When people talk about blockchain, they are usually talking about the visible parts: cryptocurrencies, wallets, tokens, or applications built on top. But underneath all of that sits the whole architecture that makes the system work.

Like any structure, the underlying architecture matters. In blockchain, the structure determines how transactions move through the network, how they are validated, how the ledger stays synchronised, and why some blockchains can process payments or smart contracts much more efficiently than others.

In this article, we will take a look “behind the scenes” of the intricacy of a typical blockchain architecture built around a proof of stake consensus mechanism. We will also look at why Layer 2 networks exist, and how rollups help blockchains scale without simply pushing all activity through the main chain. But let’s begin at the beginning.

We start with the user

Every blockchain transaction begins with a user and an application.

The application might be a wallet, a decentralised finance platform, a marketplace, or another decentralised app. The user signs the transaction with their private key, which proves that they are authorised to move assets or trigger a smart contract action.

At this stage, nothing has yet been added to the blockchain itself. The transaction is simply a request: “I want to send these funds,” or “I want to interact with this application.”

The next step is getting that request into the network.

The role of RPC nodes and the gateway layer

Like all networks, traffic and requests go through several different stages before they are completed. Most users do not connect directly to the deepest parts of a blockchain network. Instead, transactions are usually submitted through an RPC node — short for remote procedure call node.

Think of the RPC node as an access point, or a gateway that will get you there. It receives requests from wallets, apps, and developer tools, and passes them into the blockchain system. In high-traffic environments, this layer may also include load balancers, proxies, or caching systems to help distribute demand and keep services responsive.

This matters because blockchain networks are not just ledgers. They are also live digital systems that need to handle large volumes of incoming activity. If the access layer is poorly designed, the user experience will suffer long before validation even begins.

Once the transaction has entered the network through this gateway layer, it moves on, closer to the validation process.

The mempool: the “waiting room” for transactions

After passing through the access layer, the transaction usually enters the mempool, or transaction pool.

The mempool is essentially a waiting area for transactions that have been submitted, but not yet finalised. The network checks that the request is valid in basic ways: that the signature is correct, that the sender has the required funds, and that the transaction format meets the network’s rules.

At this stage, the transaction has been submitted to the network, but it is not yet officially part of the blockchain. It is waiting in a queue until validators choose it, place it in the right order with other transactions, and add it to a block.

This matters because a transaction can be visible to the network before it is fully confirmed. In other words, the network can see that the transaction exists before it becomes a permanent part of the shared ledger.

How proof of stake validation works

Ready? This is where proof of stake comes in. The most important part of any blockchain network is validation, which checks the transaction ahead of being incorporated into the block.

In a proof of stake blockchain, the network does not rely on miners solving complex mathematical puzzles, as happens in proof of work systems. Instead, validation is handled by validators: participants who lock up a stake in the network, check the transaction, and are then rewarded for helping to secure it.

When transactions are ready to move forward, validators play a role in checking them and helping the network agree on what should be added next. A block proposer assembles valid transactions into a block, and other validators help confirm that this proposed block is legitimate.

The precise mechanics vary between networks, but the broad idea is the same: the chain moves forward because the network reaches consensus on the next valid state of the ledger.

This process is far more computationally lightweight than proof of work. Why is this useful? Because proof of stake is generally more energy-efficient than proof of work, and it is often better suited to blockchains that need higher throughput and lower latency. That efficiency is attractive to many enterprises.

From execution to block creation

Once a transaction has been selected, the network has to do more than simply store it. It must also process what that transaction means.

For a simple transfer, that may just mean moving a balance from one wallet to another. For a smart contract interaction, it may involve executing code. In Ethereum-based environments, for example, this happens through the Ethereum Virtual Machine, or EVM.

This execution layer matters because blockchains are not static databases. They are state machines. Every new valid transaction changes the state of the network, and the system must determine exactly what that new state is.

After execution, the transaction is incorporated into a block. That block is then proposed, validated, and distributed across the network.

Once consensus is reached, the block is added to the chain. The transaction is now confirmed as part of the shared ledger.

Full nodes, propagation and the distributed ledger

Let’s move on. After a block is accepted, it does not stay in one place. It is propagated across the peer-to-peer network so that the blockchain remains synchronised.

This is where full nodes play an important role. Full nodes store the blockchain’s history and verify the validity of blocks and transactions. Together, they help maintain the integrity of the distributed ledger.

