codebase

We help transform good ideas into great web3 companies & ambitious builders into extraordinary founders.

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Inaugural Codebase by Avalanche Spring ‘24 Cohort Announced!

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Join us for Avax Startup House:  Presented by Codebase

Codebase is the official Avalanche incubator that funds and supports web3 founders as they shape the future with category-defining projects

5
Teams
$50K
Stipend
per company
$1M
Prize Pool
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Apply to Codebase

Experience
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The Codebase Experience

1
Build Your Roadmap

During our first-week onboarding-onsite, you’ll work with our team to plan your roadmap, set milestones, and deep-dive on what it will take to ensure your success in the program.

2
Find your foothold

With your roadmap in hand, you’ll have weekly calls with a: coach from Ava Labs, an Advisor from the AVAX ecosystem, a storytelling coach, and a group feedback session with all other cohort members to help guide you along the path to Demo Day.

3
Launch a Testnet

We aren’t simply looking for concepts, we are looking for results. By the end of the program, you’ll work with our team to get your testnet live so that come Demo Day, you’ll have something meaningful to pitch to judges and the broader ecosystem.

Season 2
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The Season 2 Timeline

Aug
6
Registration for Season 2 Opens
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Sep
1
Registration for Season 2 Closes
Oct
16
All-expenses paid onboarding in Buenos Aires
Dec
18
Investor & Avalanche ecosystem Pitch Day
Mentors
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Mentors

Mentor
Hansen Niu
Co-founder
BENQI
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Christina Beltramini
Head of Growth,
Lens + Aave
Mentor
Steven Gates
Co-Founder
GoGoPool
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Austin Barack
Founder and Managing Partner
Relayer Capital
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What We’re Looking For

What We’re Looking For in an Applicant

We are seeking builders who can demonstrate resilience, resourcefulness, leadership, and grit. At the earliest stages of a company, the character of a founder is what will inordinately impact success

We also value individuals who have direct experience and relationships with the market and buyer they are building for: ideas are good but execution is better.

What Kind of Companies We’re Excited About

We share your belief in blockchain's potential to revolutionize business models and tap into existing industry opportunities. We seek founders dedicated to expanding blockchain use through real-world applications, asset tokenization, and web3-native solutions.

Alumni
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Spring 2024 Season 1 Winners

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Frequently Asked Q’s

FAQS
Logistics

What happens at Codebase and where does it take place?

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Codebase seamlessly blends in-person and virtual experiences. In the inaugural week, we orchestrate a face-to-face onboarding (Buenos Aires) where every team collaborates with key personnel from our team to chart out a strategic roadmap, delve into startup-building masterclasses, and learn the nuances of building on Avalanche. 

After this immersive week, you'll transition to working remotely in alignment with your established roadmap. From weeks 2-11, we will facilitate twice-weekly roundtable discussions and workshops. While participation isn't required, it's strongly advised.

The final week of the program we will host a virtual Demo Day. During this Demo Day we will invite our global ecosystem of investors & ecosystem members to view your pitch and even select one of the prize winners.

How do we choose which startups to fund?

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We utilize a robust evaluation framework encompassing 30 criteria across five pivotal domains: founder & team expertise, the novelty and necessity of the company idea, market potential, current traction, and the team's prowess of the technical architecture. Paramount in our assessment is the alignment between founder and market, the company's potential to significantly onboard web3 users, its capacity to address user challenges and how they plan on solving them, demonstrating ability of being able to do so, and building a technical architecture that is interoperable and others can build on top of/off of.

How much do you invest?

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We have a standard deal for the winner of Demo Day for every batch. Avalanche will invest $250K in two separate SAFEs: $125,000 in a post-money SAFE in return for a fixed 5% share of your company (a $2.5M cap), and another $125,000 in an uncapped SAFE with a Most Favored Nation (“MFN”) provision. The investment also includes a warrant for future tokens that you may issue.

What can I use the Codebase stipend for?

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The stipend is flexible; use it for salaries, expenses, or to extend your post-program runway. We highly encourage full-time commitment from participants during the program, and the stipend aids in this dedication.

What is the time commitment of Codebase?

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Participants are encouraged to work full-time on their company during the program and are mandated to attend in-person during on-boarding, and are encouraged to join our bi-weekly sessions. 

Outside these, we expect you to grow your company, engage with customers, and refine your product so that you testnet is ready to go live and be pitched at Demo Day

What are the dates for the next batch?

