Advancing Sei’s Developer and Gaming Ecosystems via Creator Funding

Sei Creator Fund: Rounds 3 & 4 Results

TL;DR

• The Sei Creator Fund has successfully concluded two parallel rounds focusing on Sei’s Developer Ecosystem (Round 3) and Web3 Gaming (Round 4).
• The combined matching pool of 1,162,790 SEI (approximately $500,000 at $0.43 per SEI) supported over 270 innovative projects and individuals across both initiatives.
• Enhanced DBSCAN clustering leveraged Sei's unique cross-chain architecture for improved Sybil detection.
• The successful partnership between Gitcoin and Sei showcased the power of data-driven funding distribution.

Sei Creator Fund: Building a Multi-Faceted Ecosystem Support System

The Sei Creator Fund, a $10 million initiative, executed two parallel rounds targeting distinct but complementary aspects of the ecosystem. Round 3 focused on strengthening the developer foundation through educational content, tools, and documentation, while Round 4 aimed to catalyze Web3 gaming initiatives. 

Round Structure and Participation

Round 3: Developer Ecosystem

• Matching Pool: 581,395 SEI
• Total Projects: 73
• Crowdfunded Amount: $41,352.41
• Total Donations: 7,428
• Unique Donors: 2,755

Round 4: Web3 Gaming

• Matching Pool: 581,395 SEI
• Total Projects: 198
• Crowdfunded Amount: $61,400.60
• Total Donations: 15,612
• Unique Donors: 3,838

Enhanced Sybil Detection: Leveraging Sei's Cross-Chain Architecture

Through collaboration between Gitcoin and Sei, an advanced Sybil detection approach was implemented that takes advantage of Sei's unique dual-chain architecture. This partnership enabled valuable cross-chain data points to surface, enhancing the integrity of fund distribution.

DBSCAN Clustering Innovation

The enhanced DBSCAN (Density-Based Spatial Clustering of Applications with Noise) implementation incorporated multiple data points across both Sei's EVM and Cosmos chains:

• Cross-chain account ages
• First funder patterns on both chains
• Transaction histories across networks
• Project donation patterns
• Wallet interaction similarities

This multi-dimensional analysis provided several advantages over traditional Connection-Oriented Cluster-Matching (COCM):

• More accurate cluster identification without predetermined cluster counts
• Natural separation of legitimate and suspicious behavior patterns
• Improved handling of edge cases through noise point identification
• Enhanced validation through cross-chain correlation

Sybil Analysis Visualization

Round 3: Developer Ecosystem Analysis

Round 4: Web3 Gaming Analysis

The clustering analysis uses t-SNE (t-distributed Stochastic Neighbor Embedding) to visualize complex voter relationships in two dimensions. The visualizations above represent each voter as a point, with colors indicating predicted Sybil status. This approach helps identify natural clusters in the data and validates the DBSCAN-based detection methods.

Key features of these visualizations:

• Clear separation between legitimate and suspicious voting patterns
• Natural clustering of similar voting behaviors
• Cross-chain relationship mapping
• Visual validation of the enhanced detection methods

Final Matching Results

Round 3: Developer Ecosystem Top Recipients

1. Decoderdev
2. Seipex Finance
3. SEINALYTICS
4. Geauser
5. The Unfrgtn
6. Crafty Canines
7. TREK
8. Seile
9. SeiDash
10. MILLI LightningGun

Round 4: Web3 Gaming Top Recipients

1. Bando - Creator Series
2. NFTDad.Sei
3. Kosa on SEI
4. Shockermandan Games
5. Synergy (BkArchived)
6. De~Dentist
7. CRYPTO BULLS CLUB X SEI GAMING
8. Jake's Gaming on SEI
9. CJ
10. Mayortheidol

Complete matching results for all projects can be viewed on the Gitcoin Explorer or the Round Report Card. Once the round payouts have been completed, the data reflecting will be updated and accurate.

• Sei Creator Fund Round #3 - Developer Ecosystem
• Sei Creator Fund Round #4 - Supporting Web3 Gaming Creators

Program Integrity and Community Standards

In the commitment to maintaining a fair and transparent funding ecosystem, decisive steps have been taken to ensure the integrity of both rounds. The community’s enthusiasm and commitment to high standards continue to elevate the Sei Creator Fund, reinforcing a transparent and fair ecosystem for all participants. Through enhanced DBSCAN clustering analysis and cross-chain verification, several instances of coordination that violated program guidelines were identified.

As a result:

• Projects found engaging in Quid Pro Quo activities were removed from the funding pool
• Applications showing clear evidence of vote manipulation were disqualified
• Matching funds were reallocated to projects demonstrating genuine community support

These actions reflect the dedication to:

• Protecting the democratic nature of community-driven funding
• Ensuring fair distribution of matching funds
• Maintaining the integrity of the Sei Creator Fund program

Conclusion

Rounds 3 and 4 of the Sei Creator Fund mark substantial steps forward in ecosystem development. The successful implementation of enhanced Sybil detection, strong community participation, and focus on creators demonstrate the conviction and potential of the Sei ecosystem.

The complementary nature of these rounds - strengthening both the developer foundation and gaming initiatives - creates powerful momentum for future growth. Thank you to everyone who participated and supported the projects and individuals in these rounds. None of this would be possible without you.