That distributed structure is a core part of blockchain’s appeal. Instead of one central authority updating one private database, many participants maintain and verify the ledger together. That is what gives blockchain its combination of transparency, resilience, and decentralisation.

Why Layer 2 exists

So far, this all sounds logical. But it also raises a problem — read on.

If every transaction has to move through the main chain, validated and recorded in the same shared environment, what happens when activity explodes?

What happens is congestion.

Layer 1 blockchains are powerful, but they are not infinitely scalable. If too many low-value or high-frequency transactions compete for space on the main chain, speed can drop and costs can rise.

This is why Layer 2 networks have become so important.

Layer 2 sits above the main blockchain and handles part of the workload elsewhere, while still ultimately relying on the security of the Layer 1 chain.

In practical terms, this means that large volumes of activity can happen off the main chain, with results later passed back and settled on Layer 1.

How rollups work

If you’ve gotten this far, you’re doing well. Now it’s time to learn about one of the most important Layer 2 approaches: the rollup.

A rollup gathers many transactions together, processes them off the main chain, and then submits the result back to Layer 1 as a bundled update. This reduces pressure on the main blockchain and helps improve throughput. These transactions have to be verified as well, but when they are smaller transactions, networks can be less rigorous about verification. However, there are still processes involved, and

There are two major trust models here.

Optimistic rollups assume that submitted transactions are valid unless challenged. This makes them fast and efficient, but it also means there is usually a contest period during which invalid transactions can be disputed.

Zero-knowledge rollups, often called ZK rollups, use cryptographic proofs to demonstrate that the transactions are valid without revealing all of their underlying details. This can provide strong efficiency and privacy benefits, while reducing the need for long challenge periods.

Once the transaction has been verified in this way, it is incorporated into a block with many other smaller transactions, and passed back to the Layer 1 blockchain.

Both optimistic and ZK models aim to answer the same question: how do you scale blockchain activity without abandoning trust?

That is the real architectural challenge. Layer 2 systems are not simply shortcuts. They are engineering responses to the limits of Layer 1.

Why blockchain architecture matters

It is easy to think of blockchain as a single thing, but in reality it is a stack of interacting layers — a structural foundation.

First, there is the user-facing application. The gateway layer that receives transactions. Then the mempool that holds them. The validator layer that checks and orders them. The execution environment that updates the state of the chain. The full nodes that preserve and distribute the ledger. And, increasingly, the Layer 2 systems that help the whole model scale.

Understanding that architecture helps explain why blockchain performance depends on more than the chain alone. It depends on networking, validation design, software layers, and the infrastructure choices all working together.

That is also why blockchain architecture is now such an important topic for builders, operators, and IT leaders alike. The question is no longer simply “what is blockchain?” — it is “how does this system actually work at scale?”

And the answer lies in the masterful architecture behind it.

It’s annoying: a payment often takes seconds to leave your account, but it can take days to reach the person on the other end. Why?

It is one of those modern financial mysteries. You tap your phone and the payment looks instant. But if you send money abroad, it can take three to five business days… Moreover, suddenly there are fees, delays, banking cut-off times and a trail of institutions… In an age of real-time apps and always-on services, traditional payments can still move maddeningly slow.

But this is one of the reasons blockchain gets so much attention in today’s financial circles. Put simply, blockchain has the potential to make some payments faster, cheaper, and easier to track. It is not perfect, and it will not replace every payment system overnight, but it does offer an alternative way of moving value between parties.

Why traditional payments can be slow

To understand why blockchain matters, it helps to look at how many traditional payments work today.

If you buy a coffee in your local café, the transaction feels immediate. But behind the scenes, several things are happening. Your bank, the merchant’s bank, the card network and payment processor may all be involved. The transaction is authorised quickly, but settlement can happen later.

Now imagine a more complicated scenario: a freelance designer in France is being paid by a client in the U.S., or a doctor working in London is sending money home to the Philippines. In these cases, the payment often passes through multiple banks, correspondent banking networks, foreign exchange systems, and compliance checks before it reaches the final account.

Each step adds time, cost, and complexity.

This is why international payments can take days rather than minutes. The money may move across different banking systems, operating in different time zones, with different rules, intermediary fees and business-hour limitations. In short, traditional payments often rely on a chain of trusted institutions updating their own records, one by one.

How blockchain changes the model

Blockchain works differently.

Instead of several institutions each keeping their own version of the transaction and then reconciling those records, blockchain uses what’s called a shared ledger: a record of transactions that is distributed across a network and updated according to the same rules. In simple terms, the participants in a shared ledger network are looking at the same history of payments, rather than passing information from one private database to another.

