Commonware Raises $9M to Launch Modular Blockchain Development Platform
Building applications or rollups is accessible today due to various blockchain technology frameworks like the OP Stack and Arbitrum Orbit. These frameworks enable rapid market entry but can restrict customization for unique use cases.
The crypto industry is evolving, leading developers to seek more differentiated architectures. Many applications do not fit existing technology stack frameworks, prompting developers to fork and customize solutions. For example, Cosmos’ CometBFT consensus layer has been frequently forked by projects such as Sei, Celestia, dYdX, and Penumbra.
To support diverse chains and dApps, builders require greater modularity than just selecting data availability layers or consensus mechanisms. Commonware, a middleware blockchain infrastructure platform, addresses this need by offering an open-source “anti-framework” of primitives for developers to build and reassemble applications without complex forks.
Commonware secured $9 million in funding from Haun Ventures and Dragonfly Capital to innovate blockchain development beyond the current “one-size-fits-all” approach. Founder Patrick O’Grady highlighted that existing frameworks like Cosmos SDK and CometBFT can become restrictive, requiring significant rework and forking.
Commonware allows developers to create custom mempool configurations and execution environments without being confined to standard formats. Developers can also define validator reward structures within their consensus layer.
O’Grady stated, “We want builders to couple their existing applications with their own custom capabilities,” emphasizing that developers should not have to choose an ecosystem before building their application.
Commonware’s architectural primitives facilitate optimized Web3 development. One such primitive, consensus::simplex, offers minimalistic Byzantine Fault Tolerant agreements. Additionally, an optional threshold signature primitive will enable efficient communication between chains without shared trust assumptions.
Commonware does not aim to establish another “chain of chains” architecture like the OP Superchain, which enforces predefined execution rules. Instead, it enhances the modular evolution of blockchains initiated by Ethereum's rollup-centric roadmap while augmenting existing virtual machines.
For further insights, listen to the Bell Curve podcast featuring Commonware.