Fifteenth Wave of Nostr Grants

We're pleased to announce our latest wave of grants from The Nostr Fund, supporting three open-source projects advancing the nostr ecosystem.

This wave provides funding for work on agentic AI tooling, decentralized video infrastructure, and community-run internet access, all built to utilize nostr for identity, discovery, and communication.

The first-time grants highlighted in this wave are:

• ContextVM
• Nostube
• TollGate

These grants are made possible by our generous donors who, like us, believe in an open, censorship-resistant communications layer for the internet.

Our nostr grants are sourced from The Nostr Fund. To help us support the nostr ecosystem, please consider making a donation.

In the sections below, we will describe how each project is contributing to the future of nostr.

ContextVM

ContextVM is a protocol built on MCP that enables servers and clients to communicate over nostr. MCP is a standard that lets AI models connect to external tools and data sources. Nostr is an open communication network built on cryptographic, permissionless foundations. By combining the two, ContextVM removes the need for domains, OAuth, and port forwarding. Each service is identified by a public key and operates from any device with only an outbound internet connection. Nostr handles identity, authentication, discovery, and transport. The project grew out of the earlier DVMCP effort and now publishes a JavaScript/TypeScript software development kit (SDK), a documentation site, and reference tooling for relays and gateways. A recent developer cohort demonstrated the protocol's practical utility, with multiple new projects built directly on top of it.

This grant will support core protocol development, expand the SDK, and improve the reliability of shared infrastructure such as public relays. The team plans to build payment handling directly into the protocol, designed so that server operators can accept multiple payment methods, including Lightning and Cashu. A marketplace model will let servers that offer similar capabilities be discovered and used together, similar to the original DVM proposal. Additional goals include new SDK implementations in Go and Rust, one-click deployment packages for platforms like Umbrel and Start9, comprehensive documentation and tutorials, and integration with open-source developer tools such as Roo Code, goose, and OpenCode to place nostr-routed MCP services directly inside developer workflows.

Repositories: github.com/ContextVM
License: MIT, LGPL-3.0, and GPL-3.0

Nostube

Nostube is a platform developed to bring long-form and short-form video to the nostr protocol. The web application supports uploads, playlists, subscriptions, comments, and user profiles in both landscape and portrait video formats. It is built with React, Vite, TailwindCSS, shadcn/ui, and the Applesauce development stack, connecting to nostr relays for identity, feeds, and social interactions.

This grant will support the infrastructure needed to make decentralized video on nostr practical at scale. The roadmap covers uploads of multi-gigabyte files to dedicated Blossom servers, paid storage with mirroring across multiple servers, and thumbnail generation. Video transcoding will be distributed across workers who are paid in Cashu to convert videos into streamable formats. Planned features include subtitles, HLS playback, playlists, zaps, and improved profile integration. A Web of Trust model will allow users to rehost videos and contribute transcoded versions, improving content availability while limiting abuse. Development will include ongoing collaboration with other video-related nostr projects such as zap.stream, Primal, and Blossom.

Repository: flox1an/nostube
License: MIT

TollGate

TollGate is a software project for turning WiFi routers into bitcoin-powered, pay-as-you-go internet access points. The software gives operators a permissionless way to resell their connection, where users pay in ecash in small increments for connectivity. The system runs on OpenWrt-compatible routers and uses nostr as its communication backbone. Modules coordinate over nostr relays: the merchant module advertises prices and processes payments, the valve module controls access, and the Crows Nest module discovers nearby gateways by listening for nostr events. Each gateway is identified by a nostr public key, removing the need for centralized registries or account systems. Routers running TollGate can also purchase access from other TollGate routers, which extends the network outward from a single upstream connection. The project already provides a published protocol specification, a working implementation for OpenWrt routers, a pre-built TollGateOS firmware, and an installer with a guided setup process for supported hardware.

This grant supports continued work on router software, developer experience, and adoption. The team plans to simplify builds and installation flows on OpenWrt routers and to support the development of mobile Crows Nest clients that discover nearby gateways and handle payments on behalf of users. Companion software will target common desktop and ARM devices and help those devices act as TollGate clients. A streamlined setup path will simplify turning a compatible router into a full TollGate gateway. The project also plans to collaborate with mesh and community network groups such as Guifi, Freifunk, and Funkfeuer. Packages are slated for distribution through Zapstore and OpenWrt package lists, and TollGate gateways are intended to be found through nostr-based discovery and mapping tools such as OpenStreetMap. Further work includes exploration of cellular and neutral host integrations, with the goal of placing TollGate modules inside privacy-focused operating systems and open access network stacks.

Repositories: github.com/OpenTollGate
License: The Unlicense and GPL-3.0

The projects in this wave reflect the broadening scope of what developers are choosing to build on nostr. From AI tooling and video infrastructure to community networking, each grant supports software that uses nostr's identity and transport layer to solve real challenges. We look forward to seeing these projects make an impact and are grateful to our donors for making this support possible.

To help us continue supporting the nostr ecosystem, please consider setting up a recurring donation to The Nostr Fund. Any amount helps.

If you are working on an open-source project enhancing the nostr ecosystem, we encourage you to apply for funding.