powerful, user-first applications that resonate beyond crypto-native circles. Pixelproof fills that gap.

Pixelproof is more than a technical showcase - it is a usable, polished, multi-platform application designed for everyday users. It leverages:

* **Decentralized Storage Integration:**
  Users can upload and store photos on IPFS, pinned via Crust Network, with clear ownership and verifiable hashes.
* **Embedded Wallet Authentication:**
  Simple, non-custodial wallet login and account creation for seamless onboarding, avoiding seed phrase complexity.
* **Clean Web Interface:**
  A web application allowing users to sign in, upload, browse, and manage photos.
* **Foundational Mobile Experience:**
  A lightweight mobile app to support uploads and viewing (based on Immich foundations), but without all advanced features.
* **Stripe Integration for Payments:**
  Enabling fiat payments for premium storage or features, with transparent routing of revenue back to the Polkadot Treasury.
* **Documentation & Governance:**
  Clear setup guides, user instructions, and transparent reporting on revenue flows.

This proposal outlines a **MVP Development** with the total requested funding of **$225,000**, covering infrastructure, smart contract development, wallet integration, UX, DevOps, and open-source tooling.

We invite the Polkadot community to review the [full proposal PDF](https://bafybeic3shfujlp3srje5na2be7ow7epjfqml65n6glfoomkwbdmmztyca.ipfs.web3approved.com/?token=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJjaWQiOiJiYWZ5YmVpYzNzaGZ1amxwM3NyamU1bmEyYmU3b3c3ZXBqZnFtbDY1bjZnbGZvb21rd2JkbW16dHljYSIsInByb2plY3RfdXVpZCI6IjRiZDI1NDZiLTY3MTQtNDU3Ni1hZTAxLWY4NmUxZWE5NjVlNiIsImlhdCI6MTc1MjI5OTg5MSwic3ViIjoiSVBGUy10b2tlbiJ9.IlP5TTTtc2tnBff8p41yQHa0kgDSzjIMXa-s1AUNgHM "full proposal PDF") for an in-depth breakdown of architecture, and the strategic value Pixelproof brings to the ecosystem.

Together, let’s show the world what a real Web3 app can look like.

***

*Backup Google Doc link:*
[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qgcyStHirRj2wT-hnzJYKDV0WqDMKuwK39EfdBOnKVU/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ctwwp53pk42](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qgcyStHirRj2wT-hnzJYKDV0WqDMKuwK39EfdBOnKVU/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ctwwp53pk42)

Pixelproof V2 Proposal: Decentralized Photo Storage dApp

- A new data structure called Merkle Mountain Belt (MMB) is proposed to improve blockchain efficiency.  
- MMB helps save money (around $1 million per year) for Polkadot users, especially in bridges.  
- It works better than older structures for recent data (1 minute to 1 day old).  
- The team will make a research paper and a Rust library by June 2026.  
- Funding requested: $340,198 upfront, plus extra DOT if savings exceed costs.  
- The team includes experts with Polkadot experience.  
- Changes from the last proposal include lower costs and simpler goals.  
- More details are available in links provided.

> *NEW (24 July):* for a much simpler explanation of MMB than the full proposal, check out Alfonso's blogpost: [https://hackmd.io/@MerkleMountainBelts/Bringing-MMB-to-Polkadot](https://hackmd.io/@MerkleMountainBelts/Bringing-MMB-to-Polkadot).
> NEW (31 July): for answers to questions we've received frequently, please see our FAQ: [https://hackmd.io/@MerkleMountainBelts/FAQ](https://hackmd.io/@MerkleMountainBelts/FAQ)

## Executive Summary

We propose the Merkle Mountain Belt (MMB) as a novel data structure that improves upon and replaces the Merkle Mountain Range (MMR), such as used in BEEFY. The final deliverables of this proposal are

* a paper preprint on MMB, coauthored with Alistair Stewart (Head of Research at Web3 Foundation), and
* a Rust library implementing MMB.

Once deployed on Polkadot, this library will produce immediate cost savings - [estimated to be in the order of a million USD per year](https://hackmd.io/@MerkleMountainBelts/MMB-Funding-Proposal-V3#Fee-savings) - for users of bridges like Snowbridge and Hyperbridge, as well as other potential applications within the Polkadot/JAM ecosystem. The preprint will be submitted to the arXiv public repository.

### Timeframe

August 2025 - June 2026 for completion of all milestones.