That matters because a lot of delay in traditional payments comes from handoffs. One institution sends instructions to another. A second institution checks them. A third updates its own records. If any part of that chain is closed, delayed, or requires extra review, the payment slows down.

With blockchain payments, the process is more direct. A payment request is sent to the network. Computers on that network check that the sender has the funds and that the same money has not already been spent elsewhere. Once the transaction is validated, it is grouped with other verified transactions, added to the ledger, and then reflected across the network. That shared update is what gives both sides a clearer, synchronized view of what has happened.

This does not remove every check or every operational requirement. But it can reduce the number of intermediaries involved in moving and confirming value. It can also allow the network to operate continuously, rather than depending on banking hours, weekends or regional cut-off times.

Therefore, some blockchain payments can settle far more quickly than traditional international transfers. In the right conditions, they can even happen in minutes or seconds, instead of days.

A simple real-world example

For example, let’s say a woman named Maria works as an architect in Chicago and sends part of her salary every month to her sister and nieces in Mexico. Using a traditional remittance service, she may pay transfer fees, exchange-rate markups, and they have to wait a day or two for the funds to arrive. If the transfer is made before a weekend or public holiday, it may take even longer.

With a blockchain-based payment system, the same transfer could move across a digital network much more directly – maybe even instantly. Instead of passing through a long chain of correspondent banks, the transaction is submitted to a shared ledger, validated by the network, and recorded in a way that both sides can verify. Maria’s family does not have to wait for multiple institutions to update separate records in sequence before the payment is considered settled.

That does not mean the experience is always instant or frictionless, but it does show why blockchain is relevant to ordinary payments. Not just about crypto trading or speculation, blockchain can also make everyday financial activity more efficient and reliable.

Can blockchain make payments cheaper too?

Oftentimes, yes.

Traditional payment systems can be expensive because multiple parties may each take a fee. Currency conversion adds more cost. Smaller cross-border payments can be especially frustrating, because the charges can feel disproportionate to the amount being sent.

Blockchain can reduce some of this friction because fewer intermediaries may be involved in moving and confirming the payment. In some systems, the network is handling verification and settlement instead of several institutions performing overlapping roles.

That does not mean every blockchain payment is cheap. Costs depend heavily on the network, the design of the application, and how busy the chain is. But the core idea is compelling: fewer middlemen means fewer handoffs, which can mean lower costs.

What blockchain will not fix on its own

However, there are some caveats.

Blockchain does not automatically solve every challenge in payments. Regulation, consumer protection, currency volatility, user experience, and integration with existing financial systems all matter. In many markets, blockchain payments still need better interfaces and clearer frameworks before they become truly mainstream.

There is also a difference between the underlying technology and the end-user experience. Most people do not want to think about wallets, keys, or protocols when they are paying rent or buying groceries. For blockchain payments to scale, the experience must become simpler and more familiar.

Back to Maria

So let’s go back to Maria, sending money back to her family who might have an important bill they need to pay urgently.

In the traditional model, the payment might pass through several institutions, take days to settle, and lose value through fees and exchange costs.

In a blockchain-based model, the transfer could move through a shared ledger, be validated by the network rather than reconciled across several separate databases, settle much faster, and give both sides a clearer view of what is happening.

That is why this matters to regular people like you, me, and Maria. Blockchain may not replace every payment rail tomorrow, but it offers a serious alternative for a world that increasingly expects transactions to be fast, transparent and borderless.

For IT leaders, the important question is not whether blockchain is “the next big thing.” 

The question is actually much simpler: where and how does this technology solve real problems better than conventional architectures?

To answer that, let’s begin with the fundamentals.

What blockchain really is, and how it works

A blockchain is a distributed database made up of blocks of data linked together in chronological order. Each new block contains information about transactions or events, along with a cryptographic reference to the previous block. This creates an auditable chain of records that is extremely difficult to alter retrospectively.

Unlike a traditional database, which is generally administered by one organisation, a blockchain is maintained collectively by participants in the network. Copies of the ledger are distributed across multiple systems, helping to ensure synchronisation, resilience and transparency.

When a transaction is submitted to a blockchain network, it is checked according to the rules of that network. Once validated, it is added to a block and propagated across the network so that participants agree on the updated state of the ledger. This agreement process is known as consensus.

The result is a system designed to support tamper-resistant, highly available and traceable record-keeping.

