Beacon, a prominent web3 accelerator program founded by Polygon co-founder Sandeep Nailwal in 2022, has announced the launch of its fourth and most ambitious cohort yet. This new batch includes 17 cutting-edge companies, marking a notable expansion from previous groups.
These companies, selected from pre-seed to Series A stages, hail from diverse sectors within web3, such as DeFi, infrastructure, and AI. Notable participants include Stakestone, EXO, Nubit, Aligned Layer, and eoracle, with several already backed by major VCs like Pantera, Founders Fund, Framework, and Andreessen Horowitz (a16z).
“We’re thrilled to welcome our largest and most diverse cohort so far,” Sandeep Nailwal expressed. “The caliber of companies joining us in the latest program is truly exceptional, and we’re excited to see how, with the aid of our mentorship and resources, they’ll go on to shape the future of web3 and beyond.”
The launch follows the successful graduation of Beacon’s S23 cohort, which included standout companies like scalable data availability layer 0G and verifiable oracle protocol ORA, both achieving unicorn status post-graduation. Success stories from this cohort have set high expectations for the new entrants, especially given their strong backgrounds and early achievements.
Aligned Layer and Nubit, two of the cohort members, have already raised significant Series A funding rounds of $20 million and $12 million respectively. This cohort’s potential is further underscored by the innovative projects these companies are bringing to the table:
- Aligned Layer is enhancing Ethereum’s efficiency with its decentralized network.
- EXO enables individuals to run personal AI clusters using everyday devices.
- Nubit is focusing on scaling Bitcoin’s data capacities to support applications like Ordinals and Layer 2 solutions.
Beacon’s three-month biannual program provides startups with critical mentorship, resources, and capital, aiming to propel their growth and establish them as leaders in the web3 space. “With the level of talent and innovation we’re witnessing in this new group, we are entirely confident that they can emulate, if not surpass, their predecessors,” Nailwal concluded, highlighting the program’s role as a catalyst in the web3 innovation landscape.
