DAWN, a decentralized wireless network on Solana, has raised $13 million in a Series B funding round led by Polychain Capital. The New York-based project said the capital will support expanded broadband coverage across the U.S. and fund new international deployments, as interest grows in decentralized physical infrastructure (DePIN) as an alternative to traditional internet providers.
The round signals continued investor appetite for DePIN models that apply blockchain coordination to real-world services. For DAWN, the funding arrives as the protocol scales beyond early pilots and seeks broader adoption in markets where centralized broadband remains expensive, slow to deploy, or both.
Building a User-Owned Broadband Network
DAWN allows individuals and organizations to operate as network hosts by deploying wireless nodes that provide broadband internet access. These hosts earn rewards based on coverage quality and local demand, aligning network incentives with performance.
Rather than relying on centralized ownership and long-term infrastructure contracts, DAWN distributes network ownership across thousands of participants. This structure aims to reduce dependency on large internet service providers while giving communities a direct role in expanding and maintaining connectivity.
Expanding Coverage Across the U.S. and Beyond
DAWN reportedly already reaches more than 4 million households across the U.S. The Series B funding will help the protocol increase density in existing markets while extending coverage into new regions.
Internationally, DAWN has launched an initial deployment in Accra, Ghana, where fiber rollouts have proven slow and costly in several districts. The project views these environments as well-suited to decentralized wireless infrastructure, which can scale more quickly than traditional fixed-line alternatives.
By targeting both mature and underserved markets, DAWN aims to test its model across a wide range of regulatory and economic conditions. The company plans to use lessons from these deployments to inform future rollouts in additional countries.
Alongside network expansion, DAWN has introduced consumer-facing hardware designed to simplify participation. Its Black Box device functions as both a home router and a decentralized infrastructure node. Households can provide broadband service while directly participating in network operations and earning rewards.
This hardware-first approach reflects a broader trend among DePIN projects that aim to pair blockchain coordination with accessible physical devices. Grass, another DePIN project on Solana, unveiled a waitlist for their hardware device back in June.
A Growing DePIN Landscape
In its ‘Crypto Theses 2026’ report, Messari highlighted networks such as DAWN as candidates to create a “credible trajectory for onchain DePIN revenue to grow from a ~$50 million run rate today to $100+ million in 2026.”
Messari expects 2026 to mark a meaningful increase in verifiable DePIN revenue as new token generation events launch with onchain revenue systems. For projects like DAWN, this model could allow users and investors to track network performance and economic activity with greater precision.
Helium, another Solana-based project, uses a community-driven model to expand mobile coverage through user-deployed hotspots. Earlier this month, Helium surpassed 600,000 sign-ups and expanded into Brazil through a partnership with Mambo WiFi, aiming to improve mobile connectivity nationwide.
The two projects partnered in January to accelerate the deployment of decentralized mobile and broadband services. DAWN integrated Helium Passpoint into its node hardware, adding 8,000 DAWN nodes to Helium’s existing network. This integration expanded Helium’s reach while connecting mobile subscribers and data offloaders to home and office-based broadband nodes.
DAWN’s Series B follows another major DePIN funding round on Solana this week. Fuse Energy, a London-based decentralized energy network, raised $70 million in a Series B round, bringing its valuation to $5 billion.
Fuse Energy leverages vertical integration across renewable power generation and distribution, aiming to reduce household energy costs and address inefficiencies in traditional supply chains.
For DAWN, the $13 million Series B provides capital to test whether decentralized broadband can compete at scale with incumbent providers. As deployments expand and partnerships deepen, the project will face the challenge of translating community ownership into reliable, high-quality internet access for millions of users.
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