The 2024 Filecoin Ecosystem Rewind

As 2024 comes to a close, it's time to look back and celebrate a year of progress, milestones, and innovation across the Filecoin ecosystem. This year, developers built more apps on Filecoin than ever before, storage providers expanded their services, and AI teams found new ways to collaborate with the Filecoin ecosystem to build decentralized storage and compute into their offerings. Let’s dive in and replay the highlights.

A Year of Milestones: In Space and Across L1s

We kicked off the year by announcing that Filecoin Foundation (FF) successfully completed a first-of-its-kind mission deploying the InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) in space. The demonstration involved sending files from Earth to orbit and back using an implementation of the IPFS protocol designed for space communications.

And FF is building bridges with other Layer 1 (L1) ecosystems to enhance decentralization and resilience. This month, Blockfrost announced an integration with Filecoin as a robust backup layer for Blockfrost-built Cardano apps. Blockfrost will also introduce a new service tier for Cardano builders that includes IPFS and Filecoin storage. 

Earlier this year, we announced a collaboration driven by Triton One and DCENT to archive Solana’s block history on Filecoin, enhancing the decentralization of the Solana ecosystem. 

Filecoin is Key Infrastructure for Decentralized AI

As the AI industry continues to expand, there is a growing need for data storage and computational power. Web3 tools like Filecoin are uniquely positioned to help decentralize and support AI development, without concentrating power in the hands of a few players. This approach fosters AI advancement while ensuring that development remains open and transparent. 

FF announced collaborations with leading AI companies including SingularityNET, Theoriq, Bagel, Nuklai, KiteAI, and Aethir in 2024, each highlighting the versatility of the Filecoin network as decentralized infrastructure for AI. 

In November, Filecoin was featured on Fast Company’s Next Big Things in Tech list, honoring emerging technology that has a profound impact on industries. Filecoin was recognized as a key piece of internet infrastructure powering decentralized artificial intelligence.

Filecoin L2s Take Off

A rise in Filecoin L2s, including Akave, Storacha, and Textile’s Basin, offer modular, tailored, and scalable solutions for building on Filecoin. L2s extend Filecoin's chain capabilities and performance, with the ability to customize features for different markets and customers across AI, DePIN, enterprise, compute, gaming, and more.

As the network scales, these developments mark an inflection point in the Filecoin network’s position as the largest decentralized storage network designed to preserve humanity’s most important information.

Dozens of New Teams are Contributing to the Network

The Filecoin ecosystem offers a thriving ecosystem for projects, teams, and companies to build technology for today and for the future. Over the past year, new organizations have launched to support the growth and decentralization of the network, driving change across Filecoin and the web.

FIL-B, FilOz, Akave, Curio, Storacha, Filponto, IPC, ANSA Research, CryptoEconLab, DeStor, and Space Meridian are just some of the new organizations helping to make Filecoin the base layer of the decentralized web.

Thank You!

As we get ready to turn the page on another great year in the Filecoin ecosystem, we want to thank the incredible community of builders, storage providers, data clients, and all those who are helping shape the future of the web. And we invite you to get involved and help us make the upcoming year our best one yet. 

Network News

Thanks to the over 1,100 people who attended FIL Bangalore 3.0, sponsored by Huddle01 and supported by FF, to make it the biggest FIL Bangalore event yet! Founders from teams across the ecosystem offered insights on some of the foremost topics across the Filecoin network. Check out the full recap of highlights, interviews, keynotes, and more on Huddle01's YouTube channel. 

Decentralized AI: Inside the Morpheus Project with David Johnston. In this episode of DWeb Decoded, David Johnston, a trailblazer in blockchain and decentralized web ecosystems, discusses the Morpheus Project and the rise of decentralized AI.

Build With Us

ICYMI: FIL Builder Next Step Grants are live. Working on an on-chain project on Filecoin with the Filecoin Virtual Machine, with a proof of concept or a solid background in blockchain development? This grant could be for you. Launched at FIL Bangkok in collaboration with FIL-B, these grants provide up to $10,000 per grant to assist builders with taking their Filecoin projects to the next level. Learn more about the focus areas and apply. 

Kick off 2025 by finding an Orbit event happening near you! Network with members of your local Filecoin community at these always-welcoming, free-to-attend Orbit events.

Ecosystem Spotlight

Congratulations to the Harvard Undergraduate Blockchain Club on winning the Orbit University Challenge for their submission exploring a decentralized AI platform for carbon credit verification!

Thank you to all the clubs who participated in the challenge. We look forward to seeing your contributions to the world of decentralized technology.

Governance

Get ready for Fast Finality in Filecoin (F3), the biggest network upgrade since FVM. F3 is coming to the network in 2025, speeding up finality on the network by 450x. With F3, finalization times are reduced from 7.5 hours (900 epochs) to just minutes, improving user experience and opening the door for more applications, exchanges, and interoperability on the network. Read more.