### Requested Funds

1. 340'198 USDC until completion of all milestones, and
2. an additional 42'187 DOT once the savings accrued by the Polkadot/JAM ecosystem exceed the aggregate cost of the proposal.

See the [funding section in the full proposal for details and rationale](https://hackmd.io/@MerkleMountainBelts/MMB-Funding-Proposal-V3#Cost-of-Proposal). All requested funds use the [Swiss National Bank USD/CHF foreign exchange rate](https://www.snb.ch/en/the-snb/mandates-goals/statistics/statistics-pub/current_interest_exchange_rates) and the 30-day EMA of USD/DOT via [Subscan](https://polkadot.subscan.io/tools/price_converter) at the date of submission (10. July 2025).

Preimage content can be verified against [@MerkleMountainBelts/MMB-Proposal-Preimage](https://hackmd.io/@MerkleMountainBelts/MMB-Proposal-Preimage-V3), most conveniently using [dev.papi.how/extrinsics](https://dev.papi.how/extrinsics).

## Technical description

The Merkle Mountain Belt (MMB) is a novel type of Merkle structure, from the same family as the hash chain and the Merkle Mountain Range (MMR), which are very common in blockchain protocols, e.g., they are used to commit to block headers in Polkadot and Zcash, respectively. In general, these Merkle structures are used to issue a short public commitment that represents a large database, and then provide a compact proof of the existence of a data entry to a verifier.

To oversimplify, we can say that if most user queries are for data from the latest handful of blocks, the most efficient structure (in terms of proof size) would be a chain, while if most queries tend to be for very old data, the most efficient structure would be an MMR. MMB is "the best of both worlds", with a performance always comparable to the better of these two structures for any query recency. Yet MMB *considerably outperforms* both the chain and the MMR for queried data that was generated *between the last minute and the last day*.

In most real-life applications, we naturally observe that users' queries are heavily concentrated over recent events, in the above-mentioned time window (from one minute ago to one day ago). Hence, MMB is specifically designed to reduce the operational and data access costs for them. Examples of use cases in Polkadot include XCMP messages, and the BEEFY commitment to all finalized blocks, which is used in cross-chain bridges. Our [cost savings analysis](https://hackmd.io/@MerkleMountainBelts/MMB-Funding-Proposal-V3#Fee-savings) focuses only on the latter use case.

However, we stress that MMB offers potential benefits to light-client protocols of any application, as most of them observe a recency bias in their user queries. In fact, the use of MMB has recently been [suggested](https://github.com/gavofyork/graypaper/issues/47) for JAM, and since mentioned in the [gray paper](https://graypaper.com/graypaper.pdf) to commit to the set of accumulation outputs.

While MMR maintains a well balanced tree in its structure, MMB keeps a slightly unbalanced tree, so that the leaves that correspond to recently generated data are shallower, closer to the root. In a cross-chain bridge, for example, a user's fees for a message are proportional to the size of the accompanying Merkle proof, and this size in turn depends on the depth of the corresponding leaf in the tree. Hence, shallower leaves means lower fees.

Read more on the [MMB features](https://hackmd.io/@MerkleMountainBelts/MMB-Funding-Proposal-V3#Technical-overview) and [its structure](https://hackmd.io/@MerkleMountainBelts/MMB-Funding-Proposal-V3#The-MMB-data-structure).

## Timeline & Payment details

Our proposal consists of 5 milestones that we anticipate to deliver until June 2026. We will post regular updates of our progress on [https://ogtracker.io/.](https://ogtracker.io/.)

![image](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/B1N5qGpSle.png)

We show in the image our projected delivery dates. We establish a conservative staggered payment schedule, wherein the payment for each milestone is executed a few weeks after its expected delivery. Naturally, this payment schedule can be modified in the future, e.g., in case we do not deliver a milestone before its scheduled payment.

Notice in particular that 30% of the proposal's cost is only to be paid if and when the library's aggregate savings for the ecosystem have exceeded our proposal's cost. We expect this to occur before May 2028; we have scheduled the corresponding payment for a conservative November 2028 which, again, can be rescheduled if needed.

## The team

The members of our team are highly qualified and have worked in Polkadot since pre-mainnet days. Our principal researcher Alfonso Cevallos has a Ph.D. in mathematics and is a co-author of many Polkadot papers, including the [2020 overview paper](https://arxiv.org/abs/2005.13456). Our principal developer Robert Hambrock has been one of the earliest stewards of the Polkadot-Ethereum bridge, going back to its initial W3F grant, design of protocols, and implementation.

