Polyhedra and Aethir Launch Joint Incubator to Accelerate Development of Verifiable AI Applications
Polyhedra, the company behind EXPchain, and Aethir, the leading decentralized GPU cloud compute provider, have launched a joint incubator program aimed at fast-tracking the creation of verifiable AI applications.
This collaboration brings together scalable compute access and transparent infrastructure, providing a structured pathway to help early-stage teams build production-ready AI applications across various sectors, including enterprise, research, and open-source domains.
Addressing Bottlenecks in AI Development
With AI development accelerating at a rapid pace, the number of AI startups has surged, with 20 new companies joining the global unicorn list since 2023. In 2024, AI-related startup funding reached $110 billion, marking a 62% year-over-year increase.
Despite this influx of capital, many AI startups face challenges like limited access to compute resources and the lack of verifiable infrastructure needed for model training and deployment.
This joint incubator program is designed to address these challenges by providing a full-stack solution that supports AI teams from proof of concept to production.
A Unified Full-Stack Solution
The incubator will offer projects access to Polyhedra’s zero-knowledge toolkits and on-chain verification infrastructure for secure AI development. The projects will then scale using Aethir’s decentralized GPU cloud for inference, fine-tuning, and launch.
This integration enables startups to build, test, and deploy within the same infrastructure they will rely on long-term, thus solving common scaling hurdles while ensuring the integrity of AI models.
Bart Meyer, chief ecosystem officer of Polyhedra. Said, “AI developers face real challenges today in accessing scalable compute and reliable infrastructure.”
He added, “By joining forces with Aethir, we're offering a full-stack solution, from high-performance GPU compute to verifiable AI tooling, so teams can go from idea to enterprise-ready frictionlessly."
Also read: Ampere AI Infrastructures Unveil New Partnership and Platform Advancements to Accelerate AI and Cloud Growth
Grants and Funding Opportunities
Participants in the incubator will receive non-dilutive grants ranging from $10,000 to $100,000 from Polyhedra, along with technical integration and developer tools on EXPchain, a Layer 1 blockchain designed specifically for AI-native applications and verifiable compute.
Additionally, teams will gain subsidized access to Aethir's decentralized GPU cloud through Aethir’s $100 million Ecosystem Fund, providing up to $100,000 in GPU compute credits to scale AI workloads in testnet or mainnet environments without centralized dependencies.
This collaboration is a significant step forward in the development of verifiable AI. By combining Polyhedra’s expertise in secure infrastructure and Aethir’s powerful GPU compute resources, the incubator aims to accelerate the pace of AI innovation, enabling startups to build AI solutions that are both scalable and trustworthy.
With the added benefit of grants and compute credits, the program provides a unique opportunity for early-stage AI teams to push the boundaries of what’s possible in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.
