Anke Liu from the Stellar Development Foundation presented updates to the Stellar Community Fund, announcing a new four-week submission cycle for awards up to $150,000 XLM, a virtual startup bootcamp launching in April, and a tiered verified member system with governance roles.
Anke Liu, program manager at the Stellar Development Foundation, detailed major changes to the Stellar Community Fund in its fourth iteration. Key updates include: SCF awards now open every four weeks instead of twice yearly, with submissions up to $150,000 XLM for three-month projects on Stellar and Soroban; a new proof-of-intent phase where projects receive 10% upfront to complete initial deliverables before full funding; removal of award caps, allowing unlimited recipients if they meet standards; a five-day virtual startup bootcamp in April across three time zones to help teams progress from idea to MVP; and a new tiered verified member system (Pathfinder, Navigator, Pilot) with governance proposals, mentorship opportunities, and selection panel participation. The fund has awarded over 210 million XLM to 415+ recipients since 2016.