io.net
by IO Research
Solana
Quick Fact
In March 2024, IO Research raised $30 million in a Series A funding round led by Hack VC, with participation from Solana Labs and OKX. The funding aims to expand io.net's decentralized GPU network, addressing the growing demand for affordable and scalable AI computing resources.
io.net is a decentralized physical infrastructure network (DePIN) designed to unlock scalable, on-demand GPU compute for artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and high-performance workloads. Built by IO Research, io.net aggregates underutilized GPU resources from around the world—ranging from data centers and crypto miners to individual contributors—and connects them to users via a secure, efficient, blockchain-based platform.
By decentralizing the GPU cloud, io.net reduces costs, improves access to computational resources, and democratizes the future of AI development.
Mission and Foundation
Founded in 2022, IO Research is the core development organization behind io.net. Their goal: build the world’s largest decentralized network of GPUs to meet the exponentially growing demand from AI startups, researchers, and decentralized applications.
The io.net Foundation, a non-profit governance layer, oversees protocol development, community governance, and future upgrades to the network.
How io.net Works
At its core, io.net acts as a decentralized GPU marketplace. It enables:
Node Providers to contribute idle GPU power and earn token rewards
Developers and AI teams to rent scalable GPU clusters for training and inference workloads
Users and dApps to tap into high-performance infrastructure without relying on centralized cloud providers
This system is powered by a decentralized job scheduler and transparent resource metering, with compute jobs verified and executed across the network in a trust-minimized way.