The Virtuals Protocol has introduced the Virtuals Partners Network aimed at assisting AI crypto entrepreneurs with funding and developmental advice.
In a post on March 20 on X, it was revealed that the Virtuals Partners Network has been launched with the goal of aiding AI crypto founders in building and scaling their projects by linking them with leading investors, industry specialists, and researchers.
As blockchains transition from human-operated dApps to self-sufficient AI agents, the demand for support for AI agent creators is increasing. To address this need, the Partners Network brings together prominent investors, domain specialists, researchers, and AI developers. Participants within this network will have the opportunity to exchange insights, disseminating knowledge that can assist other builders in enhancing their AI agents. Domain specialists will expedite development by offering expert knowledge, while academic researchers ensure that concepts remain aligned with market trends through their latest findings.
Investors will gain access to projects that have been vetted by the network. Some of the investors already joining include Tommy Shaughnessy from Delphi Ventures, angel investor Jasmine, and Anand Iyer from Canonical.
The establishment of the Partners Network to support AI creators illustrates a rising trend in the crypto industry, where companies are developing initiatives to draw developers to AI agents on their platforms. In October 2024, Crypto.com launched a grant program aimed at supporting developers in creating AI agents. Similarly, Coinbase introduced the CDP AI Builder Grants Program, distributing five grants worth $3,000 each to projects developing AI bots that utilize Coinbase’s MPC Wallets.
These types of initiatives may be just what is needed to revitalize the AI agent narrative, which has been one of the most adversely affected segments in the current downturn of the crypto market—AI tokens’ market cap has plummeted from its peak of $10 billion to approximately $4.4 billion at present.
Previously, crypto analyst Crypto Stream mentioned that for liquidity to return to AI tokens, three criteria must be met: large caps need to stabilize, interest in AI agents should persist, and no new compelling narrative should surface. Programs like the Virtuals Partners Network seem to be addressing the second condition by fostering sustained interest in AI agents.