More details on ourselves and Cryp GmbH are available [here](https://hackmd.io/@MerkleMountainBelts/MMB-Funding-Proposal-V3#Team).

## Changes against previous referendum attempt

Please see [our recent post](https://polkadot.polkassembly.io/post/3269), where we explain in detail what's different in this referendum relative to [our previous attempt](https://polkadot.polkassembly.io/referenda/1317).

In summary, the main changes are:

* the commitment to a success reward was removed, and
* the content was significantly reduced, resulting in a 40% cut in the cost of the proposal (measured in our local currency CHF, slighty smaller cut in USD).

The following milestones were removed:

* the publication of the paper in a top computer science conference,
* an analysis of the integration of MMB to other potential use cases in Polkadot beyond bridges, such as XCMP, UTXO-based projects, and FlyClient,
* adding parameters to taylor the structure (and performance) of MMB to any application with a specific distribution of data queries,
* the implementation of increment proofs, which would allow a verifier to detect dishonest behavior from a full node that maintains the MMB, and trigger a slash, and
* the implementation of the "forward-bagged" variant of MMB.

Such milestones may be added to a follow-up referendum in the future. We highlight, however, that the current referendum will deliver very robust milestones: a publication-worthy preprint that fully describes MMB, and an implementation that will start saving transaction fees as soon as it is deployed.

Full version tracking against the previous  proposal is available [here](https://github.com/Cryp-GmbH/mmb-proposal/compare/final-state-original-referendum...main).

We thank in particular the following people, whose feedback had an important impact on our previous and/or current proposal:

* Alistair Stewart (in particular wrt. trimming scope of the latest proposal),
* Raul Romanutti,
* Saxemberg (preproposal feedback prior to last referendum shared with consent [here](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1t02YUwyuPYNZvk9xd4ouQQu8zrLs6A75/view?usp=sharing)),
* Parity Bridge Team (in particular Adrian Catangiu),
* Snowfork Team (in particular Vincent Geddes and Aidan Musnitzky),
* Hyperbridge Team (in particular Seun Lanlege),
* Oak Security, and
* AAG regulars

***

For more details, we strongly encourage reading [the full proposal](https://hackmd.io/@MerkleMountainBelts/MMB-Funding-Proposal-V3), and reaching out to us with questions/feedback either in comments here or in our Telegram group: [https://t.me/+b-a0VFO1NZVhZDE0](https://t.me/+b-a0VFO1NZVhZDE0).

We also recommend studying our [Sub0 2022 MMB overview talk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCwXbD9v3ew).

Thank you for reading and happy voting!

Merkle Mountain Belt (MMB)

- A proposal was resubmitted after being rejected  
- No changes were made to the original idea  
- The creator wants more time for review  
- Some groups supported it before  
- Others are asked to review or change their votes  
- The creator is answering questions in chat groups  
- Available to talk with more communities  
- Thanks everyone for their time

Re-submission of 1678: 6-month renewal | Alan B. Levan - NSU Broward Center of Innovation Membership

- Cyborg Network helps AI developers use powerful computers (Cyborg Miners) to run AI models.  
- They finished their first goal (Milestone 1) and are now working on Milestone 2.  
- Milestone 2 includes connecting to Polkadot for payments in DOT and testing new miners.  
- Users can pay for AI services with DOT, helping Polkadot grow.  
- They won many hackathons and got support from big companies like Nvidia.  
- They are asking for funding (136,780 USDC) to finish their project.  
- Cyborg Network wants to bring more real-world users to Polkadot.  
- They shared an FAQ document for common questions.

Update!!!

**We've compiled a document answering the most frequently asked questions (**[**FAQ DOC**](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1l3DK3NUYBealr6GVaD6_qc592VLCdjQtpt38Wwnofps/edit?usp=sharing)**), it should clear up what most people have been asking.**

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello everyone! 

This post aims to gather feedback from the community about our treasury proposal for Cyborg Network. We are looking forward to receiving feedback! 

## **Highlights**

We submitted a previous treasury proposal, [ref 1114](https://polkadot.subsquare.io/referenda/1114), and [completed all the tasks/milestones](https://x.com/og_tracker/status/1929179777417498793).

![Screenshot 2025-06-19 at 5.51.33 PM.png](https://i.ibb.co/7JfNW1Pr/Screenshot-2025-06-19-at-5-51-33-PM.png)

Milestone 1 for Cyborg Network  is now completed.

