The Ascend Accelerator brings together key RWA players like Plume and Centrifuge to mentor early-stage tokenisation protocols.
A coalition of prominent real-world asset (RWA) ecosystem builders has launched Ascend, a nine-week accelerator programme designed to support the next generation of institutional-grade RWA startups.
Backed by organisations including Plume, Galaxy Ventures, and Morpho, the programme will provide hands-on mentorship and strategic support to six to eight early-stage teams with working products and initial traction.
“At Plume, we see tokenisation as the foundation for the future of capital markets. That’s why we launched Ascend to help founders build the real connective tissue of the RWA economy: compliance, liquidity, distribution, and trust. This is how we move the space forward” said Teddy Pornprinya, Chief Business Officer and Co-Founder of Plume Network.
Run by Odisea, Ascend will guide founders across key domains such as product architecture, tokenomics design, and ecosystem growth. Participants will receive direct mentorship from experienced builders who have scaled billion-dollar asset platforms, with support from groups such as Yzi Labs, Bankless Ventures, and Sentora.
“Real-world assets are becoming core infrastructure for digital markets. At Galaxy, we believe supporting early founders with institutional-level guidance and connectivity is essential to unlocking this next phase of growth. Ascend is providing exactly that, and we’re proud to back such a focused, high-impact initiative,” said Will Nuelle, General Partner at Galaxy Ventures.
A curated Demo Day at the end of the programme will showcase participant progress to institutional investors and industry leaders. Startups will also be eligible for investment from a $500,000 discretionary fund managed by Ascend’s sponsors.
“Real-world assets represent one of the most promising frontiers for blockchain adoption, and we believe that strong infrastructure and institutional alignment are critical to its success. By backing Ascend, we aim to empower early-stage teams building foundational RWA products that meet real market needs,” added Dora Yue, Founder of OKX Ventures.
“RWAs are moving from narrative to infrastructure. Ascend helps founders build the unglamorous but critical pieces, compliance, governance, distribution, and real liquidity—so institutions and retail can actually use on-chain markets,” said Nicola Wang, Investment Director at YZi Labs.
With a growing appetite for tokenised assets across global markets, Ascend aims to serve as a catalyst for RWA adoption, helping early builders scale trusted, compliant, and capital-efficient financial infrastructure.
Stay updated on the crypto space by following our socials
