Aptos partners with Ignition AI Accelerator to boost APAC AI startups

Aptos Foundation has announced a partnership with Ignition AI Accelerator, an Nvidia-backed initiative that aims to accelerate the growth of AI-focused startups in Asia.

The collaboration brings together the Aptos Foundation and the NVIDIA, Tribe and Digital Industry Singapore-backed AI Ignition Accelerator to drive the next phase of AI growth in the Asia Pacific region.

AI startups in APAC eyed

According to the announcement shared on X, the partnership will benefit from Aptos’ (APT) blockchain technology as well as funding support.

These resources will be allocated to startups accepted into the accelerator program. Meanwhile, the Aptos Foundation expects to leverage Microsoft’s OpenAI Service to remove adoption barriers, the companies said.

Ng Yi Ming, director of Ignition AI Accelerator, said the integration will go beyond supporting AI growth. It is expected to create synergies globally by combining resources and expertise to empower entrepreneurs and teams across the ecosystem.

Aptos blockchain’s expanding ecosystem

The Aptos ecosystem supports a growing number of projects, from decentralized finance, gaming, and tools to stablecoins and marketplaces. Other projects include non-fungible token vehicles, decentralized physical infrastructure networks, bridges, and AI.

In June 2024, entertainment giant NBCUniversal announced a long-term partnership with Aptos, selecting the blockchain network for its gaming and fan experience initiatives. The move follows an initial partnership in September 2023.

In July 2024, event ticketing platform KYD Labs partnered with Le Poisson Rouge to bring the historic venue’s shows and tickets to the chain via Aptos. The blockchain platform also recently partnered with streaming platform myco to bring web3 entertainment to the mainstream.

The Singapore-based Ignition AI Accelerator, which will launch in May 2024, is backed by government accelerator program Tribe and AI chip maker NVIDIA.