Important Links:

* GitHub: [https://github.com/Cyborg-Network](https://github.com/Cyborg-Network) 
* Website: [https://www.cyborgnetwork.io/](https://www.cyborgnetwork.io/). 
* [Litepaper](https://www.cyborgnetwork.io/docs/cyborg-lite-paper-v2.pdf)
* [Become a Cyborg Miner](https://tally.so/r/wazvG9)

Cyborg Network offers a user-friendly application called [Cyborg Connect ](https://www.cyborgnetwork.io/cyborg-connect)that enables AI developers to deploy AI models across a decentralized network of powerful AI miners. Users can simply upload ONNX or Hugging Face models, configure inference parameters, and launch them on nearby [Cyborg Miners](https://www.cyborgnetwork.io/cyborg-miner) (Nvidia-powered AI hardware). This streamlines real-time AI deployment while integrating Polkadot-native payments and analytics - bringing more enterprise users and usage to the DOT ecosystem.

We have now completed 1 of the 2 milestones to build Cyborg Network v1, here is a short recap of our recent progress:

* Opengov [Milestone 1](https://polkadot.polkassembly.io/referenda/1114) (completed): Base infrastructure for Cyborg Network is complete
* Delivered our 2nd W3F grant for [NeuroZK](https://medium.com/cn-milestones/verifying-ai-inference-integrity-on-the-blockchain-introducing-neurozk-by-cyborg-network-3877ccbf35cd), a ZK verification system for substrate parachains to verify AI model integrity on-chain
* Established Partnership with [CESS Network](https://cess.network/) for High performance storage
* Selected for [Nvidia Inception Program for startups](https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/startups/) (Receiving support for hardware design)
* Working with Microsoft Azure for listing our services on [Azure Marketplace](https://azuremarketplace.microsoft.com/en-us/) through the [ISV program](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/isv/isv-success).
* Selected for [Incubation](https://dic.mcit.gov.qa/ideacamp/) by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology of the State of **Qatar**  

**Milestone 2** (current treasury proposal): These are the main points:

* Creating an XCM channel with Polkadot AssetHub to offer Miner payouts and accept payments in DOT. <img height="352" width="624" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXfvrxFMDXYi2Tx40GkQBwkTmgq_Of9qFVBKLkeNlRelRVgT2LzZqKdmKaOi97Zu_jTnTR0-N9ebCmmjXhkg2zMkLz7rSQsbmZgnpnrTVdQNuNS3hAGje86IJtmq61thErYU9HjH?key=twODmfCLuL4q-juxLi2Ibw" />
* Embedded Development of the Cyborg miner to be compatible with our substrate parachain.
* Prototyping and Live testing a few units of miners before launching a pre-sale. Our miner will feature a Polkadot branding.
* Web2 Integration systems for KYC/AML, Reward payouts, CRM toolkit etc.

## **Benefits to Polkadot** 

**Based on early community feedback we are happy to highlight the following points.**

* All Cyborg Network users will be able to pay for inference services using DOT, directly increasing token utility.
* Cyborg Miners can choose to redeem their uptime and task completion rewards in DOT, creating continuous buy-side pressure.
* A portion of our revenue will be regularly converted into DOT via Polkadot AssetHub to ensure sufficient liquidity for payments and rewards.
* Cyborg Network will operate as a Polkadot parachain, purchasing coretime as needed, and contributing to the economic activity of the network.
* We are committed to dedicating a portion of our native token (BORG) supply to the Polkadot Treasury to support long-term alignment and ecosystem growth.
* **Token Allocation to Treasury**: We intend to allocate a portion of our native token supply to the Polkadot Treasury as a gesture of long-term alignment and appreciation for early ecosystem support. This allocation will be proposed after the completion of our first external fundraising round, with the percentage to be determined based on the FDV at that time. We will return to the community with a follow-up proposal through the governance process, recommending an allocation in the range of 2–3%, or as appropriate, based on market conditions and community feedback.These steps reflect our deep integration and long-term commitment to the Polkadot ecosystem, both technically and economically.
* **Revenue Sharing**: We are open to structuring a long-term revenue share arrangement with the Treasury, particularly tied to usage-based metrics such as DOT-denominated inference volume or region-specific adoption. The specific terms will depend on how our systems evolve post-launch and will be formalized in consultation with the community through a future governance proposal.