Public, private, permissioned and permissionless blockchains

Not all blockchains work in the same way. For business leaders, one of the most important distinctions is the difference between public and private networks, and between permissioned and permissionless models.

Public blockchains are open networks. In general, anyone can access them, and they are often designed for broad transparency and participation. These networks are especially relevant where openness, interoperability and shared trust are important.

Private blockchains are restricted to a specific organisation or group of participants. They are usually designed for tightly controlled business processes, where governance, confidentiality or performance requirements call for more control.

A second distinction concerns permissions.

In a permissionless blockchain, participants can typically join the network and interact with it without prior approval, provided they follow the network’s technical rules.

In a permissioned blockchain, roles and actions are controlled more tightly. Specific participants may be allowed to read, write, validate or administer the network based on predefined permissions.

These models are not interchangeable. The right choice depends on the use case, the governance model, the sensitivity of the data, and the degree of openness required.

How infrastructure factors in

Blockchain discussions often focus on tokens, protocols or applications. But for IT decision-makers, infrastructure is just as important.

A blockchain environment depends on reliable underlying systems to ensure performance and trust. Three requirements stand out in particular: security, speed and uptime.

1. Security

Security is indispensably foundational. Blockchain networks are designed to preserve data integrity, but they still need to be protected at the infrastructure and operational levels.

This includes safeguarding validator or node environments, protecting sensitive data during processing, enforcing strict identity and access controls, and defending services against network attacks such as DDoS events. In some blockchain contexts, security solutions must also be tailored carefully so that legitimate high-volume traffic is not mistaken for malicious traffic.

2. Speed and low latency

Many blockchain applications are highly sensitive to latency. Validation, data propagation and user-facing responsiveness all depend on fast, stable connectivity.

This is especially relevant for environments such as decentralised finance, exchanges, validator operations, RPC services and analytics pipelines, where milliseconds can affect performance and user experience. The network layer matters a great deal: bandwidth, routing quality, geographic distribution and private interconnection can all influence outcomes.

3. High availability and resilience

Blockchain systems are expected to operate continuously. Downtime can mean missed transactions, degraded service, failed validations or loss of trust.

That makes blockchain’s resiliency critical. Distributed hosting, strong service-level commitments, redundancy, and multi-regional design can all play an important role in keeping blockchain workloads available and synchronised.

For IT leaders evaluating providers or architectures, blockchain should therefore be treated as both an application question and an infrastructure question.

Blockchain goes beyond cryptocurrency

Perhaps the biggest misconception for blockchain is that it begins, and ends, with crypto.

Cryptocurrency is just one application of blockchain, and it is far from the only one. The technology can also support a wide range of business and public-sector use cases where transparency, traceability, automation or shared trust are needed.

Examples include:

• Digital identity and access models, where blockchain can help verify claims or credentials while preserving control and traceability
• Supply chain tracking, where organisations need reliable visibility into provenance, handling and transfers across multiple parties
• Smart contracts, which can automate actions when predefined conditions are met
• Decentralised applications, where services run on distributed infrastructure rather than a single central backend
• Enterprise recordkeeping, where multiple stakeholders need a shared, verifiable source of truth

The key point is that blockchain is valuable beyond the fact that it is decentralised. It is valuable when decentralisation, immutability and shared verification solve a real business or operational challenge together.

A practical view for IT leaders

For IT leaders, blockchain should be approached with the same discipline as any other architecture decision.

And that means asking:

• What trust problem are we solving?
• Do we need a shared ledger across multiple parties?
• What governance model fits the use case?
• What are the performance, security and compliance requirements?
• Which infrastructure will support this reliably at scale?

In some cases, a conventional database will still be the right answer. In others, blockchain offers a stronger foundation for transparency, resilience and distributed trust.

The important thing is to move beyond the hype. Used in the right context, blockchain is a practical architectural model with applications that extend well beyond cryptocurrency.

As adoption grows, IT leaders who understand both the technology and its infrastructure requirements will be those best placed to identify where it can deliver meaningful business value.

This article is based on the guide “The Blockchain Blueprint”, available to download for free.

Blockchain is a decentralized database technology that tries to approach very important questions in a different way to traditional (centralized) databases. Ultimately, these questions boil down to:

• What is the truth?
• Who gets the last word on what the truth is?

In information management circles, we’ve tried to find a way to the ‘single source of truth’ for decades. Information sprawls. Being able to have a definitive answer on any one matter – whether that’s the last version of a memo or the real-time stock in a retail store – is incredibly valuable.

