Workers Launchpad Cohort #3, an AI Challenge, and a New Code of Conduct
With millions of developers building on the Cloudflare platform, the company's Developer Week events are as much about community as they are about product launches. That means creating spaces where developers can find help, share work, and connect with peers. As Developer Week wraps up, Cloudflare is sharing updates on startup funding, a new AI-focused challenge, and efforts to keep community spaces inclusive.
Startup Program Adds New Cohort
The Workers Launchpad Funding Program, launched in late 2022 as a $2 billion initiative, is designed to support startups building on Cloudflare's Developer Platform. The program offers more than just capital access, providing a range of resources to help founders scale:
- A community for like-minded founders
- Introductions to a network of over 40 venture capital partners
- Mentorship through virtual Founders Bootcamp sessions
- Technical office hours with Cloudflare engineers
- Early access to upcoming products and product managers
- A Demo Day to showcase startups to investors and customers
To date, 50 startups from 13 countries have graduated from the program, with Cohorts 1 and 2 completing in March and August of 2023. The latest wave of applications brought hundreds of new submissions from around the world, covering industries like AI, SaaS, supply chain, media, gaming, hospitality, and developer productivity. From that pool, Cloudflare has selected 29 startups for the third cohort.
The third cohort's participants are focused on a variety of technical and business problems, leveraging the Cloudflare developer suite to address them. Progress for the cohort will be shared via @CloudflareDev on X and the company's Developer Discord server. Startups interested in applying for Cohort #4 can do so here.
Community Challenge Focuses on AI
With Workers AI now generally available, Cloudflare has partnered with DEV to run an AI Developer Challenge focused on the platform's suite of Open Models. The challenge opened Wednesday, April 3, and submissions close on Sunday, April 14, 2024. Participants must build a Workers AI application that uses one or more AI task types from Cloudflare's catalog. DEV will evaluate submissions on innovation, creativity, and technical demonstration, with prizes for the best overall app and for projects that effectively leverage multiple models and tasks. Full rules and participation details are available on the official challenge page.
Community Guidelines Update
Cloudflare's developer community, particularly its Discord server, has grown rapidly. To help manage that growth and maintain a safe space, the company has introduced a new Code of Conduct for its community programs. While the server and forums already had rules, this new guidance is meant to apply to community programs specifically and promote inclusivity and respect.
Cloudflare is also seeking direct feedback on what could be improved in the community and on Discord, inviting members to share their thoughts in a dedicated thread.