## **Overview** 

**AI-powered inference infrastructure for the Polkadot ecosystem**.

As demand for AI-powered applications grows, deploying real-time AI workloads in a scalable and privacy-preserving way remains a major challenge. Cyborg Network enables developers and enterprises to deploy AI models, such as those from Hugging Face or ONNX across a decentralized network of Nvidia-powered Cyborg Miners. With built-in support for Polkadot-native payments, analytics, and cross-chain integrations (via AssetHub and XCM), Cyborg lowers the barrier for AI teams to plug into blockchain infrastructure without needing to be Web3-native.

Motivation: AI compute demand is skyrocketing, yet most Polkadot projects cater only to crypto-native users. Cyborg brings new real-world usage by allowing Web2 and AI companies to access decentralized inference infrastructure while increasing DOT utility through service payments and miner rewards. With our hardware touching the physical world, Cyborg becomes a visible and functional entry point for onboarding enterprise users into the Polkadot ecosystem.

Here is snapshot of our team’s achievements within the Polkadot Ecosystem

OpenGov Proposal 1  - [Successful Delivery
](https://app.ogtracker.io/mediumSpender/1114)W3F Grants - [NeuroZK W3F 2nd Grant Delivery
](https://github.com/w3f/Grant-Milestone-Delivery/pull/1266)Winner - [OneBlock+ Polkadot Hackathon: Bangkok 2024](https://x.com/OneBlock_/status/1857774803396210770)

Winner - [Web3 Hack X Hackathon](https://x.com/Web3HackX/status/1733845137602875791) 

Winner - [Polkadot Hackathon Global Series: NA edition 2024](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/angelhack_polkadothackathonna-activity-7204421834795020291-yEpa?utm_source=share\&utm_medium=member_desktop) 

Winner - [Polkadot Prodigy Hackathon](https://www.youtube.com/live/1bmbMU55fyM?si=MuCBDjAe00tEynxp) 

Finalist - [Polkadot Winter Hackathon](https://x.com/OneBlock_/status/1739949571525271716) 

[W3f Grants Program - level 1](https://x.com/Web3foundation/status/1815368184419013072)

[PBA Finals Pitch](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/cyborg-network_founders-venturecapitalist-industryexperts-activity-7166757848570322944-JDIp?utm_source=share\&utm_medium=member_desktop)

[Polkadot Alpha Program](https://polkadot.network/development/alpha/)

[Polkadot Relayers Incubator](https://x.com/AngelHack/status/1706537750839832759)

[Polkadot Encode Accelerator 2023](https://x.com/selen_klara/status/1754920215480016953)

[Polkadot Decoded Viewing party 2023](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/megha-varshini-t_event-content-polkadot-activity-7085141333731921923-pQPp?utm_source=share\&utm_medium=member_desktop)

[DMCC TDeFi Accelerator](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/tdefi_cohort-2-exploring-web3-acceleration-program-activity-7132613355894153216-uWs2?utm_source=share\&utm_medium=member_desktop)

[Polkadot Insider](https://x.com/PolkadotInsider/status/1816231903156146628)

We’re seeking 136,780 USDC to complete Development and launch Cyborg Network as a Polkadot parachain.

Link to the full proposal is [here](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QnLKGsw8dSB0bw67Ep50mxk58F8Jew2N/edit#heading=h.2s8eyo1)

P.S: This is the last milestone

Looking forward to your feedback!!

Cyborg Network: Unlocking Polkadot’s Web2.5 Potential through Blockchain-Powered AI Inference – Milestone 2

- OneBlock+ helps grow Polkadot developers in Asia.  
- They teach coding and connect developers.  
- They have 40,000 Web3 developers in their community.  
- They run bootcamps, hackathons, and university programs.  
- Their 2025 goal is to train 800 new Polkadot developers.  
- They partner with PaperMoon for courses.  
- They ask for $376,300 to fund their work.

OneBlock+ 2025 Developer Education & Community Expansion Plan

- **ParaSpell** is a set of tools for Polkadot that helps projects work across different blockchains.  
- It includes **XCM SDK**, **XCM API**, **XCM Router**, **XCM Analyser**, and **XCM Visualizator**.  
- The tools make it easy to send assets, decode messages, and see blockchain connections in 3D.  
- The team has won awards and published research about Polkadot.  
- They are asking for funding to keep improving the tools for 12 months.  
- The tools are free and open-source for everyone to use.  
- The team helps other developers and fixes problems quickly.  
- You can try the tools on their website without coding.