After all, if you’ve worked in an office for any length of time, you’ve probably renamed a file to something like ‘version 2.5 final final THIS ONE’ – and inevitably, it’s not ‘final’. This analogy doesn’t quite work because blockchain isn’t a file storage technology, but we’ll come back to that later.

Blockchain’s answer to defining truth is democratic. As its name suggests, information is stored in blocks, and these blocks are linked together in a chain. The order of this chain is documented, so once a change is made, it becomes an indelible part of ‘history.’ This establishes ‘truth’ by tying historical facts (or transactions) together so that one is linked to the next – and altering one event means altering the entire chain of events, rather like needing to rewrite an entire history book from the change of one small detail.

Let’s look at an example in practice.

When a change occurs in a blockchain network (like buying a cup of coffee with cryptocurrency) the information is sent to the network and preliminary checks are done – for example, checking that you have enough money to buy the coffee.

If there are any blockchain experts reading this, let’s assume it was a very expensive and significant coffee, because smaller transactions are often handled slightly differently in blockchain, in what we call Layer 2 Networks. We’ll come back to these later in the series.

Once the transaction has been verified, it’s then packaged up with other transactions to form a block and linked to the previous block in turn.

Next, the network has to make sure that the block is valid. This is done through a process called consensus, or validation, and is handled slightly differently depending on the network. Bitcoin uses a system called ‘Proof of Work,’ where different users work to verify complex equations that prove that the block’s contents haven’t been altered and that it does really link to the previous block. If anything has changed in the block since it was submitted, the equation doesn’t work and the block is rejected.

This is a computationally intensive process and requires a lot of electricity, particularly at scale. At one point, Bitcoin used as much electricity as all of Norway, so there are many other alternatives. For example, Solana uses ‘Proof of Stake,’ where the parties involved in verifying the block put forward assets (in this case, actual cryptocurrency). Then, the lead validator builds the block and adds a digital signature to it so as to say that they checked it, and that they have a real stake in the matter (i.e. money). This data is then re-checked by other validators, who vote on the validity. If there are enough ‘yes’ votes, then the block is agreed upon.

Of course, this does rely on trust, but there are usually big penalties for validators who ‘cheat.’ For example, they can have their stake removed, and/or they can be restricted from contributing to validation in future.

Solana also uses a system called ‘Proof of History’ to help it process a large number of transactions, which is a bit different to other systems.

But once approved, the block is then officially part of the chain, and the transaction can be completed – and you can get your Americano.

To define blockchain in another way: it creates a system of establishing trust and control without one single authority. Trust is distributed between all the different parties involved in the network. In fact, almost anyone can become a blockchain validator, although each network has its own requirements to do so.

As we’ve seen, blockchain is much bigger than just Bitcoin; the distributed database structure can be applied to all kinds of settings. We’ve seen organizations using blockchain to verify where tuna fish were caught, to ensure that they were ethically fished, and that the handling of said tuna could be traced from supermarket to distributor, and back to the person who caught them in the ocean.

Another major application for blockchain is in identity verification. Blockchain systems can help to check the validity of something without violating its privacy.

For example, imagine that you’ve discovered the famous Narnia wardrobe. You’ve decided to try to prevent people from sneaking in and causing chaos, so you’ve created a password-protected way to get in. You’re trying to qualify for state support to redevelop your house into a tourist attraction, so you need to prove that the wardrobe is the real deal. On the other hand, you don’t want to just give out the password because you’ll have government officials popping in and out all the time, conjuring infinite amounts of Turkish Delight and smuggling talking badgers out under their coats.

Blockchain’s answer to this is simple: you pop inside and take a selfie with Aslan and Mr. Tumnus, showing conclusively that you have access. This is how Self-sovereign identity works, which requires blockchain to link the wardrobe with the selfie. The two need to be linked – after all, you could have just popped into your friend’s magical wardrobe and taken a photo of some other lion and faun!

Many age-verification systems work in similar ways. For example, in many countries it’s illegal to give credit to someone under 18, so having a credit card is proof that you’re older than this, without having to show your passport or driving license. And in this case, it’s vital to show that the credit card is linked to the person using it, or the system doesn’t work.

Finally, it’s worth knowing that there are a number of different ecosystems within blockchain. Although they’re not strictly specialized, we can generalize that Bitcoin is focused on currency, Solana tends to being more of a platform for decentralized apps, and Ethereum is known for facilitating transactions quickly and making use of smart contracts – an ecosystem similar to Avalanche, but Avalanche has a modular approach focused on speed.

