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Microsoft partners with Ankr for node hosting, Bosch and Fetch.ai launch a $100 million Web3 grant program
(Kitco News) - Ankr, a decentralized blockchain infrastructure provider, has announced a new partnership with Microsoft to provide a novel node hosting service on the Microsoft Azure Marketplace in order to support enterprises and organizations that need access to blockchain data.
According to a press release from Ankr, the partnership with Microsoft is “aimed at providing high-performance blockchain connections for those who share the responsibility of building new Web3 experiences that will welcome the next billion users.”
The two firms plan to make the new service available through the Azure marketplace in order to provide a “readily accessible gateway to blockchain infrastructure for millions of monthly customers.”
Ankr currently offers a remote procedure call service (RPC) that allows application developers and users to connect cloud nodes to 27 blockchains, including BNB Chain, Ethereum, Polygon, Solana, and Avalanche. With this collaboration, developers will be able to develop on Ankr's RPCs and middleware platform for decentralized apps (DApps) and use Microsoft's cloud platform to meet their scaling needs.
RPC nodes such as those offered by Ankr allow decentralized applications to link to blockchains and access user data. For this reason, they serve as a critical piece of infrastructure for the blockchain sector.
The service will enable customers to “launch enterprise-grade blockchain nodes with custom specifications for global location, memory, and bandwidth according to their unique use cases; optimize data querying for high levels of speed and reliability on their choice of dozens of different blockchains; and easily track the performance of their nodes,” the release said.
Enterprise RPC clients will also be able to access usage data and advanced telemetry across more than 38 blockchains. The enterprise node deployment service will offer global, low-latency blockchain connections for any Web3 project or developer so they can focus their time on innovating and scaling their Web3 projects and applications.
“This was a critical step in bringing blockchain infrastructure to a growing sector of the digital economy,” said Chandler Song, co-founder and CEO of Ankr. “The end result will be an era of extremely prolific building for blockchain-based applications from new Web3 projects as well as large enterprises entering the space.”
Ankr said the combination of its solutions with Azure helps to provide the blockchain industry with a stronger infrastructure layer, which allows Web3 companies that require dedicated nodes to relay transactions, deploy smart contracts, and read or write blockchain data with a high level of reliability and security.
The new service will offer a fully managed node hosting solution that enables custom blockchain node specifications for memory, bandwidth, and global location according to customer needs.
“Many developers and organizations are exploring how Web3 can help solve real-world business challenges, and our partnership with Ankr will enable them to access blockchain data in a reliable, scalable, and secure way,” said Rashmi Misra, Microsoft General Manager AI & Emerging Technologies. “Together with Ankr, we are building a strong Web3 infrastructure layer whether you're a developer building the next big decentralized application (dApp) or an established enterprise exploring Web3.”
According to a new report from MarketsandMarkets, the global cloud-managed network market size is projected to grow from $21.6 billion in 2022 to $36.3 billion by 2027, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 10.9%. Major factors such as advancements in cloud and virtualization technologies and digital transformation across businesses will drive the market, the report said.
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Bosch partners with Fetch.ai
Bosch, a leading global supplier of technology and services, has announced the launch of a new foundation in partnership with Fetch.ai (FET) which includes the commitment of $100 million for a Web3, artificial intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) grant program.
The new Fetch.ai Foundation intends “to research, develop and harness Web3 technology for real-world use cases that will span across mobility, industrial, and consumer domains.” The venture will “focus on the core tenets of transparency, openness, neutrality, and data and technology sovereignty,” and will fund research and develop decentralized technologies for real-world use cases.
Bosch and Fetch.ai will initially lead the Foundation’s management board but plan to expand the leadership to include other “key participants” from the industry over time. The Foundation looks to fund businesses and companies in the industrial AI space, and those that are selected will receive investments over a three-year period.
“Bosch as one of the world wide leaders in industrial engineering and mobility solutions sees the huge need for smarter technologies and governance to cope with the challenges coming with ever more connected ecosystems regarding safety/security, privacy and data ownership,” said Peter Busch, Chairperson of the Fetch.ai Foundation. “In combining disrupting Web3, AI and Open Source technologies with the proven world class hardware and software capabilities of the classic engineering corporations, this foundation is the perfect endeavor at the right time.”