Gemma from the Stellar Development Foundation presents the complete funding pathway for Stellar ecosystem projects, from developer initiatives through SCF Kickstart, the Stellar Community Fund, and post-launch support. SCF 6.0 introduces new award tiers, deliverable-based structures, and enhanced post-award mentorship to accelerate project launch and growth.
Gemma from SDF's ecosystem growth team outlines the full funding journey for Stellar projects. Developer initiatives engage global communities through partnerships with organizations like Ryzen, Onboarding Club, EZA and DFS Labs. SCF Kickstart provides five-day mentorship and up to $15,000 XLM awards for proof-of-concept development. The Stellar Community Fund, which has distributed over $30 million XLM to 500+ projects, is being redesigned as SCF 6.0 with new features: pre-launch awards for MVPs with user traction, post-launch awards for scaling, education and community awards, developer tooling RFPs, and founder matchmaking. Post-award support now includes dedicated mentorship and marketing. SDF is also connecting SCF projects to internal investment opportunities. Cash Abroad exemplifies this pathway, receiving $180,000 in SCF awards plus Techstars funding while pivoting through market challenges.