This picture is further muddied by the fact that there are public and private blockchains, which are also subdivided, but which essentially dictate who can see the blockchain and who has permission to be on it.

In our next blog post, we’ll go into a bit more detail about the blockchain world, focusing on the truths that IT leaders need to know. In the meantime, if you want a clearer, more practical view of how blockchain fits into real-world infrastructure, you can explore our resources and customer success stories on our website.

Introduction

Ethereum is quickly becoming known as one of the most efficient and flexible blockchain networks in the world, enabling financial organisations and individuals alike to create smart contracts that can power the likes of decentralised finance (DeFi) applications and NFT ecosystems. Ethereum is one of the foundations of Web3, providing a decentralised, scalable and secure network where builders can create the digital economy of the future.

But how do you get started? In this tutorial, we provide a guide to deploying and operating an Ethereum node on an OVHcloud public server. By the end of this guide, you will have a fully functional Ethereum node running on OVHcloud, following best practices for reliability and maintainability.

The security hardening and operational best practices required to fully protect an Ethereum node are beyond the scope of this tutorial. Users are strongly advised to implement additional security measures — such as firewall configuration, key management, and monitoring — according to their organizational requirements and industry best practices.

All set? Let’s get started.

Launching an instance

Navigate to the OVHcloud Control Panel, and under the Public Cloud section, select Instances. From there, click on Create an Instance to begin the provisioning process.

To run an Ethereum node reliably, the hardware specifications must meet the client software’s minimum requirements. According to the Ethereum Foundation documentation, an Ethereum node requires at least:

● Execution client: 2 CPU cores, 16 GB of RAM, and 1 TB of fast SSD storage.

● Consensus client: 2 CPU cores, 8 GB of RAM, and access to the same storage.

For production environments and long-term stability, higher specifications are strongly recommended. In this tutorial, we will provision an instance with 2 vCores and 30 GB of RAM, which satisfies the minimum combined requirements for running both the execution and consensus clients on a single machine.

Within the Memory Optimized category, locate the instance type named R2-30 and select it for deployment.

Next, select the geographic location for your instance. The choice of region may affect latency, network performance, and regulatory considerations. For the purposes of this tutorial, we will deploy the node in the Frankfurt data center, which provides low-latency connectivity within Europe and is well-suited for Ethereum node operations.

It is worth noting that maintaining nodes in different geographic regions contributes to the overall resilience and decentralization of the Ethereum network. Geographical diversity helps reduce the risk of localized outages and improves redundancy across the infrastructure.

Now, select the operating system image for your instance. For this tutorial, we will use Ubuntu 24.04 LTS.

Next, select the public SSH key that will be associated with your instance. This key will be installed on the server during provisioning and will serve as the primary authentication method for secure remote access. After the instance is launched, you will be able to connect to it via SSH using the corresponding private key. This approach eliminates the need for password-based logins and significantly enhances security by enforcing key-based authentication.

Assign a descriptive name to your instance (e.g., eth-node-fra-01) following your organization’s naming convention. If your workflow uses tags or labels, add ones that identify the role (execution/consensus), environment (prod/stage), and region (FRA). OVHcloud also allows attaching a post-installation script (cloud-init user data) to automate provisioning; however, this tutorial proceeds step-by-step, so leave that field empty.

For the purposes of this tutorial, we will simply assign the instance the name OVHnode.

Configure the network access by selecting Public mode, which will assign the instance a public IP address and enable external connectivity. This setting is required for the node to participate in the Ethereum network. Next, choose your preferred billing method.

Finally, click on Create an Instance to launch the deployment process. OVHcloud will provision the server with the selected configuration, and within a few minutes, the instance will be available and running. At this point, your Ethereum node host environment is ready for initial access and further configuration.

Adding Storage

The next step is to provision persistent storage for the Ethereum blockchain data. In the OVHcloud Control Panel, navigate to the Block Storage section from the side menu, and click on Create a Volume. This volume will serve as the primary data store for the Ethereum chain, ensuring durability and scalability independent of the compute instance.

When creating the storage volume, ensure that you select the same region as your compute instance. This is essential to guarantee low-latency access and to allow the volume to be attached directly to your node without cross-region performance penalties.

OVHcloud provides three categories of block storage volumes:

• Classic HDD – 500 IOPS guaranteed.
• High-Speed SSD – up to 3,000 IOPS.
• High-Speed Gen2 – up to 20,000 IOPS.

