DAWN raises $13M to expand decentralized broadband networks
TL;DR
DAWN raised $13M in Series B funding led by Polychain Capital to expand its decentralized broadband network in the U.S. and internationally. The protocol enables users to own and monetize wireless infrastructure, earning rewards for providing internet access.
Key Takeaways
- •DAWN secured $13 million in Series B funding led by Polychain Capital to grow its decentralized broadband network.
- •The protocol allows individuals and organizations to host wireless nodes, monetizing infrastructure and earning rewards based on coverage and demand.
- •Funding will support expansion across the U.S. and international deployments, targeting underserved areas like Accra, Ghana.
- •DAWN is part of the DePIN trend, decentralizing physical infrastructure to challenge traditional broadband models.
- •The project includes consumer hardware like the Black Box device, enabling households to participate in broadband delivery and earn rewards.
What to know:
- DAWN raised $13 million in a Series B led by Polychain Capital.
- The protocol enables individuals and organizations to own and monetize wireless broadband infrastructure.
- New funding will support U.S. growth and international rollouts.
- DAWN raised $13 million in a Series B led by Polychain Capital.
- The protocol enables individuals and organizations to own and monetize wireless broadband infrastructure.
- New funding will support U.S. growth and international rollouts.
DAWN, a decentralized protocol designed to deliver a multigigabit broadband service owned and operated by users, said it raised $13 million in a Series B funding round led by Polychain Capital.
The money will be used to expand the Solana-based protocol's network coverage across the U.S. and roll out international deployments, according to an announcement shared with CoinDesk on Thursday.
The New York-based project allows individuals and organizations to act as network hosts, deploying wireless nodes that provide internet access. The hosts earn rewards based on coverage quality and demand. The model aims to sidestep the centralized ownership structures that dominate traditional broadband, instead distributing infrastructure ownership to the network edge.
The funding highlights the interest of investors in the introduction of decentralization to real-world services, an approach known as decentralized physical infrastructure (DePIN).
DAWN is not alone in identifying communication as a DePIN application. Another prominent project, Helium, allows users to act as small cellphone sites by installing hot spots. The platform, also built on Solana, expanded to the Brazilian market this month in a partnership with local WiFi provider Mambo.
DAWN reaches over 4 million households in the U.S, while an initial international rollout in Accra, Ghana targets underserved districts where fiber has proven slow and expensive to deploy.
The project also introduced consumer hardware, including its Black Box device, which doubles as a router and a decentralized infrastructure node. The device supports multiple blockchain ecosystems and allows households to participate directly in broadband delivery while earning rewards.
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