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Our batches begin every March and October, specific dates tbd.

This batch isn't a good time for me. Can I apply to the one after?

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Yes, please do. Even if you aren’t planning on applying for this batch, please join our mailing list so you can be apprised when the next pre-registration opens.

I’m actively fundraising now but the next batch doesn’t start for a long time. What should I do?

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You should join our mailing list and if you are eligible when the next batch opens up, you should apply.

What if I don’t get selected as the winner at Demo Day - do I have the chance at runner-up funding?

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Although we won't offer a dedicated fund for non-winners at Demo Day, the Avalanche team will assess all participating companies during the program. Their insights will guide decisions on funding from affiliated capital sources for other program participants.

Should I apply?

What are your high-level eligibility requirements?

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The primary requirement is that your company cannot have raised more than $250,000 in investment capital. If you have raised more than $250,000 through grants or a combination of grants and equity investments, you are eligible to apply and we will evaluate your company on a case-by-case basis.

If you have raised more than $250,000 in equity investment and believe you are a strong fit for the Avalanche ecosystem, please apply for Blizzard funding. Beyond this, every project must deploy their technology on the Avalanche blockchain and remain exclusive to it for a minimum of two years. If you are already building on another blockchain, we require that you also deploy your company on Avalanche.

I’m a solo founder, am I still eligible?

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Yes, you are eligible to apply and participate as a solo founder, however, we strongly encourage you to find a co-founder.

I want to help build a company but don’t have an idea of my own, how can I be involved?

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You should join our Talent Network. During the registration period we will facilitate connections between people who have applied with company ideas and those who are in the talent network.

Am I too early to apply to Codebase? Should I wait until I have more traction?

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No, you aren’t too early. Codebase is specifically designed to support the earliest stage founders. While having some level of traction will help your application, we do not require it. However, you should note that we do want to see that you have evidence that your company is solving a deeply-felt customer pain point.

We‘ve already been working on our startup for a while. Is Codebase appropriate for us?

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It depends on where you are in your product lifecycle. Perhaps you have been working on something and have not yet actually launched an MVP or testnet. If that’s the case, Codebase may be a good fit.

As long as you have not raised more than $250,000 in investment capital, please apply.

I’ve raised money at a higher valuation than is implied by the Codebase investment? Am I too far along to do Codebase? Is doing Codebase a “down-round”?

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If you’ve raised more than $250,000 in investment capital, you are not eligible to apply for Codebase.

We are confident that Codebase will benefit any founders who participate so if you believe you are a good fit, please apply.

Do you only fund startups that write software?

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All companies must have a software component that leverages the Avalanche blockchain.

Can a single person apply for funding?

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Yes, although we strongly encourage you to find a co-founder. We believe that having a co-founder is a competitive advantage, can provide valuable feedback, and help you iterate more quickly.

I have a great idea for a startup, but I‘m not technical. Will you still fund me?

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Because every company will be required to deploy on the Avalanche blockchain, it will be necessary that you have someone technical on your team.

Can I participate in Codebase while I’m a full-time student or working full-time at a job?

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Yes, although we will inquire with you during the application process to ensure that you are adequately committed to delivering an MVP within the 10-week period.

Codebase has already funded a company that does something similar to my idea. Will that affect my chances of being accepted?

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You should apply and we will evaluate to determine if there is a good fit with the program or not.

Can we apply more than once?

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You can apply as many times as you like but are only allowed to participate once should you be accepted.

Do we need to know someone at Codebase to get in?

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No, we will not prioritize companies who have a direct connection with the program. All applicants must fill out all of the required registration applications and be interviewed in order to be accepted into the program.

If we participated in another accelerator, can we do Codebase?

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Yes, so long as you have not raised more than $250,000 in investment capital.

Do we need to incorporate before applying?

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We invest in legal entities formed in the United States, Cayman Islands, and Singapore. If you haven't established a company yet, don’t worry; upon acceptance into the program, we can connect you with legal service providers that can assist you in the incorporation process.

What if we were incorporated in a non-US jurisdiction?

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If your startup is established in a country outside of the designated three, restructuring is essential. We can facilitate connections with legal professionals to determine the optimal course of action. Typically, the initial company transitions into a subsidiary, maintaining operations in its home country. The newfound parent company assumes ownership of all intellectual property and assets associated with your startup.

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