Running an Ethereum node requires high-performance storage due to the constant read and write operations needed to synchronize the blockchain and access block and state data. For this reason, we strongly recommend selecting a High-Speed Gen2 volume, which delivers the necessary throughput and input/output operations per second (IOPS) to ensure stable node performance.

Both the Ethereum Execution Layer (EL) client and the Consensus Layer (CL) client require significant disk capacity to store blockchain data, state, and historical records. A minimum of 2 TB of storage is recommended to operate a full mainnet node reliably. When creating the block storage volume in OVHcloud, set the capacity to 2 TB and select the High-Speed Gen2 option to ensure sufficient performance for synchronization and long-term operation.

Assign a descriptive name to the storage volume to simplify management and identification. For example, you may name it chaindata to clearly indicate its role as the primary data store for the node.

Once all parameters have been configured — including the region, storage type, capacity, and name — click on Create Volume. OVHcloud will provision the block storage resource, which will then be available to attach to your Ethereum node instance.

Mounting the Volume

After the new volume appears as available in the OVHcloud Control Panel, attach it to your Ethereum node instance. To do this, open the ⋮ (more options) menu next to the volume entry and select Attach to an Instance. From the list of instances, choose the node you previously created. The volume will then be linked to that instance and accessible as an additional block device.

Now, establish a secure connection to your server via SSH. Use the following command from your local terminal, replacing IPaddress with the public IP assigned to your instance:

ssh ubuntu@IPaddress

By default, OVHcloud instances provisioned with the Ubuntu image create a user named ubuntu, which you should use for the initial connection. Authentication will be handled through the SSH key you configured during instance creation.

Once connected to the instance, run the following command to list all available block devices:

lsblk

This will display a tree view of the system’s storage devices, including the root disk and the newly attached block storage volume. Identify the additional device (e.g., /dev/sdb) that corresponds to the 2 TB volume you created in OVHcloud. This device will later be formatted and mounted to store the Ethereum blockchain data.

Next, create a partition on the newly attached volume. Replace /dev/sdb with the device name identified in the previous step if it differs. Execute:

sudo fdisk /dev/sdb

This command will open the partitioning utility for the selected block device. From there, you can create a new primary partition that spans the entire disk. Once complete, the partition will typically be available as /dev/sdb1.

Once the partition has been created (e.g., /dev/sdb1), format it with the ext4 filesystem so it can be mounted and used by the operating system. Run the following command:

sudo mkfs.ext4 /dev/sdb1

This will initialize the partition with an ext4 filesystem, which is a stable and widely supported choice for storing Ethereum chain data.

Now, create a dedicated directory to serve as the mount point for the formatted volume, then mount it and verify that it has been successfully attached to the filesystem. Execute the following commands:

sudo mkdir -p /mnt/chaindata

sudo mount /dev/sdb1 /mnt/chaindata

df -h

• mkdir -p /mnt/chaindata creates the mount directory (using -p ensures no error if intermediate directories are missing).
• mount /dev/sdb1 /mnt/chaindata mounts the formatted partition to the directory.
• df -h displays all mounted filesystems in a human-readable format, allowing you to confirm that /dev/sdb1 is correctly mounted at /mnt/chaindata with the expected capacity (approximately 2 TB).

At this point, your disk is mounted and ready for use. However, the configuration is not persistent: if the server restarts, the volume will need to be mounted manually. To ensure the volume is mounted automatically at boot, we must configure it in the /etc/fstab file.

First, retrieve the UUID (Universally Unique Identifier) of your volume by running:

sudo blkid

This command lists all block devices and their associated attributes. Identify the entry corresponding to your new partition (e.g., /dev/sdb1) and copy the value of its UUID field, which will be used in the fstab configuration.

Next, edit the /etc/fstab file to configure the automatic mount. Open the file with your preferred text editor, for example:

sudo nano /etc/fstab

Then add the following line at the end of the file, replacing the UUID with the one obtained from the previous blkid command:

UUID=e146e498-bba2-4574-9b47-b54fffea77e7 /mnt/chaindata ext4 nofail 0 0

This entry ensures that the partition will be mounted at /mnt/chaindata automatically on every system boot. The nofail option allows the system to continue booting even if the device is unavailable.

Your storage volume is now fully configured and ready to be used for storing Ethereum blockchain data. With the automatic mount entry in place, the system will make the volume available at /mnt/chaindata on every reboot, ensuring a stable and persistent data directory for your node.

