Name

Blockchain Acceleration Foundation

Legal name

BAF, Inc.

Website

https://blockchainacceleration.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Westlake Village

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Organization offers membership program for individuals to join BAF network and access resources
2. Corporate/Protocol Partnerships: Protocols and blockchain companies sponsor programs and activations in exchange for access to developer talent and community engagement

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Blockchain Acceleration Foundation (BAF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates a portfolio of programs connecting blockchain protocols with academic institutions, developers, and students. Its deliverables include University Tours, Builder Residences, Research Retreats, Conference Activations, Ambassador Programs, and a GTM Partner LATAM service for protocol market expansion, alongside educational resources and a community newsletter.

Product overview

Blockchain Acceleration Foundation (BAF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit accelerating global blockchain adoption through education, community, and impact-driven programs. The organization operates as a program portfolio rather than a unified software platform. Core offerings include University Tours (multi-stop initiatives connecting blockchain clubs and protocols), Builder Residence (intensive mentorship residencies), Research Retreats (academic-industry collaboration), Conference Activations (engagement at Consensus and Devcon), Developer Experience (hackathons and workshops), and Ambassador Programs. The GTM Partner LATAM initiative provides strategic growth services for Latin American market expansion. Educational resources include StellarXBAF Education Course, How to Build with Near Ai Agents, and Stellar en Español (Spanish-language resources). BAF also operates the B'News Newsletter for community updates.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Stellar Week: A week-long builders' residency and pro hackathon gathering top developers from across LATAM, featuring Stellar Hack+, Stellar Lab, and Casa Stellar programs.
• B'News

Products and services

• University Tours

Quantifiable outcome

• 200+ student groups reached globally
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• Stellar Development FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Primary ecosystem partner for Stellar Week 2025 in Buenos Aires. BAF collaborates with Stellar core team to host Stellar Lab (3-day bootcamp), Stellar Hack+ hackathon ($15,000 prize pool), and Casa Stellar (110-builder residency). Partnership focuses on growing Stellar builder ecosystem in LATAM through hands-on developer programs.
• Odisea LabssecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on 'From Zero to DApp with Stellar + Rust' bootcamp. Best projects from the bootcamp receive 5 scholarships for Casa Stellar residency. Joint program to train developers in Soroban smart contract development.
• Código FuturasecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerSix-week intensive program helping women transition from Web2 to Web3. Program includes two sessions per week with hands-on learning. 20 scholarships awarded for Casa Stellar from this cohort.
• Aleph HubminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEvent venue partner for Stellar Lab sessions in Buenos Aires. Hosted opening session 'The State of Stellar' as part of Stellar Week 2025.
• DoraHackssecondaryTechnology or IntegrationHackathon platform partner for Stellar Hack+ submissions and track management. Platform used for hackathon registration and project submissions.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Thirdweb: Web3 development platform offering SDKs, smart contract toolkits, and educational content for builders. Comparable to BAF in providing developer enablement resources, though as part of a broader for-profit infrastructure offering.
• Ethereum Foundation: Foundation stewarding the Ethereum ecosystem via grants, research, community events, and educational programs. Comparable to BAF in mission orientation toward protocol-level ecosystem growth and developer enablement.
• Solana Foundation: Foundation supporting the Solana ecosystem through grants, hackathons, events, and developer programs. Comparable to BAF as a protocol-side ecosystem builder with global developer outreach ambitions.
• Figment: Blockchain infrastructure provider running Figment Learn, an educational hub for staking and protocol learning. Comparable to BAF in combining protocol services with Web3 education, though with a more staking-focused curriculum.
• Web3 Foundation: Foundation supporting the Polkadot ecosystem via grants, education, and community programs. Comparable to BAF as a larger, protocol-aligned organization fostering developer communities, though at a fundamentally different scale and governance scope.

Direct peers

• Alchemy University: Free blockchain developer education platform operated by Alchemy, offering structured learning paths, cohorts, and community. Closely comparable to BAF's StellarXBAF and Stellar en Español educational offerings for onboarding new Web3 builders.
• Encode Club: UK-based Web3 education and hackathon organization running developer bootcamps, community programs, and accelerator-style cohorts. Directly comparable to BAF's model of pairing protocol-sponsored education with hackathons and residencies.
• LearnWeb3: Open-access Web3 education platform providing free developer courses and tutorials across multiple protocols. Comparable to BAF in delivering free, curriculum-style Web3 education to students and early-career developers globally.
• DoraHacks: Global hackathon platform organizing Web3 hackathons, bounty programs, and builder grants worldwide. Directly comparable to BAF's Stellar Hack+ programming and an existing technology partner used by BAF for hackathon submissions.

Emerging players

• Developer DAO: Decentralized community of Web3 builders focused on education, project development, and grants. Comparable to BAF in community-led Web3 developer enablement, though organized as a DAO rather than a 501(c)(3).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• GitHubgithub.com/TheBAFNetwork7
• Xx.com/TheBAFNetwork
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheBAFNetwork
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/thebafnetwork

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Blockchain Acceleration Foundation