K
adena, a fintech company specializing in distributed ledger solutions for businesses, has launched a $25 million grant program to support startups working on tokenized real estate and real-world asset (RWA) adoption. The initiative aims to accelerate innovation in this space by providing funding to promising projects.

    "We're excited about the potential of tokenized real estate to revolutionize traditional finance," said Annelise Osborne, Kadena's chief business officer. "This grant program will help us identify and support talented builders who can drive growth in this ecosystem."

    Kadena was founded in 2017 by two former JPMorgan blockchain project leaders, Will Martino and Stuart Popejoy. Their goal is to create a scalable blockchain platform that maintains the proof-of-work algorithm. Osborne joined the company last summer from Arca Labs, where she focused on asset tokenization.

    Tokenized real estate allows individuals to invest in a fraction of an asset, such as a song or a sports franchise. Rhianna's producer issued shares of her song "Bitch Better Have My Money" as an NFT after her Super Bowl halftime show in 2023. Osborne believes this technology will democratize access to alternative investments, making it possible for retail investors to participate.

    The Real World Asset Grant Program is designed to foster innovation and growth in the RWA space. Kadena's grants committee will assess applications based on viability and begin sending out funds within the next 12-24 months. The company has also launched its RWA token standard, which provides compliance and permissioning features for regulated securities and digital assets.

    "We're not just looking to fund projects; we want to encourage innovation and growth in this space," Osborne said. "We believe that tokenized real estate will become a mainstream trend within the next five to ten years."