KEY TAKEAWAYS
- The Avalanche Foundation’s Retro9000 program offers up to $40 million in funding to support builders of Avalanche Layer 1s and infrastructure.
- Since its launch, Retro9000 has engaged 195 projects, with over 1.3 million unique voters casting nearly 10 billion votes.
- The program includes a $2 million referral reward initiative, incentivizing community members to onboard impactful projects.
- Future rounds will continue to focus on scaling Avalanche L1s and enhancing core infrastructure, with the next snapshot scheduled for October 14, 2025.
The Avalanche Foundation is advancing its mission to drive innovation and accelerate ecosystem growth through the Retro9000 program. This retroactive grant initiative is designed to support builders making significant contributions to Avalanche Layer 1s and infrastructure.
Retro9000 offers up to $40 million in funding, with its first round rewarding builders actively launching Avalanche L1s or developing critical infrastructure. The program also includes $2 million allocated to referral rewards for community members who help onboard high-impact projects.
Progress and Impact of Retro9000
Since its launch in November 2024, Retro9000 has seen 195 projects join the program. The first round attracted over 1.3 million unique voters who cast nearly 10 billion votes. The initial six-month period concluded with a project snapshot in April 2025, allowing teams to demonstrate their onchain impact on the Avalanche mainnet.
In June 2025, following a structured review process, the Avalanche Foundation awarded over $1 million in grants to 19 projects. These projects were selected based on their traction, technical delivery, and value to the ecosystem. The most recent quarterly snapshot took place on July 15, 2025, capturing the current status of all participating projects. The Foundation is now reviewing project dashboards to determine eligibility for further funding.
Referral Program and Future Rounds
The Retro9000 program empowers the Avalanche community to grow the ecosystem by referring strong projects. Up to $2 million in funding is available for community referrals. In the most recent round, over $15,000 in AVAX was distributed across 40 community referrers. The referral program rewards $100 in AVAX when a referred project is accepted and between $500 and $10,000 in AVAX if the project is awarded a grant.
The next snapshot is scheduled for October 14, 2025, at 12:00 PM UTC. Projects are encouraged to update their dashboards to maximize their chances of selection. Details of the next Retro9000 round will be announced soon, continuing the focus on scaling Avalanche L1s and strengthening core infrastructure.
For more information on the Retro9000 program, visit the Avalanche Foundation’s blog here.
Why This Matters: Impact, Industry Trends & Expert Insights
The Avalanche Foundation’s Retro9000 program is advancing its mission to drive innovation and accelerate ecosystem growth through retroactive grants, offering $40 million to support builders on Avalanche Layer 1s and infrastructure.
A InvestingHaven report highlights that the Retro9000 program is part of Avalanche’s broader strategy to enhance developer activity and ecosystem growth, focusing on Layer 1 blockchains. This aligns with the program’s aim to reclaim competitiveness against rival blockchains by emphasizing scalability and innovation.
As per insights from 99Bitcoins, the Retro9000 initiative is a significant catalyst for Avalanche’s ecosystem, driving developer activity and adoption. This supports the program’s impact on boosting investor confidence and ecosystem adoption throughout 2025.
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