Throughout this year, we have had the pleasure of meeting with many potential partners in the blockchain, IoT, connectivity, and smart device industries. Through these interactions, we have gained valuable insights about our role in the blockchain and IoT ecosystems, as well as reaffirmed the importance of aligning ourselves with strategic partners that share similar values and vision. Today, we are proud to announce our official partnerships program and website, where we will showcase our strategic partnerships across development partners (e.g., IoT companies, blockchain projects), ecosystem partners (e.g., distributors, incubators), and alliances. The official website will be launched during the first week of August.
What is IoTeX’s philosophy on strategic partnerships?
Quality over quantity, collaboration over one-sided gains, results over hype — these are the guiding principles that IoTeX stands by. We categorize our strategic partnerships into two categories: development partners and ecosystem partners. We select our development partners based on the strength of their teams, concept, and technology, as well as their reciprocated commitment to achieving real results (i.e., launch DApps on IoTeX). For our ecosystem partners, we aim to work with established players that can help expedite IoTeX’s expansion globally and bridge the gap between the traditional and blockchain worlds.
In addition, we are also focused on building geographic diversity and a wide range of use cases amongst our strategic partners. We know that bringing the universal benefits of blockchain / IoT to every country in the world cannot be done alone. It will require concerted efforts of the IoTeX team, our community, and our strategic partners — let’s make it happen together!
What is the structure of IoTeX’s strategic partnerships?
For our development partners, the purpose, milestones, and underlying use cases of each partnership are unique, but they all share a similar goal: to launch a working solution on the IoTeX blockchain. We’ve outlined the high-level structure below:
- Use case design: Create a mutual understanding of IoTeX and partners’ technology/vision via research and information sharing. This mutual understanding will serve as a foundation to define the best approach to utilize IoTeX’s technology and design innovative solutions.
- Proofs of concept: Plan and execute proofs of concept on the IoTeX blockchain. Begin by prototyping specific components, and incrementally develop more comprehensive proofs of concept (PoCs). Provide partners testing resources (e.g., consumers, companies), as needed, and iterate based on results.
- Product launch: Once production-ready, provide partners direct access to the IoTeX ecosystem (e.g., community, distribution partners) to build awareness and assist in provisioning sub-chains / launching DApp.
*Note: throughout the above process, we will gather/incorporate feedback from our partners, with the goal of improving the robustness and usability of the IoTeX platform.
Our ecosystem partners will help grow and enhance the IoTeX ecosystem in various ways. The structure and timeline of these partnerships will also vary, and we will develop concrete plans for each to maximize the benefits for IoTeX and the broader ecosystem. Each ecosystem partner will fulfill some or all of the following roles:
- Source: Bring in new development partners, other ecosystem partners, funding sources, team members (e.g., core team, advisors), capabilities (e.g., new hardware, technologies), and use cases (e.g., new DApps / uses of IoTeX platform).
- Foster: Enhance the current state of the IoTeX project, such as technical enhancements to the core infrastructure (i.e., root chain) and sub-chains / DApps, improvements to governance / crypto-economics, and more.
- Distribute: Extend the reach of IoTeX’s platform, DApps, and products to a wider audience, most notably by providing access to new marketing/distribution channels and emerging regions.
What are the benefits of being a strategic partner of IoTeX?
Our strategic partners will benefit from direct contact with the IoTeX team, as well as the ability to collaborate with other IoTeX strategic partners. In the near-term, IoTeX will likely interact with our partners in a one-to-one or one-to-few fashion. As the IoTeX project and partnership program matures, we will seek to connect synergistic partners within the IoTeX network.
- Development partners: While any developer can leverage IoTeX’s open-source infrastructure to build DApps, our official partners will benefit from hands-on advisory via direct access to IoTeX’s product and technical teams. Development partners will be prioritized to beta test new IoTeX features and will receive access to IoTeX’s network of blockchain / IoT contacts. Other resources, such as funding for proofs of concept, guidance on governance and crypto-economics, and technical consulting, will be provided on a discretionary basis.
- Ecosystem partners: Our ecosystem partners will benefit from working directly with the IoTeX team, our development partners, and other ecosystem partners to align their sourcing, fostering, and distribution-related capabilities with blockchain technology. We will leverage the existing reach and influence of our ecosystem partners to bring new opportunities to IoTeX and our development partners.
How can I become a strategic partner of IoTeX?
Upon the launch of our partnerships website, IoTeX will begin accepting applications to become a strategic partner. Interested individuals, IoT companies, research institutions, hardware manufacturers, and more can apply by completing the form on our official partnerships website. All interested parties should provide a short write-up regarding the purpose / goals of the partnership, their envisioned role in the IoTeX ecosystem, and their work experience. Applicants may also attach any relevant documentation, links to Github code, or other supporting materials. We will review all applications and selectively choose standout parties to work closely with the IoTeX team. Come join us on our mission to connect the physical world, block by block!