The Avalanche Foundation has launched Retro9000, a grant program offering up to $40 million in retroactive funding for developers building on the Avalanche blockchain. The program is part of Avalanche9000, the network's largest upgrade to date, and specifically rewards developers who test and launch foundational tools and infrastructure for Layer 1 (L1) blockchains on Avalanche.
New $40 Million Grant Program
More About Retro9000
Retro9000 gives developers financial resources to tackle the economic and technical challenges that come with blockchain development. The program prioritizes projects that strengthen the Avalanche L1 ecosystem and build critical developer tooling. A public leaderboard ranks projects, and community votes help determine how grants are distributed.
Luigi D'Onorio DeMeo, Chief Operating Officer at Ava Labs, described the upgrade: "Avalanche9000 is the culmination of years of development work to build a platform that can support fast, scalable, and connected L1s." The program targets early-stage developers, offering incentives to build, test, and launch on the Avalanche9000 testnet. Developers are encouraged to work publicly, gather community backing, and earn rewards through transparent development.
Retro9000 Website Screenshot 1
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Lowering Barriers for L1 Blockchain Development
Avalanche9000 introduces technical changes designed to cut the costs and complexity of deploying L1 blockchains. The biggest change: L1 validators no longer need to validate the Primary Network. This removes a major financial barrier to running an L1 blockchain on Avalanche.
Martin Eckardt, Director of Developer Relations at Ava Labs, explained the shift: "L1 validators will no longer have to stake high amounts of AVAX for entry, giving thousands of projects access to a custom, interoperable blockchain built on a battle-tested tech stack at a low cost."
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The change should make blockchain development faster and more accessible to a wider pool of developers and projects. Avalanche9000 also includes the Etna Upgrade, ACP-77, and improved network interoperability through Interchain Messaging (ICM).
These updates create an environment where L1 blockchains can communicate more easily, share resources, and drive network effects across the ecosystem. Beyond the financial incentives, Retro9000 offers new tooling, community support, and access to the Core browser hub to improve the development experience on Avalanche.
Retro9000 Website Screenshot 2
Community and Developer Support
Retro9000 emphasizes community involvement. Developers are encouraged to engage with the Avalanche community, using community feedback to shape their projects and improve their chances of earning grants.
The leaderboard system lets community members vote on projects, ensuring that the most impactful and innovative work gets recognition and funding. The Avalanche Foundation continues to support ecosystem growth through programs like Retro9000 and Avalanche9000.
These efforts are part of a broader push to establish Avalanche as a top blockchain platform for developers building scalable and interoperable solutions. More details on Avalanche9000 will be available at the upcoming Avalanche Summit LATAM in Argentina (October 16 to 18) or via the website here.
