Interview Editing & Publication for TON App Journal

The TON ecosystem is rapidly growing, and alongside it, an infrastructure to support innovative startups is also evolving. At the forefront of these changes is TON Accelerator — a program that helps founders secure not only investment but also transform their ideas into scalable, profitable, and in-demand products. We spoke with Sophia, the head of TON Accelerator, to discuss the inner workings of their team, the project selection process, and the future of the startup ecosystem.

— I lead the acceleration division within TON Accelerator, overseeing strategy and partnerships. Along with my team, I work on selecting the startups we bring into the accelerator program and helping them develop within the TON ecosystem.

— Our team is small but effective. We focus on core areas that ensure sustainable growth for the project. Our CEO manages processes that support the company's growth, while our CTO deals with technical issues, in particular, supporting developers working on the TON blockchain. We also have a Head of DeFi who specializes in decentralized finance-related products.

Previously, TON Accelerator was part of the TON Foundation, but recently we underwent rebranding and became an independent entity. We continue to work closely with the TON Foundation on shared goals while also focusing on our own path.

— Yes, in September 2024, we launched the program ton:acc under the TON Ventures initiative. We’ve formed our first cohort of startups, which includes five promising projects. These teams will share an investment pool of $2.5 million from TON Ventures.

The cohort model is an essential part of our work. We select startups across various sectors: DeFi, SocialFi, GameFi, Payments, and others. Future cohorts will have a more narrow focus — for instance, solely on DeFi or SocialFi — to address specific challenges within the ecosystem.

— Before the rebranding, we operated as part of the TON Foundation and organised cohorts in various formats. For example, one of our cohorts focused on SocialFi and attracted developers from Asia who work with the super app — WeChat — which has an architecture similar to Telegram.

We also launched internal programs for developers working on Telegram Mini Apps, and at the beginning of 2024, we supported major projects such as Storm Trade, Evaa, and Catizen.

— Gaming projects are among the most popular, especially those built on Telegram Mini Apps. Out of 800 applications we received, a significant portion came from teams working in game development.

Additionally, we see many projects from other blockchains, such as Ethereum, with experience in EVM networks. We help them integrate into TON, from working with smart contracts to conducting an in-depth ecosystem analysis.

We also encounter teams with a solid understanding of TON but lacking experience in business development. In such cases, we assist with growth strategies and business development.

— We conduct 15–20 calls daily with different founders to perform an initial screening. We evaluate the people behind the project, their experience, the problem they’re solving, and its relevance to the TON ecosystem. If a team looks promising, we dive deeper into their background and conduct a technical assessment of the product. An essential step is code-review, which helps improve code quality and identify any vulnerabilities or shortcomings.

After that, we discuss the strategy. Many founders are still working on finalizing it, but it’s crucial that the team has a clear vision of the project’s future. If all stages are successfully completed, we proceed with signing an investment agreement with TON Ventures and a contract with TON Accelerator. Over three months, we help teams with various tasks, from resource acquisition to audits and marketing campaigns.

— There are a few reasons we might decline a project. For example, we avoid projects that are forks of existing solutions from other ecosystems. Transferring code to TON without understanding the user specifics is ineffective.

If the team has past issues such as unmet obligations to investors, a poor reputation, or involvement in scams, we immediately decline them.

We’re also cautious of projects that merely add a wallet to an existing Web2 product without a clear purpose.

And, of course, unrealistic valuations in the early stages, like a $100 million valuation without justification, raise doubts.

— Yes, we’re always open to new partnerships. We currently have a lot of mutual interest from VCs, exchanges, and other accelerators. If anyone is interested in partnering with our accelerator, they can reach out to me directly on Telegram or through our work email at hello@tonacc.org.

— Over the past two years, I’ve seen a shift in the founder profile — they are becoming more experienced. Eight months ago, interest in the ecosystem was moderate; now, we have a shortlist of 25 teams worth paying attention to.

In the coming years, I expect the TON ecosystem to attract not only startups but also major players from other markets. We’re seeing growing interest in decentralised finance (DeFi) and the advertising network within Telegram. It’ll be exciting to see how these sectors evolve, and we’re ready to support new projects in these areas.

TON Accelerator creates opportunities for startups within the TON ecosystem, providing support that goes beyond funding. Program participants gain not only resources to launch but also access to expertise focused on developing innovative and sustainable products.

With a focus on key areas such as DeFi, SocialFi, GameFi, and more, TON Accelerator helps ideas integrate into the ecosystem and grow into leading Web3 projects. By attracting strong teams and supporting their ambitions, the accelerator strengthens TON’s role in the blockchain market, creating a thriving environment for a new generation of decentralised products and services.