Wayru is the world's first DePIN project to partner with the United Nations to tackle the global connectivity crisis starting in Latin America, aiming to bridge the digital divide in emerging countries. LATAM alone has hundreds of millions of under-connected people which Wayru aims to bring online in the coming decade. Wayru has opened their Genesis device sale to the public this week. You can learn more here.

The IoTeX DePIN ecosystem is thrilled to welcome Wayru, a transformative addition promoting a more inclusive and decentralized DeWi ecosystem. Wayru will mint its native token $WAYRU on the IoTeX chain. This collaboration exemplifies IoTeX's unwavering commitment to its vision: DePIN technology accessible and beneficial to all.

📡 These devices were kept as collector’s items, but due to high 🔥 demand from our growing community for plug & play devices, we couldn’t resist but to release a small batch to make them part of the OG Operators.

Wayru Network

What is Wayru?

The Mission

Wayru’s mission is rooted in the belief that internet access should be a universal resource, available to everyone, everywhere. Wayru harnesses blockchain technology and the native $WAYRU token to incentivize the deployment and management of WiFi hotspots in regions most in need of connectivity. This unique model does more than just expand internet access; it empowers local communities by enabling individuals to become Hotspot Operators.

How Wayru Works

WayruOS is a sophisticated operating system that transforms any off-the-shelf WiFi device into community-owned hotspots. This transformation is seamless, requiring minimal intervention from users. Operators of these hotspots are rewarded in $WAYRU tokens, which not only motivates widespread adoption but also ensures the sustainability of the service over the long term.

Achievements To Date

Wayru's approach has proven to be effective and impactful. The platform features a user-friendly iOS/Android app that has attracted over 50,000 active users—a testament to its accessibility and ease of use. Furthermore, Wayru has achieved remarkable milestones in network mapping, with over 10 million WiFi networks catalogued to date. This extensive mapping effort enhances the platform’s ability to identify and target areas that would benefit most from new hotspots.Wayru has demonstrated significant social impact through a pilot project with the United Nations in Ecuador. This initiative involved deploying over 500 hotspots and successfully engaging over 250,000 unique users. The success of this pilot underscores Wayru's potential to make a real difference in communities starved of reliable internet access.

The Future of Wayru

Looking forward, Wayru is set to expand its reach and deepen its impact. With a scalable model and a proven track record, Wayru is preparing for the global launch of their hotspot pools, Genesis device, and community owned WayruOS integrations through Latin America and beyond. As Wayru continues to grow, it remains committed to its mission of democratizing internet access and empowering communities through technology.

Why Wayru Chose IoTeX

Charvel Chedraui, founder of Wayru shared the following:

"Wayru is all about connecting people to the internet. That is why we went for a multi-chain approach, to open up more possibilities for a more connected world. We chose IoTeX as one of our go to chains [and the chain we will mint our native asset on] based on 3 main things.

DePIN-friendly tech stack and tooling.
DePIN focused community.
Transaction speed+cost."

About DePIN Surf

In early Q1 IoTeX launched the DePIN Surf accelerator to promote the growth of the leading DePIN projects building in our ecosystem. The accelerator deploys $50k directly into each company while connecting founders with the largest DePIN VC network in the world to hit their fundraising goals.

Since launch, over 100 projects have applied and eight projects were selected for cohort 1 (of which Wayru was one). Throughout the two-month program, cohort 1 projects grew their communities by over 50,000 net members, added over 120,000 nodes to their networks, and sold over 15,000 devices. Seventy-five institutional investors attended demo day on April 30th. Cohort 2 launches in Q2 of this year with applications growing by 50 percent from cohort 1.Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. You can apply here.