In Brief:
- Funding Allocation: Over $160,000 in grants awarded by The Avalanche Foundation to six projects enhancing the Avalanche Layer 1 and developer tools.
- Project Selection: The selected projects include ChainArq, Orange Web3, Paradise Tycoon, The Grotto, FanHub, and TURF Network, determined in a snapshot on January 13, 2026.
- New Funding Methodology: Introduction of the C-Chain Round in the Retro9000 program, utilizing real transaction data and AVAX burn rate for evaluating projects.
Avalanche Awards Over $160,000 in Grants to Layer 1 Builders
Grant Allocation to Enhance Layer 1 Solutions
The Avalanche Foundation recently announced the issuance of more than $160,000 in grants to six innovative projects through its Retro9000 grant program. These grants are targeted at developers focused on enhancing the Layer 1 capabilities and developer tools on the Avalanche mainnet. The projects that have been chosen in this recent funding round, confirmed by a snapshot on January 13, 2026, are ChainArq, Orange Web3, Paradise Tycoon, The Grotto, FanHub, and TURF Network. These recipients are now in the process of completing the necessary KYB and KYC requirements to receive the funds.
Commitment to Projects with Real On-Chain Impact
The focus of the Retro9000 program is to support projects that demonstrate significant actual on-chain activity and development, instead of merely funding projects based on their potential. This emphasis ensures that the selected projects have already made substantial contributions to expanding and enhancing the Avalanche ecosystem through robust Layer 1 solutions and infrastructure implementations.
Introduction of the C-Chain Round
The Avalanche Foundation used this opportunity to introduce the Retro9000 C-Chain Round, marking a strategic shift in funding methodology. Moving away from wallet-based voting, this new round will employ a scoring system that evaluates projects based on actual usage data, specifically the rate at which AVAX is burned in transactions. Projects will be publically ranked on a leaderboard according to the volume of AVAX they burn, with the top 40 projects by the end of each round qualifying for rewards. The first C-Chain round is scheduled to commence on March 2, 2026, with another snapshot for the L1 and Infrastructure Tooling round set for July 14, 2026.
Encouraging Community Engagement
Additionally, the grant program fosters community involvement by introducing a referral system. Community members who recommend projects that end up receiving grants are eligible for a reward of up to $3,000 in AVAX for each successful referral per round.
Showcase: Paradise Tycoon
Among the recipients, Paradise Tycoon stands out as a prime example of successful integration into the Avalanche ecosystem. Developed by Finnish company Empires Not Vampires, this game runs on its unique Paradise Chain, specifically crafted to meet its gaming requirements. Paradise Tycoon, a non-combat game that encourages players to build and develop tropical islands through social collaboration and a player-driven economy, has garnered over 1 million players and maintains 250,000 monthly active users. Its economy is driven by the MOANI token, crucial for the game’s trading and auction activities.
As these projects progress and leverage the innovative funding model of the Retro9000 program, the Avalanche network is poised for further growth and diversification, enhancing its blockchain solutions and broadening its application reach.