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- Ripple has launched UDAX with UC Berkeley, supporting 9 XRP Ledger startups through a 6-week accelerator program.
- Ripple hosted a demo day with XRPL developers and 13 VC firms, with remarks from Chris Larsen and David Schwartz.
Ripple has launched the University Digital Asset Xcelerator (UDAX), a new program created with UC Berkeley to support early-stage teams building on the XRP Ledger (XRPL). The accelerator expands Ripple’s long-running University Blockchain Research Initiative (UBRI), which focuses on connecting academic research with practical blockchain development.
UDAX is positioned as a bridge between prototype development and institutional readiness. Ripple said the initiative is built to provide founders with technical support, mentorship, and access to funding networks to help projects scale within the XRP ecosystem.
Introducing the University Digital Asset Xcelerator (UDAX). 🎓@UCBerkeley and Ripple's University Blockchain Research Initiative launched a pilot program to accelerate the transition from academic innovation to institutional XRP utility: https://t.co/KMyVjPvXT2
The UDAX – UC…
— Ripple (@Ripple) January 16, 2026
The first cohort, UDAX–UC Berkeley, began in fall 2025 and ran as a six-week pilot. Ripple engineers worked with UC Berkeley faculty, lecturers, and industry specialists to guide nine startups through product development and fundraising preparation. The program opened with an in-person summit in Berkeley, followed by structured coaching sessions and working periods aimed at progressing projects toward deployment.
The pilot closed with a summit and demo day at Ripple’s San Francisco headquarters. Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen and CTO Emeritus David Schwartz took part in the event, where founders presented to XRPL developers, Ripple leadership, and venture capital representatives.
XRP Startups Move Toward Mainnet Deployment
Startups in the inaugural cohort covered areas such as tokenized capital markets, decentralized insurance, payments, and creator-focused tools. WaveTip, a tipping tool for Twitch streamers, moved to the XRPL Mainnet during the program and launched through the Chrome Web Store. X-Card, which converts physical collectibles into tradable assets, reported onboarding more than $1.5 million in inventory.
Other participants tracked measurable growth during the six weeks. BlockBima, which builds climate-risk microinsurance for underserved communities, reported tripling active users and refining its fundraising pitch through mentor sessions. Ripple said teams reported a 67% average rise in product maturity and a 92% average rise in fundraising confidence by the end of the cohort.
In tokenized credit markets, CRX Digital Assets worked on exporting Brazilian credit offerings to global markets and reported increasing tokenized volume from $39 million to $58 million. The team used Ripple’s payments network to test how institutions could use XRPL-based rails to reach international liquidity.
Blockroll introduced stablecoin-backed virtual card products aimed at African freelancers and referenced RLUSD as part of its approach to stablecoin settlement. Other teams included Spout, which developed an equity tokenization model, EXFIL, which focused on blockchain threat intelligence, and Mintara Labs, which tested crypto-bank insurance underwriting during the program.
Ripple said additional UDAX cohorts may follow, with continued focus on expanding developer activity across the XRP Ledger ecosystem. At the time of reporting, Ripple’s token (XRP) traded at $2.06, down 0.17% over the past 24 hours.
