Building 1,000 Chains Starts Now: Aurora Labs Unveils “Aurora Blocks” Incubator on NEAR Protocol
Gibraltar, May 14, 2025 — Aurora Labs is launching Aurora Blocks, a 6-week incubator designed to fast-track early-stage teams in building EVM-compatible Virtual Chains on NEAR.
The program will provide a total of $250,000 across five teams, along with technical mentorship, business advisory, and go-to-market support.
To make this possible, Aurora Blocks brings together a network of leading partners across Web3 infrastructure, security, growth, and funding – including Lemniscap, NEAR, CV VC, MarketAcross, Hacken, Cookie DAO, Peanut.Trade, AuditOne, Aleph Cloud, Cere Network, Billions Network, and Mobula.io. These partners will contribute through workshops, 1:1 mentorship, advisory sessions, and infrastructure support throughout the program.
Aurora Blocks targets high-impact verticals, including AI/DeFAI, DeFi, Bitcoin L2s, RWA, and DePIN. It aims to launch chains that drive real adoption and showcase actual utility.
Part of Aurora’s broader mission to launch 1,000 Virtual Chains in 2025, this incubator plays a critical role in helping founders move from concept to fully operational networks.
“We’re building the future of on-chain ecosystems – one Virtual Chain at a time,” said Alex Shevchenko, CEO of Aurora Labs. “This incubator is about more than funding; we’re giving teams the infrastructure, guidance, and momentum they need to launch real products, attract users, and scale. Aurora Blocks is what allows us to turn bold ideas into reality.”
Applications are open now through May 28, 2025 at aurorablocks.dev.
After an initial review, five teams will be selected to receive seed funding, premium dev tools, security audits, mentorship, and legal support.
The program culminates in a Demo Day on July 23, 2025, where teams will debut their Virtual Chains to investors and the broader NEAR ecosystem.
Aurora Labs is committed to setting high standards for team cohesion, user adoption, investor satisfaction, and overall project viability. Aurora Blocks is designed to help teams build Virtual Chains, which are custom Ethereum-compatible blockchains on NEAR. The incubator provides resources to launch scalable, low-cost chains and uses Aurora’s technology to create successful new projects in the market.
Alexander Stefanov
Reporter at Coindoo
Alex is an experienced finance journalist and a cryptocurrency and blockchain enthusiast. With over 8 years of experience covering the crypto, blockchain and fintech industries, he deeply understands the complex and constantly evolving world of digital assets. His insightful and thought-provoking articles provide readers with a clear picture of the latest developments and trends in the market. His passionate approach allows him to break down complex ideas into accessible and insightful content. Follow up on his content to be up to date with the most important trends and topics.
