Introducing the DeFi Builders Program on Polkadot Hub

DeFi moves fast. We all know that. But not every evolution in this space pushes things forward in a meaningful way. That’s what we’re hoping to change with the launch of the DeFi Builders Program - a new initiative from Velocity Labs, built in collaboration with key partners like Web3 Foundation, Parity Technologies, Wave Digital, and Scytale.

At its core, this program is about giving talented builders a serious platform to explore, test, and ship the next wave of DeFi innovation - this time, on Polkadot Hub, our EVM-compatible chain launching in late Q4.

It’s not just about deploying on yet another chain. The opportunity here is to build on infrastructure that was designed for scalability and interoperability from the start. 

Now, this program is intentionally broad. Some teams might come in with an idea that’s ready to go. Others will be exploring, experimenting, figuring things out along the way. That’s encouraging. The whole program is set up to support both types of builders.

What’s actually included?

The program is a structured, 12 week journey designed to take your project from concept to launch-ready. It’s broken down into four key phases:

• Weeks 1-2 (Program Onboarding): The journey begins with a deep dive into the program, its key partners, and the extensive network available to you.

• Weeks 3-8 (Mentorship & Product Building): This phase focuses on building and expanding your product through weekly check-ins and live lectures with subject matter experts.

• Weeks 9-11 (Execution & Go-to-Market Prep): Attention shifts to bringing your product to market, covering strategy, execution, fundraising, and investor pitches.

• Week 12 (Investor & VC Demo Day): The program culminates in a Virtual Demo Day where you will feature your project and pitch to investors.

Beyond this structured timeline, the program offers a lot more. Funding, for starters. But also help with go to market, marketing, hiring, and even smart contract audits. There’s technical mentorship, with office hours with Polkadot developers and support from the Velocity Labs team on things like tokenomics, product design, and scaling. All of it is tailored to early stage teams trying to do something new, something different.

We’re also offering grants from:

• DeFi Infrastructure & Tooling Bounty

• Strategic Grants from the Web3 Foundation

• Retroactive grants based on real traction (TVL, trading volume, user growth)

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There’s a push to bootstrap liquidity too. From subsidized yield farming programs and fee rebates, to institutional support through partners like Wave Digital and Scytale. It’s all aimed at helping projects go live with deep markets from the get-go and avoiding the cold-start problem of DeFi dApps.

Hiring help is part of the package too. Think: ecosystem-backed recruiting support, stipends or grants for early hires, advice on how to scale a team. It’s not just about launching - it’s about growing sustainably.

Security is a key priority. That includes access to subsidized smart contract audits through the Polkadot Assurance Legion and partnerships with bug bounty platforms like Immunefi, HackenProof and Code4rena. No one wants to be the next protocol to get drained because something slipped through the cracks.

Then there’s community and visibility. Projects in the program will get dedicated marketing support, exposure at conferences and strategic pushes through activations like AMAs or PR blitzes from official Polkadot accounts.

Oh - and there’s more. The program also runs hackathons, developer bootcamps, and even offers scholarships through the Polkadot Blockchain Academy to level up your Polkadot specific acumen.

If you’re building any kind of DeFi primitive - money markets, DEXs, perpetuals, yield protocols, real-world assets, cross-chain tools, onboarding solutions, payment apps - the program is actively looking for proposals. Innovation and usability are big priorities here.

We’re not expecting everything to be polished. In fact, this is the place to test assumptions, break a few things, and build something truly different.

It won’t be perfect. Not everything will work the first time. But that’s kind of the point.

To ensure every project gets the dedicated, hands-on support it needs to succeed, the first cohort will be limited to 5 successful teams. This is a unique opportunity to be part of a focused, high-impact group from day one.

“Ready to build?”

Applications are open now.

If you’ve been waiting for the right time - or the right infrastructure - to take your DeFi project seriously, this is it..the time is now.