Three Stellar Community Fund recipients discuss their projects: Light Mint (NFT marketplace for artists), Leaf Global FinTech (cross-border wallet for refugees), and Script3 (DeFi protocol with Yield Blocks). They share how SCF funding enabled growth and offer advice for future applicants.
Ankur from the Stellar Development Foundation hosts a panel with three SCF-funded founders: Fred Rizzo (Light Mint), Tori Sample (Leaf Global FinTech), and Marcus Paulson Luna (Script3). Light Mint launched an NFT marketplace addressing high fees on other chains. Leaf provides mobile wallets for refugees and cross-border traders in East Africa, with plans to expand globally. Script3 built Yield Blocks, the first DeFi protocol on Stellar using Turret smart contracts for lending and borrowing. Panelists discuss SCF's value as community-driven funding, challenges like visibility and explaining non-typical projects, and recommendations for future applicants: focus on Stellar ecosystem impact, know your audience, engage with the community early, and submit at any development stage with a clear roadmap.