# Io.net Launches $20M Grant Program to Accelerate Compute-Intensive AI Innovation

> Program offers free compute access and 20 million $IO tokens to empower startups, researchers, and developers building the future of AI

By Lidia Yadlos · December 20, 2025

Canonical: https://blockster.com/ionet-launches-20m-grant-program-to-accelerate-compute-intensive-ai-innovation

_New York | June 2025 |_ _[io.net](http://io.net)__, the intelligent stack for powering AI workflows, has launched a new Grant Program to support the advancement of compute-intensive AI startups, researchers, and developers through free compute access and a share of 20 million $IO tokens._

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Startups and developers pioneering innovative use cases for AI- and pushing the boundaries of large language models (LLMs)- are often constrained by the high cost of compute, limiting their ability to test and bring bold ideas to life. Without access to scalable infrastructure, innovation that could shape the world for the better risk never coming to fruition.

[Post from @ionet on X](https://twitter.com/ionet/status/1999191040037912807?s=20)

The [io.net](http://io.net) Grant Program is designed to address this challenge and help accelerate ambitious, compute-intensive projects.  It provides selected candidates free or discounted access to a full suite of tools to train, deploy, and scale AI systems, without relying on centralized infrastructure.

By removing these barriers, [io.net](http://io.net) is empowering the next generation of AI innovators, helping them bring powerful tools and platforms into real-world industries and workflows. Through the Grant Program, [io.net](http://io.net) is identifying the brightest ideas and most capable teams and equipping them with the resources to build faster, smarter, and at scale.

Gaurav Sharma, CEO of [io.net](http://io.net), said,

> Our full-stack infrastructure already reduces the cost of compute for developers of all sizes, but the most innovative teams still struggle to test and iterate on their ideas. The [io.net](http://io.net) Grant Program is the next step in expanding our support for the AI community. it’s going one step further- backing ambitious startups, researchers and developers with $IO tokens to accelerate their growth.

## Who Should Apply

The [io.net](http://io.net) Grant Program is now accepting applications, awarding tokens to teams with a bright idea, a product in development, or a live AI-powered platform. Selection criteria will prioritize projects with innovative, impactful, and scalable roadmaps that can benefit from [io.net](http://io.net)’s world-class distributed GPU infrastructure. Applications should include a clear technical plan with realistic milestones.

The program favors fresh thinking - allocating compute to teams advancing AI applications, models, and core infrastructure. Preference will be given to projects led by those with a proven track record of building innovative products, a clear commitment to their work, and a long-term vision for its impact.

[Post from @ionet on X](https://twitter.com/ionet/status/1996524374741160413?s=20)

## The Program Is Open To

- AI/ML startups in early or growth stages
- Research teams and open-source contributors
- Hackathon teams or innovative individual builders

To apply, visit xx  and complete a short application form. A member of the [io.net](http://io.net) team will follow up directly.

## About IO.net

With the world’s largest network of distributed GPUs and high-performance, on-demand compute, [io.net](http://io.net) is the only platform developers and organizations need to train models, run agents, and scale LLM infrastructure. No cloud lock-in. No delays, and up to 70% lower cost.