In a major development for the decentralized AI ecosystem, Jacob Steeves, co-founder of Bittensor, has officially joined Bitstarter, the on-chain crowdfunding platform for emerging AI and subnet projects. Announced via X, the move positions Steeves as a strategic advisor focused on protecting Bittensor’s founding ethos while supporting the next wave of builders entering the network.
Bitstarter, created by Zack, allows users to discover subnet teams, pledge TAO, and fund subnet projects transparently through fully on-chain crowdfunding. It has rapidly become one of the most important growth drivers for Bittensor, with early pledge traction indicating strong community demand for decentralized project financing.
Who Is Jacob Steeves (Const)?
Steeves is a mathematician and engineer with experience at Google before launching Bittensor in 2016 with Ala Shaabana. His vision has consistently centered on open-source AI, decentralized training, and a Bitcoin-like incentive layer for machine intelligence. Now based in Peru, he continues to advocate for democratizing AI access across industries such as finance, healthcare, and global infrastructure.
Zack says this about Const:
Why Bitstarter Matters
The platform removes traditional venture barriers by allowing anyone, anywhere, to fund subnet development with TAO. Steeves’ involvement strengthens its legitimacy and connects it directly with Bittensor’s founding principles. The announcement described him as someone who “leads from the front” while quietly shipping core protocol code, emphasizing his long-term commitment to the network.
Ecosystem Impact
Const joining Bitstarter arrives at a time of accelerating interest in decentralized AI and strong momentum across Bittensor’s ~128 subnets. With developers increasingly turning to Bitstarter for funding, his presence is expected to boost credibility, attract more talent, and accelerate subnet launches.
This collaboration reinforces Bitstarter as a core pillar of Bittensor’s growth and marks an important moment for the emergence of new projects on the network.
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