Internet Computer vs. Other Blockchains

an introduction

This article is intended to help new project founders and developers find their way in BNB series As well as helping more experienced people learn a new thing or two. As a Project Executive, I faced many struggles over the course of 2022 with many lessons learned along the way leading the project: the good, the bad, and the ugly. However, the involvement with the BNB Chain team and the resources and opportunities offered to the community are among the top reasons why I stay and build on BNB Chain.

Community participation

Community participation is the number one task in the crypto world and it is no different for those who support the BNB chain. The first time I interacted with the BNB Chain team at Consensus was in June of 2022 in Austin, Texas. If you’ve never been to a major conference before, add this one to your to-do list!

This event was the key point in my journey as the CEO of the project as I learned that there is a gap between Binance as an exchange and building on the BNB chain as the blockchain. As I engaged the Binance exchange team to help answer questions about my requests as an institutional investor, my eyes were opened to the massive possibilities of building on the blockchain. why? There was a great presence of BNB Chain Martians and Community Managers available to answer questions and point me in the right direction as I looked to scale my own project.

The first thing I learned at the conference is that there are some key resources, grants, incentives, and support systems available to builders. Some are free and others you have to compete to earn. There were thousands of conference attendees to share this new knowledge and I had the opportunity to meet other founders to share lessons learned.

BNB Chain Developer Program

the BNB Chain Developer Program Extremely strong and designed to drive innovation and adoption Web 3. Many chain neutral opportunities. Some of the programs include the Growth Incentive Program, Building Grants Program, BNB Chain Kickstart Program, Advisory Support Programs, Game Jam (brand new!), and Pioneering Programs for the Best of the Best.

growth incentives

There are many growth incentive programs out there, but I’d like to highlight two of them, the Gas Fee Incentive Program and the Innovation Demo Days.

Gas fee incentive program

The BNB Chain Developer Program provides growth incentives for contractors and Web3 projects that contribute to the BNB Chain ecosystem. The first opportunity I discovered was BNB Chain Growth Incentive where I started my journey as a founder. More than $10 million has been allocated to this program to help projects with user acquisition and growth. There is a simple application form to fill out. You can find the form here. There is a four step process involved and if you are committed to growing your project and reporting on progress this is a great way to get started. These steps are:

• Step 1 Application: This represents the initial submission stage where projects and teams apply to begin the evaluation process.
• Step 2 Evaluation: Relevant applications are subject to a comprehensive evaluation. Upon completion of the application, the evaluation process takes place where the BNB Chain team does due diligence in evaluating the entire project.
• Step 3 Decision: Applicants who meet the evaluation criteria will be notified, and the BNB Chain team will work diligently with you to ensure effective and beneficial growth targets are set.

Another opportunity to boost growth is the innovation incubators that are being conducted around the world. Recently, BNB Chain led the European Innovation Incubator.

Innovative ideas presentation days

This was a huge opportunity and BNB Chain has chosen my project, Puli Token, to attend along with about seventy other amazing projects in what I can best describe as speed dating rounds! Each team had 5 minutes to present in front of a panel of judges as well as a large audience of venture capitalists (VCs) and interested investors. The jury awarded some small prizes at the end to the top teams, but each team got an amazing showing, tremendous feedback as well as the chance to gain experience and grow. I also had the opportunity to receive additional mentoring for two weeks after the event via 1-to-1 video calls with the leaders of the BNB Chain. Be sure to keep an eye out for an upcoming spin-off about innovation in your area.

Besides the growth incentives mentioned above, and there are more for you to discover, there are also BNB Chain Grant programs available.

BNB Chain Builder Scholarship Program

the BNB Chain Builder Scholarship Program Provides financial and non-financial support for ambitious projects. You can expect the length of requests and the scrutiny by reviewers to match the level of support provided! For example, submitting the Innovation Day plan was easy (all pre-requisite materials were on hand) while tailor-made, valuable grant applications were deeply involved and required a full range of administrative and technical expertise to get off the ground.

