Interledger Foundation
Non-profit advancing open payment systems and digital financial inclusion; runs the Interledger on Campus Mini-Grant Program for student-led university projects.
Interledger Foundation at a glance
| Address | United States |
|---|---|
| Programmes | 5 standing programmes |
| Official website | interledger.org |
Programs by Interledger Foundation
1 past program · Filter all programs
Programmes they run
Standing programmes at Interledger Foundation, separate from the funding calls above.
Interledger Fellowship Program
FellowshipA 12-month program supporting emerging leaders across various fields working on open financial systems, offering a $72,000 stipend and $20,000 project funding.
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The program is open to researchers, developers, educators, policy advocates, journalists, and community organisers working at the intersection of technology and access to digital financial services. It supports independent research, technical development, policy advocacy, educational resources, and community building, focusing on barriers like transaction costs, documentation, infrastructure, and regulatory frameworks. Fellows receive a $72,000 stipend and $20,000 project funding, access to the Foundation's network, peer learning, presentation opportunities, and mentorship. Applications require a grant application, budget, timeline, CV, and recommendation letters.
Open Payments Accelerator
AcceleratorA four-month program offering $50,000 in early-stage funding for founders and developer-led teams building digital financial services for underserved communities.
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The program supports early-stage innovators in moving from problem definition to a demo-ready proof of concept, with structured mentorship, technical workshops, and cohort learning. Solutions should intentionally use Interledger or Open Payments, focusing on areas like interoperable payments, remittances, merchant payments, and low-cost financial access. Grantees receive $50,000 funding, structured support, technical workshops, access to the Interledger ecosystem, and an opportunity to showcase their proof of concept at a virtual Demo Day, with selected teams receiving additional funding for the Interledger Summit.
Digital Financial Services grant program
Grant schemeFunds regulated financial service providers to integrate Interledger technology into their platforms, with grant amounts up to $250,000 or $150,000 over a 12-month program.
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The program aims to expand the global network of open, interoperable payments infrastructure. It is open to digital wallets, mobile money operators, savings co-ops, community banks, and neo-banks, supporting technical development, integration, platform expansion, and user adoption. There are two tracks: 'Interledger | Enabled' (up to $250,000) for providers integrating via Rafiki (open-source Interledger Protocol implementation) and 'Interledger | Unlocked' (up to $150,000) for web-based platforms integrating the Open Payments API. Grantees receive funding, Foundation staff support, access to a community of practitioners, technical resources, and presentation opportunities.
NextGen Higher Education
Grant schemeA grant program for academic institutions to develop curriculum, research, and hands-on learning in open payments and financial inclusion.
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The program supports universities in curriculum development and integration, interdisciplinary research, and preparing the next generation of leaders for real-world application. It aims to build practical capability across geographies and disciplines for open financial systems.
Interledger on Campus
Grant schemeProvides mini-grants for student-led, faculty-supported projects exploring open payments and financial inclusion through on-campus events like hackathons and workshops.
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The program is open to any discipline with a relevant project, designed to build practical capability and encourage experimentation with open payments technologies and connected financial infrastructure.
Incubation tracks
The routes into Interledger Foundation, and what each one includes.
| Track | Type | Space | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interledger Fellowship ProgramFor researchers, developers, advocates, and educators working on open financial systems. | Fellowship | — | stipend, project funding, network access, peer learning, presentation opportunities, institutional support, mentorship |
| Open Payments AcceleratorFor early-stage founders and developer-led teams building digital financial services for underserved communities. | Acceleration | — | funding, structured support, technical workshops, mentorship, cohort learning, ecosystem access, demo day presentation, additional funding opportunities |
Support services
Help offered alongside funding and space.
About Interledger Foundation
The Interledger Foundation is an independent organization dedicated to building open infrastructure and fostering open financial systems where money moves freely. It stewards open standards like the Interledger Protocol and Open Payments, providing funding and institutional support to individuals and teams implementing these technologies. The Foundation collaborates with regulators and institutions to enable these systems to operate and scale in the real world. It supports a diverse ecosystem through various grant programs, including the Interledger Fellowship for researchers, developers, and advocates, the Open Payments Accelerator for early-stage fintech founders, and Digital Financial Services grants for regulated financial service providers to integrate its technology. Additionally, it offers education grants to universities and student-led projects to build knowledge and practical capability in open payments and financial inclusion.
Frequently asked questions about Interledger Foundation
What does Interledger Foundation do?
The Interledger Foundation is an independent organization dedicated to building open infrastructure and fostering open financial systems where money moves freely.
Where is Interledger Foundation located?
Interledger Foundation is based in United States.
What programs does Interledger Foundation run?
Interledger Foundation runs Interledger Fellowship Program, Open Payments Accelerator, Digital Financial Services grant program and NextGen Higher Education, among others.
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