IBM launches accelerator program to help founders scale blockchain networks

IBM has announced the launch of its IBM Blockchain Founder Accelerator, an accelerator dedicated to helping enterprises and enterprise developers take blockchain networks into production faster.

IBM, which will select eight founders for its new program, said the accelerator is designed to address key challenges that enterprise developers encounter when developing blockchain networks. The accelerator aims to share this knowledge with founders to help with the adoption of their blockchains.

“Blockchain is a team sport.”
– Marie Wieck

Companies that join the accelerator — which is open to Canadian startups — will gain access to one-on-one mentorship and support by network founders in areas such as business case development, network membership incentives, technical development, and government and legal issues.

“Blockchain is a team sport. With the right network of participants collaborating on the blockchain, the benefits can be exponential,” said Marie Wieck, general manager of blockchain technology at IBM. “IBM has worked on more blockchain projects than any other player in the industry and we understand the challenges organizations face and the resources needed to get blockchain networks right the first time. IBM is proactively building solutions and entire blockchain ecosystems across a broad range of industries and we are sharing our expertise and resources to help more organizations quickly set up their networks.”

IBM noted that specifically, participants will have the chance to take part in design thinking workshops to help them build and launch their blockchain networks, as well as receive mentorship from members of IBM’s research team, IBM Labs, and the IBM Bluemix Garage.

Members will also receive early access to new pre-built software assets, delivered through IBM Cloud to help reduce the time and tech expertise needed for developers to write complex blockchain code. All participants will also receive up to $120,000 worth of IBM Cloud credits to fully leverage the ecosystem, as well as access to IBM Bluemix Garage sessions for development.

Interested founders can learn more about pricing and apply to the IBM Blockchain Founder Accelerator program here until June 2.

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Amira Zubairi

Amira Zubairi is a staff writer and content creator at BetaKit with a strong interest in Canadian startup, business, and legal tech news. In her free time, Amira indulges in baking desserts, working out, and watching legal shows.

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