Ankr, a leading Web3 infrastructure provider, has unveiled its AI-focused Layer 1 blockchain, Neura, on the public testnet. Neura, initially introduced in March, empowers developers to construct decentralized applications blending AI, cloud computing, and blockchain technology, as per a statement provided to The Block. The platform aims to assist AI startups in overcoming challenges such as funding, GPU resource accessibility, and efficient data storage.
In line with its “Road to Mainnet” strategy, Ankr has also launched an “AI Innovators Competition,” offering selected projects a total of $100,000 in ANKR token grants. This initiative targets developers and AI researchers to create decentralized AI models and apps on Neura’s platform, utilizing features like an on-demand decentralized GPU marketplace, an Initial Model Offering fundraising framework, decentralized AI data storage, and smart contracts governing AI access, assets, and operations.
Kev Silk, Neura’s Senior Product Manager, expressed excitement about the public testnet launch and the upcoming AI Innovators Competition, anticipating groundbreaking projects leveraging Neura’s advanced capabilities.
Neura’s native cryptocurrency will be the ANKR token, which Ankr Network intends to integrate as a rewards system for ANKR holders, preceding the anticipated mainnet launch later this year. Silk emphasized that ANKR token holders would have the initial opportunity to engage with and invest in the developments, showcasing the transformative potential of AI models and applications built on Neura.
Neura operates on the Cosmos SDK and is compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine. It manages AI model data by integrating with off-chain storage solutions like Celestia, EigenLayer, IPFS, and Arweave, while also ensuring security through integration with the Bitcoin staking protocol Babylon.
The Neura team plans to implement token standards such as ERC-404 and ERC-7641 to enable fractional ownership and transparent revenue sharing within the ecosystem, streamlining “Initial Model Offering” token sales for projects through crowdsourced capital raises.
Ankr joins a cohort of projects seeking to harness the synergy between AI and crypto. For instance, imgnAI recently secured a $1.6 million seed round to support the launch of a “digital companion,” while Bagel Network, a decentralized data platform supporting machine learning models, raised $3.1 million in a pre-seed round led by CoinFund.