ParaSpell✨ XCM Tools - 12 Months of Maintenance and Server cost coverage

- Politecnico di Milano is a top university in Italy and Europe for engineering and technology.  
- Their Blockchain & Web3 Observatory helps businesses, governments, and researchers work together on blockchain technology.  
- The partnership will help Polkadot connect with important groups like regulators, companies, and developers.  
- The Observatory organizes events, writes reports, and shares research to promote blockchain adoption.  
- Polkadot Italia is a team working to grow Polkadot’s presence in Italy through education and events.  
- The budget covers sponsorship fees and team coordination but not travel or event costs.  
- The goal is to make Polkadot more visible and trusted in Europe’s Web3 ecosystem.

We are happy to propose a strategic partnership with[ Politecnico di Milano](https://www.polimi.it/en)’s Blockchain & Web3 Observatory for 2025 to lead blockchain research, institutional engagement, and strategic growth across Europe in 2025.

**The intended audience is Web3 companies and institutional stakeholders — not students.**

According to the prestigious QS 2025 ranking, the Politecnico di Milano is the 1st University of Italy and the 21st in the world for Engineering and Technology ([Politecnico's figures](https://www.polimi.it/en/the-politecnico/our-figures)).

Its[ Blockchain & Web3 Observatory](https://www.web3.polimi.it/) was established in 2017, and has become a pivotal force in the European Web3 landscape. Hosted within Politecnico di Milano, it plays a leading role in promoting blockchain adoption, advancing research, and facilitating collaboration between academia, institutions, and industry.

As blockchain technology matures, institutional involvement and structured research are essential to enable widespread and sustainable adoption.

The **Blockchain & Web3 Observatory** is a leading European hub for:

* **Enterprise and institutional engagement** across multiple sectors
* **Academic research** on blockchain adoption, governance, and regulation
* **Workshops, conferences, and policy advisory** at national and international levels
* **Experimentation and innovation**, through its **Web3 Innovation Hub**, fostering collaboration between academia, startups, and enterprises

Read full proposal:[ https://docs.google.com/document/d/18tZb10CiWGuQ349h7eOWdcc0x35HK1WVtiyMdRfRgsQ/edit?usp=sharing](https://docs.google.com/document/d/18tZb10CiWGuQ349h7eOWdcc0x35HK1WVtiyMdRfRgsQ/edit?usp=sharing)



***

## **Target Audience of the Proposal**

This strategic partnership is designed exclusively for **institutional and professional stakeholders**, including:

* **Regulators and public institutions** (e.g., central banks, EU agencies, ministries)
* **Private enterprises and Web3 startups** working in DeFi, tokenization, supply chain, gaming, and more
* **Venture capital firms and investment funds** exploring high-potential blockchain projects
* **Developers and Web3 builders**, such as DAO contributors and open-source infrastructure teams

***

## **Tangible exposure this partnership brings**

The Blockchain & Web3 Observatory at Politecnico di Milano has a proven track record of generating meaningful exposure across both mainstream and specialized channels. Since its inception, it has published:

* +400 articles in prominent outlets such as Il Sole 24 ORE, La Repubblica, Corriere della Sera, CoinDesk, and Cointelegraph.
* Active digital presence with +2 million views on LinkedIn through research updates and event announcements.
* Access to the contact database, enabling us to carry out targeted activities filtered by sector (such as banking, corporate, and software companies).
* Research findings and case studies are presented at high-profile events including conferences at the:
 * European Parliament,
 * OECD in Paris, and
 * UCL in London.

These activities collectively contribute to significant visibility within the Web3 ecosystem, as well as among institutions, enterprises, and regulators

***

## **Success stories that highlight the Observatory’s role and impact**

* Collaborated with institutions such as the Bank of Italy, CONSOB, EU Commission, OECD, and the Italian Ministry of Economic Development
* Contributed to the ECB’s Digital Euro Visionary Call by promoting programmable payment use cases
* Participated in Milan Hub projects on DAO-based fund management and multi-actor stablecoins under the MiCAR framework
* Delivered expert testimony to the Italian Parliament on topics including the national blockchain strategy and the 2024 budget law
* Organized international events in London, Paris, and Brussels
* Taken part in EU-level working groups such as INATBA and the EU Blockchain Forum
* Achieved recognition by CoinDesk as one of the world’s top blockchain universities (1st in the EU)

These examples demonstrate the Observatory’s relevance in both shaping public discourse and influencing institutional adoption across Europe.

