The Aligned Institute Private Grant Program provides non-dilutive funding (no equity taken) for AI safety research via a Swiss-based governance structure. Researchers receive USDC. In the future they may receive SAT tokens (pegged at $150 USD) convertible to a preferred stablecoin in the Aligned Institute wallet, ensuring full autonomy over their work.

• No Equity: You keep 100% ownership.
• Patient Capital: 36-month cycles.
• Open Source: Funded research must remain public.
• Fast Decisions: 60-day timeline.

Grant tiers are chosen by the research project and approved or modified by the governance board. KPIs/milestones are chosen by individual projects, and approved or modified by the same governance board.

Tier 1: Targeted Projects ($100k+)

For tools, datasets, and pilots. Duration: 6-12 months.

Tier 2: Applied Research ($250k+)

For research with commercial/real-world application. Duration: 12-24 months.

Tier 3: Transformational Research ($1M+)

For high-reward, foundational breakthroughs. Duration: 24-36 months.

NOTE: No vesting is allowed for Tier 1 grants; Tiers 2 and 3 are milestone-based releases only.

1. Admin Review (2 weeks): Eligibility and budget check.
2. Committee Review (3 weeks): Expert scoring on merit, feasibility, and impact. Top 30-40% proceed.
3. Token Holder Vote (7 days): Community finalizes winners.
4. Award (48 hours): Board confirmation and disbursement.

Yes. You do not need a university affiliation. We do not discriminate on types of recipients be they individual researchers, research teams, or organizational types.

• Direct-to-Researcher: Grants paid to you personally. No overhead fees.
• Institutional: Grants paid to your university (overhead may apply).

Funds can cover personnel (salaries, stipends), compute (GPUs, cloud), equipment, data acquisition, and travel/conferences. We expect a realistic budget breakdown in your proposal.

We fund work in Alignment which is broad. It can mean Governance, Interoperability, Model Training, Oversight, Personal Safety, Infrastructure security, and even AI related neuroscience. Your proposal must articulate the pathway to a safer AI ecosystem.

Currently a US LLC; transitioning to a Swiss Foundation structure in 2027 for neutrality and regulatory clarity (modeled after Ethereum Foundation).

In 2026 Grants will be paid in stablecoins. In the future grants will be paid in SAT (Sovereign Asset Treasury token pegged to stablecoins). You can convert these to USD/EUR/CHF/etc via services like Ramp, MoonPay, and Coinbase. Anyone with a blockchain wallet or major exchange account can receive them & exchange to their own currency & liquidate to their bank account or use a 3rd party.

Yes. As a Swiss domicile compliant entity, we require identity verification (Passport/ID + Proof of Address) via Sumsub. Data is encrypted and GDPR compliant.

Communication is key. If you are behind, notify your Grant Lead early. We allow 30-60 day remediation periods. Persistent failures may result in scope adjustment or termination.

Yes. You can hire RAs, engineers, or consultants. Subcontracts >$50k require pre-approval. You remain responsible for deliverables and open-source compliance.

ALI focuses on neutrality and speed. We use tokenized governance for transparency, offer patient 3-year timelines, and fund individuals directly without the “friends of the board” bias common in traditional philanthropy.

Yes, encouraged. We fund the risky research phase. If you build a product, you own the IP and company 100%. We take no equity.

Committees must recuse themselves for personal/financial conflicts. Initial scoring is blind/anonymized. Final winners are chosen by distributed token holder voting, preventing insider favoritism.

Yes, usually. US researchers receive a 1099 form. International tax treatment varies; consult a local professional. We provide Swiss tax certificates to assist.

You own your IP. ALI takes zero rights. However, you must publish results open-source (arXiv, GitHub) within 6 months of completion. You are free to file patents.

We follow Swiss regulations (SECO). Residents of UN-sanctioned countries (e.g., North Korea) are ineligible. Most others are eligible, subject to compliance checks.

If applying through the university, their policy applies. If applying directly, you retain ownership, but check your employment contract regarding use of university resources.