BNB Series Grants

Grants are incredibly competitive, and you need to be very prepared. There are two types of grants: general grants and category grants that change monthly. These grants come either in the form of financial support in two tiers (Tier 1 is grants of tailored value and Tier 2 is up to $50,000) or as non-financial support such as amplification, visibility, networking with other projects and community members, and tailored advisory support. Advisory support is also available separately. You can apply for grants here.

Advisory support programmes

I recommend projects to take advantage of Advisory support programmes early in its operation and before its launch. BNB Chain offers customized advisory support programs that enable selected projects to drive innovation and adoption of the Web3 space. You get a 360-degree review of your technical needs and the infrastructure you’ll need to grow your business. There are also Tokenomics consultants who can review your project overall to ensure that you can grow sustainably. You can apply for some advice here.

BNB Chain Kickstart Program

This is a new program that has been put in place and I wish I had when I started. From the program description:

“the BNB Chain Kickstart Program It provides the essential tools and services offered by the BNB chain ecosystem partners, aimed at helping projects start their construction journey. ”

Selected projects can get deep discounts, free services from security auditors, cloud services, social graph protocols, naming services, infrastructure, sdk wallet, oracles, fiat on-ramp services, launchpads, and much more! You can apply to these resources here.

Trailblazer software

There are two groundbreaking programs available to outstanding teams ready to take on the toughest challenges: Innovation Incubators and the Build Most Valuable Program.

BNB Chain Innovation Incubator

A great opportunity for aspiring project leaders and development teams is the innovation incubators set up all over the world.

From the BNB Chain website, “These are three-week virtual programs designed for innovative Web3 startups across Europe to build and scale dApps, driving towards a decentralized future.”

There is a virtual component as well as a meetup where projects can present their projects for a chance to stand out, for awards and the chance for further exposure and support. Winners get a chance to win up to $50,000 in prizes, a free audit, and token economic advice. A strong referral to the Most Valuable Builder is also possible (more on that later).

Personally, my team wasn’t selected to join the European Innovator, but I’ve received great feedback for coming home on my project, further progress on our products, as well as user growth. I’ll try again soon, but the feedback resulted in it being picked up on the brainstorming day I mentioned earlier. you can go here To find out when the next program starts. Another opportunity for teams to compete for is the BNB Chain Most Valuable Builder (MVB) acceleration program.

BNB Chain MVB Accelerator Program

The MVB is the most popular of all the shows I’ve shared on the list. It’s not easy to get in and you have to get used to hearing “no”. But that shouldn’t discourage you from trying! You will have a chance to gain experience and try again.

the MVB Accelerator It is a BNB-focused accelerator program between BNB Chain and Binance Labs to help projects develop and grow organically through training, investment, and network support. This program provides an intensive and informative weekly curriculum to support senior project teams to deliver a practical product to market right product.

There is a curriculum that includes the following topics:

• Product design
• Marketing and business development
• Data and analytics tools
• Security and auditing
• Infrastructure scaling
• symbols
• Fundraising

If your team is able to commit full time to the rigorous program, apply here. Any project at any stage and assessment can compete for a place in the programme. This program encourages all kinds of innovation and advancement within the BNB Chain ecosystem from Infrastructure, Middleware, DeFi, GameFi, SocialFi, Metaverse, and more.

conclusion

In this article I describe the reason for building on BNB Chain: Incredible Support! I have had opportunities to apply for some of these opportunities and there are others that I look forward to participating in when the time is right. I encourage all developers and project teams to review this list and explore what works for you. 2023 has barely begun! Stay up to date on future events led by the BNB Chain team. I hope he gets close to you soon so you can meet the team.

Mr. Lightspeed, also known as Christopher “CJ” Johnson, PhD, is the President of Lightspeed Games, LLC. and CEO of the company Puli Token. He is an affiliate of Binance and BNB Chain Martian where he dedicates his time to informing and educating BNB Chain developers and investors on BNB Chain resources and opportunities.

*This is a guest post. *