***

## **Key Benefits for Polkadot**

**Institutional Positioning in Europe**

* Direct access to regulators and policymakers via Observatory channels
* Active participation in high-impact research and whitepapers on governance, interoperability, and digital asset regulation**Enterprise Adoption & Exposure**
* Visibility for Polkadot-based solutions through case studies and event presentations
* Engagement with leading enterprises looking for scalable and compliant blockchain technology

**Developer and Ecosystem Growth**

* Technical workshops on parachains, governance models, smart contracts, and rollups
* Integration into Web3 Innovation Hub programs for startups and entrepreneurs**Strategic Branding & Visibility**
* Featured presence in Observatory reports, events, and academic publications
* Media exposure through leading blockchain and fintech outlets

**Academic Collaboration & Credibility**

* Co-authorship of at least **10 academic papers** and **3 strategic policy reports**
* Engagement with a network of **50+ experts**, including academics, regulators, and architects shaping the Web3 landscape

***

## **Events, Workshops and cost breakdowns**

Workshops organized by the Observatory are:

* closed-door workshops,
* public conferences, and
* institutional roundtables

reserved for partners and sponsors. Each session typically includes:

* Research presentations by Observatory staff
* Roundtables on current market and regulatory topics
* Guest speakers from industry, academia, and institutions

These serve as a platform for early access to research findings, knowledge sharing, foster collaboration, provide market insights, and strengthen ties between Web3 stakeholders in a pre-competitive and professionally moderated setting.

Each event will cover different Web3 topics, offering a valuable chance to connect and invite various Polkadot initiatives and projects to participate to this events.

For this reason, to ensure the highest level of budget transparency and operational flexibility, all costs related to the events participation—including travel, accommodation, contributor compensation, and on-site management—will be handled separately through event-specific bounty proposals.
This modular approach allows precise budgeting and gives us and the community the ability to optimize costs and the effectiveness of the partnership. We would like to involve as many Polkadot initiative and projects as possible. on a case-by-case basis. It also ensures that funds are allocated only when activities are confirmed and clearly scoped.

***

## **Budget**

The Politecnico is a public institution and requires a legally recognized entity to handle the payment of the sponsorship fee. For this reason, we will utilize the Polkadot Community Foundation (PCF) to execute this payment. We did use the exchange rate 1€ = \~$1,171 on June 26th.

The PCF's funding proposal **does not cover:**

* The operational management of individual initiatives
* Banking transfer fees and financial handling
* Documentation review and due diligence for each project
* Any legal expenses specific to this partnership or similar activities

In our case, PCF will **formalize its agreement** with the Blockchain & Web3 Observatory of Politecnico di Milano by **signing a contract** and process the **sponsorship fee as a single payment** for the amount specified in the contract.
&#x20;Cost #2 will cover any additional fees like legal expenses, compliance fees, and administration costs associated with PCF's involvement. **Any unspent funds from the PCF will be returned to the Polkadot treasury directly by the PCF**, in accordance with our commitment to transparency and accountability.

An one time coordination fee of 16,000€ gross (it includes +26% Italian taxes) has been included for the Polkadot Italia team, which will serve as the liaison between the Observatory, W3F, the Polkadot ecosystem, and any institutional or private partners for the whole initiative (8 months, till last conference in Q1 2026).
This amount was calculated by estimating the time required for planning calls, follow-ups, documentation, and ongoing information exchange. The total reflects the anticipated workload needed to manage the relationship effectively and ensure the smooth delivery of all project components.
This budget does not cover event participation or travel costs those are handled through separate bounties, as noted earlier. Each will cover different Web3 topics, offering a valuable chance to connect and invite various Polkadot initiatives and projects to participate to this events.

***

**Who We Are**

Polkadot Italia is a team of four members—Michele ([TheWhiteRabbit](https://x.com/thewhiterabbitM)), Remo ([Anamix](https://x.com/Anamix2000)), Patrizia ([PatriziaM4W](https://x.com/PatriziaM4W)), Damiano ([Yamne](https://x.com/era_italia)). 

We are Polkadot enthusiasts, ambassadors, and validators dedicated to growing the Polkadot ecosystem in Italy since the begging of 2025. We are trying to achieve this through a long-term strategy focused on creating an Italian Hub which will represent a coordinated environment in providing essential updates, news and other content and assisting the Italian community through community management, consulting, support and moderation (on our social media channels, X, Telegram and YouTube), creating and sharing useful content, providing awareness of the governance process and OpenGov proposals, fostering discussion and active participation, organizing local events and participations, and initiating collaborations with educational institutions and within the ecosystem.

