Blockchain startup æternity has launched an incubator program that aims to foster global blockchain ecosystem.

æternity Starfleet is a series of incubator and accelerator programs to build a network of innovators, investors, and industry enthusiasts and take the blockchain industry forward. It will support projects from seed stage and provide them with up to $250,000 in funding and access to the co-working space.

According to the official release, the first cohort is taking place in Sofia, Bulgaria. The initiative has co-working spaces in Vaduz, Liechtenstein; Berlin, Germany; and Zagreb, Croatia.

A separate entity, æternity Ventures, will manage and oversee the global incubator and accelerator programs. Based in Sofia, Bulgaria, æternity Ventures will also be responsible for strategic business partnerships and investments in early-stage blockchain ventures.

“With the program currently operating in Sofia, æternity Starfleet is well positioned to capture and channel the incredible energy in thriving blockchain communities, as we build a robust, worldwide blockchain ecosystem. We look forward to welcoming participants from all over the world in the weeks and months ahead,” æternity’s CBDO and CEO of æternity Ventures Nikola Stojanow said.

æternity Starfleet will support blockchain education and project development through an ongoing partnership with Software University in Sofia, Bulgaria, as well as creating job opportunities within the region and on an international stage.

“I expect this program will contribute greatly to the blockchain startup ecosystem. With a significant concentration of technical talent and entrepreneurs, a blockchain-focussed incubator program is exactly what the current ecosystem needs,” Hristo Tenchev, Founder of SoftUni, said.

The first wave of incubators will commence on June 11, 2018, with four weeks of intensive training and mentoring. At the end of every program, each team will be given the opportunity to present their project to an audience of investors, thought leaders, and blockchain experts.