How Avalanche Codebase is Fueling the Next Wave of Web3 Startups
Real Stories from Founders on How Codebase Helped Web3 Startups Scale Fast with Funding Mentorship and Investor Access
If you're an early-stage founder building in Web3, finding the right mix of funding, mentorship, and technical support can be a challenge. That’s where Avalanche Codebase comes in. It’s a hands-on incubator designed to help founders build, refine, and scale projects in the Avalanche ecosystem.
Through a 10-week intensive program, selected teams get direct access to mentors, technical support from Ava Labs, and a $50,000 non-dilutive grant to fund their development. The program wraps up with Demo Day, where teams pitch to investors and compete for a $500,000 prize pool. Beyond the funding, Codebase is an opportunity to learn from experienced builders, get real feedback, and make connections that last well beyond the program.
To get a deeper understanding of what the experience is like, I sat down with two teams from Codebase Season 2, DISGO and XKOVA, to talk about their time in the program. More on that later, but first, here are some details about the program.
How the Codebase Program Works
What Founders Get
The program is designed to help builders move fast, refine their ideas, and launch real products. Here’s what’s included:
Funding: Each team receives $50,000 in non-dilutive funding at the start, with the opportunity to win a share of $500,000 at Demo Day.
Mentorship & Support: Founders work directly with Ava Labs engineers, investors, and experienced startup leaders.
Hands-On Pitch Coaching: The program includes sessions with pitch coaches and business mentors to help refine presentations for investors.
A Growing Community: Codebase alumni stay connected with access to ongoing mentorship, networking, and ecosystem support.
Program Structure
Kickoff Event: The program starts in person at an Avalanche event (for Season 2, it was in Buenos Aires during Avalanche Summit LATAM).
10-Week Incubator: Weekly sessions cover technical development, product strategy, legal guidance, and business scaling.
Demo Day: Startups pitch their projects to investors, with the top teams winning additional funding.
What Kind of Projects Come Through Codebase?
Each season brings a new cohort of startups tackling real-world problems with Web3 solutions. Here’s a look at the five teams from Codebase Season 2 and what they built:
AutoPen (Lucero Labs) – Web3-Powered Digital Signatures
A decentralized signing solution that replaces expensive notary services with NFT-backed, legally compliant digital signatures on Avalanche.
Chiss Protocol – Cross-Border Currency Liquidity for FX Markets
A stablecoin-powered FX solution that enables businesses to move money efficiently between Nigeria, Turkey, and beyond.
DISGO – Social-Based Loyalty & Rewards for Restaurants and Bars
A Web3-powered referral & loyalty platform that allows diners to share perks and rewards with friends while helping restaurants drive engagement.
Encryptech – Privacy-Focused AI Compute Infrastructure
A secure AI training platform that lets banks, hospitals, and enterprises train models on sensitive data without exposing it.
XKOVA – An Invisible, White-Label Payment Infrastructure for Protocols and Blockchains
A white label, low-fee blockchain payment processor that eliminates chargebacks, speeds up transactions, and integrates with Shopify & WooCommerce.
You can watch the full Codebase Season 2 Demo Day presentations below to see these projects in action:
Inside the Codebase Experience: Insights from Founders
Beyond the funding and structure, Codebase is about real founders solving real problems. In my conversations with Lynette Ban (DISGO), Chris Fusillo (XKOVA), and Candice Jarrett (XKOVA), they shared what made the biggest impact during the program.
On the Power of the Codebase Community
Beyond funding and mentorship, a big part of Codebase is the cohort experience—founders learning alongside one another while being supported by experts.
Being surrounded by other builders at similar stages creates a unique environment where teams can share insights, refine strategies, and push each other forward.
On Access to Ava Labs Engineers & Technical Expertise
For founders building on Avalanche, having direct access to Ava Labs engineers is a huge advantage. Whether it's architecture decisions, scaling challenges, or technical optimizations, Codebase startups get to work closely with the team behind the network.
This level of support helps founders move faster, avoid costly mistakes, and build with confidence.
On Pitching & Investor Readiness
Having a great product is important, but founders also need to communicate its value to investors clearly. Codebase dedicates time to helping teams refine their pitches, structure their messaging, and prepare for fundraising conversations.
Through workshops and coaching, teams gain practical experience in pitching and presenting, which helps them not only on Demo Day but also in future fundraising and partnership discussions.
Interested in Joining Codebase? Here’s How to Apply for Season 3
If this sounds like something you’d be interested in, or if you know a founder who would benefit from it, now is the time to apply.
Codebase Applications Now Open – $50K Grants for Web3 Startups
The next cohort begins in April 2025, and applications close on March 1, 2025.
What’s in it for founders?
$50,000 non-dilutive grant per company
$500K Demo Day prize pool
All-expenses-paid Welcome Week in the UK
Mentorship from top Web3 investors & operators
10 weeks of hands-on support to help you raise & scale
For builders looking to turn their Web3 ideas into reality, Codebase provides the funding, mentorship, and connections needed to make it happen. The next wave of Avalanche startups is forming now. If you’re ready to build, this is your chance to be part of it.
Awesome
The codebase is the solution 🫶🏼😌