Our social media channels:

X ([https://x.com/PolkadotItalia](https://x.com/PolkadotItalia))

Telegram ([https://t.me/polkadot\_italia\_community](https://t.me/polkadot_italia_community))

YouTube ([https://youtube.com/@Polkadot\_Italia](https://youtube.com/@Polkadot_Italia))

Polkadot Community Foundation - Politecnico di Milano, Blockchain & Web3 Observatory 2025 Partnership

- **ReactiveDOT** is a tool to make building apps for Polkadot easier.  
- It helps developers write less code and focus on making great apps.  
- It already supports **Ink! contracts** and has fast loading.  
- New features will include **Solidity contract support** and better cache control.  
- The team is working on making queries smarter and easier to use.  
- Funding is requested for 4 months of work (July–October 2025).  
- Total funding needed: **89,000 USDC**.

Continue funding for ReactiveDOT & related developments

- Polkadot helped at a big blockchain conference in Miami.  
- James Slusser spoke at the event and met important people.  
- The team went on tours and hosted guests at soccer games.  
- They worked for many hours over five days.  
- Polkadot paid for the event but not for personal time.  
- James asked for $1,500 for his time.  
- People shared posts about the event on social media.

Justification for Tip Request - James

- Salvatore Esposito helped organize a blockchain conference at the University of Miami.  
- He planned meetups, tours, and dinners to promote Polkadot.  
- Guests included university leaders and business professionals.  
- He hosted events at Inter Miami soccer games to build connections.  
- Salvatore spent many hours preparing and attending the conference.  
- He is asking for $1,500 to cover some of his time.  
- The event was shared on social media by attendees.

Justification for Tip Request - Salvatore

- Pop CLI is a tool for Polkadot developers, started in 2023 by R0GUE.  
- It got funding in 2024 to become better and easier to use.  
- Helps developers build Polkadot chains and smart contracts.  
- Works with other tools like Polkadot Deployment Portal and OpenZeppelin.  
- Plans to add more features like AI, better testing, and education.  
- Updated in 2025 to improve AI features based on feedback.  
- No extra cost for the changes.  
- Learn more in their Google Doc.

Pop CLI was initiated in late 2023 by R0GUE, a team of ex-Parity engineers deeply experienced with the Polkadot ecosystem. Recognizing the complexity and fragmentation faced by developers, the team identified a critical need for an all in one tool for Polkadot Development. In mid-2024, Pop CLI received a Decentralized Futures grant from the Web3 Foundation, evolving into a production-grade tool with strong ecosystem adoption (read the [full story](https://medium.com/@r0gue/pop-cli-reimagining-the-polkadot-developer-journey-4c38fe21483b)).

*“Collaborating with the R0GUE team was highly positive—the robust documentation, user-friendly Pop CLI, and excellent support to deploying teams were consistently impressive.” —* **Web3 Foundation**

The Pop CLI supports the full development lifecycle for both Polkadot chains and smart contracts. It features secure transaction signing, integration and [partnership](https://x.com/PolkadotDeploy/status/1906643927911792654) with the Polkadot Deployment Portal (PDP), integration with OpenZeppelin and includes advanced features for testing, benchmarking and much more. More recently it has been [recognised in Polkadot's documentation](https://docs.polkadot.com/develop/toolkit/parachains/quickstart/pop-cli/). 

This proposal seeks funding to further enhance Pop CLI's functionality, usability, and infrastructure. Specifically, funding will support local network bootstrapping with live state, full-stack starter kits and OmniNode integration, state query functionality, AI integration, contract verification, continuous maintenance and UX improvements, and focused developer education, distribution and community collaboration.

You can review all the details of the proposal in the following Google Doc: [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jdfnwWAW4EIBu2UFiXmFry1NXTu3QO20lkjjVpF\_4q4](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jdfnwWAW4EIBu2UFiXmFry1NXTu3QO20lkjjVpF_4q4/edit?tab=t.0)

\---

## Change Log

**Section:** AI integration

**Date:** 30-06-25

In response to feedback from 0xTaylor (at KusDAO), we’ve made updates to clarify and strengthen our approach to AI integration in the Pop CLI. While our original proposal emphasised a single-prompt interface, we agree that this alone doesn’t reflect how developers actually want to work. We had already been exploring more flexible options, including conversational interaction and the use of an MCP server. These changes clarify our intent to support both modes of interaction and to lay the foundation for more powerful, agentic AI workflows.

**IMPORTANT**: Nothing has changed in terms of the total amount of time needed and thus the costs.

\---

Go R0GUE

Treasury Spends