From its humble beginnings as a block scanner for Ethereum-based side chains, Blockscout has evolved into a crucial ecosystem-wide blockchain explorer, thanks in part to the community-driven funding of Gitcoin Grants. This funding not only sustained the project but also fueled significant innovation, turning Blockscout into a powerful tool in the open-source ecosystem. Blockscout’s evolution through Gitcoin Grants rounds is a testament to how community-driven funding can fuel innovation and sustain open-source projects that might otherwise struggle to survive.
The Beginning of Blockscout on Gitcoin Grants
Blockscout’s journey with Gitcoin began in 2023 when the project participated in their first Quadratic Funding (QF) round. The partnership was a natural alignment with both organizations sharing a deep commitment to open-source software and decentralized technologies.
Over the course of five Gitcoin rounds, Blockscout raised significant funds that were crucial in driving key developments.
Blockscout’s Success in Gitcoin Rounds
In their first round, Ethereum Infrastructure, Blockscout raised over $4,000 from 95 contributors, with a matching bonus of $3,300. This funding allowed Blockscout to open-source a new user interface, a significant milestone that enhanced the project's accessibility and usability.
The second round Blockscout participated in, Ethereum Core Infrastructure, Research, and Development, was held on Polygon in November 2023. This round demonstrated the true power of QF to them for the first time, as Blockscout raised $1,400 from 2,751 contributors, earning a matching bonus of $6,500. The funds were used to develop the "My Account" feature, allowing users to customize their explorer experience and improving developer tooling for custom APIs and contract verification.
The fourth round Blockscout participated in, Developer Tooling and Libraries, took place on Arbitrum in April 2024. In this round, Blockscout raised over $9,000 from 5,000 contributors, with a matching bonus exceeding $17,000. This funding was crucial in expanding the team and pushing forward new features, including content development for their recently released app marketplace, DAppscout.
“After the fourth Gitcoin round we were able to bring on someone to help with the content for DAppScout, which been a big source of growth and engagement for the explorer.”
In Gitcoin’s latest round, GG21 Blockscout raised a total of $5,771.3.
Blockscout Before Gitcoin
Blockscout’s story began as a solution to a practical problem faced by the POA Network, one of the first Ethereum sidechains. Founded by Igor Barinov, Blockscout was created out of necessity when the team needed a blockchain explorer that could serve their sidechain. With limited options available, they built Blockscout, an open-source blockchain explorer designed to be flexible, customizable, and accessible to all.
As the POA Network evolved, so did Blockscout. The team launched a second chain called xDAI, which eventually merged with Gnosis Chain. This merger provided the initial seed funding that allowed Blockscout to grow into a standalone product. However, as the project expanded, additional support was needed, leading Blockscout to seek funding through Gitcoin.
Flexibility and Community Support Through Gitcoin
One of the most unique aspects of Gitcoin’s support is the flexibility it offers. Unlike traditional grants, which often come with strict conditions on how funds must be used, Gitcoin’s grants allow Blockscout to allocate resources where they are most needed. This flexibility has been instrumental in enabling the team to address immediate needs, whether it’s fixing bugs, developing new features, or expanding community engagement.
“Gitcoin gives us a broader base where we can use the grant in ways that appeal to a more diverse group of users or just towards things we need to fix that wouldn't be covered by other grants or projects.”
The matching mechanism of Gitcoin’s QF rounds ensures that even lesser-known projects, which might not have the backing of large VC funds, can still gain significant support from the community. For Blockscout, this has translated into not just funding, but also exposure to a broad audience—over 7,800 people have contributed to their efforts across the three rounds, reflecting the strong community support for their mission.
The flexibility in fund allocation, combined with the exposure to a large, engaged community, makes Gitcoin an ideal platform for projects that prioritize decentralization and open-source development.
“We always want to align with projects like Gitcoin that are experimenting, innovating, as well as supporting open source. There's obviously people out there who are incentive driven and when there's a lot of money on the table it can change their values a little bit. So we're happy to be aligned with Gitcoin in that way, helping bring forward open source.”
Conclusion: Future with Gitcoin
Through running in Gitcoin Grants rounds, Blockscout has not only secured the funding necessary to continue their work but has also built a community of supporters who believe in their mission. Through these regular funding rounds, Blockscout will continue to innovate, driven by the belief that decentralization and open-source technology are the keys to a more resilient and equitable digital world.