Create a dedicated user

Next, create a dedicated user account to manage all Ethereum node operations. This practice improves security by separating node processes from the default system user. Run the following commands:

sudo useradd -s /bin/bash -d /home/node_admin/ -m -G sudo node_admin

echo 'node_admin:MySuperPassword123' | sudo chpasswd

sudo mkdir -p /home/node_admin/.ssh

• useradd creates a new user named node_admin, with a home directory, bash shell, and membership in the sudo group.
• chpasswd sets an initial password for the new user (replace with a strong secret or configure key-based login).
• mkdir -p creates the .ssh directory for SSH configuration in the user’s home directory.

Now, configure SSH key-based authentication for the new user by adding your public SSH key to the authorized_keys file. Replace the placeholder with your actual public key:

sudo sh -c "echo 'My-public-SSH-key' > /home/node_admin/.ssh/authorized_keys"

This command creates the authorized_keys file under /home/node_admin/.ssh/ and writes your public key into it, allowing secure, passwordless login as the node_admin user.

Ethereum Preliminaries

Operating a fully functional Ethereum node requires the coordinated operation of two key software components:

1. Execution Client (EL) – responsible for processing transactions and maintaining the Ethereum state.

2. Consensus Client (CL) – responsible for reaching consensus with the rest of the network through the Ethereum proof-of-stake protocol.

These two components must run in tandem and communicate securely to maintain synchronization with the Ethereum mainnet.

The Ethereum ecosystem supports multiple client implementations, each developed independently but compliant with the Ethereum specification. The most widely used options include:

Execution Clients (EL):

• Geth
• Nethermind
• Reth
• Besu
• Erigon

Consensus Clients (CL):

• Lighthouse
• Prysm
• Teku
• Nimbus
• Lodestar

For this guide, we will use the following combination:

● Execution Client: Nethermind

● Consensus Client: Lighthouse

Installing Nethermind (Execution Client)

Step 1: Add the Nethermind APT Repository

To install Nethermind via APT, begin by adding the official repository:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:nethermindeth/nethermind

If the above command is not found, install the required tools first:

sudo apt-get install software-properties-common

Step 2: Update the Package Index

Refresh your package list to include packages from the newly added repository:

sudo apt-get update

⚠️This may take a few minutes depending on your system and network speed.

Step 3: Install Nethermind

Now install the Nethermind binary:

sudo apt-get install nethermind -y

Installing Lighthouse (Consensus Client)

Step 1: Download the Latest Stable Release

Navigate to the Lighthouse GitHub Releases page and locate the latest stable release.

As of September 29, 2025, version 8.0.0 is marked as a Pre-release, so we will use the stable version 7.1.0.

Use the following curl command to download the Lighthouse client binary archive:

curl -LO https://github.com/sigp/lighthouse/releases/download/v7.1.0/lighthouse-v7.1.0-x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu.tar.gz

Step 2: Extract the Archive

Once downloaded, extract the archive:

tar -xvf lighthouse-v7.1.0-x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu.tar.gz

This will place the lighthouse binary in your current directory.

Step 3: Verify and Move the Binary

Test the binary to ensure it is working:

./lighthouse –version

Move it to a directory included in your system’s $PATH for global access:

sudo cp lighthouse /usr/bin

Create the JWT Secret File

A shared JWT secret is required for secure authenticated communication between the execution and consensus clients.

Step 1: Create a Secrets Directory

sudo mkdir -p /secrets

Step 2: Generate the JWT Token

openssl rand -hex 32 | tr -d "\n" | sudo tee /secrets/jwt.hex > /dev/null

You should now have the file /secrets/jwt.hex containing a 32-byte hexadecimal secret.

Using screen for Session Persistence

When running on a remote server (such as an OVH cloud instance), any disconnection from your SSH session will terminate running processes unless they are managed through tools like screen.

Check if screen is installed:

screen –version

If not installed:

sudo apt-get install screen

Setting Ownership for /mnt/chaindata

When running Ethereum clients (Nethermind and Lighthouse), it’s essential that the user executing the commands has the necessary access to the data directory. To avoid permission issues and maintain security, you should assign ownership of the previously mounted directory to your current user.

sudo chown $USER:$USER /mnt/chaindata

This command sets the user and group ownership of /mnt/chaindata to the currently logged-in user. It ensures that you (and your Ethereum clients, if run under your user account) have full access to read, write, and modify files in this directory.

Now we are ready to launch both the execution and consensus clients in separate screen sessions for persistent background operation.

Launching Nethermind (Execution Client)

Step 1: Create a Screen Session

screen -S nethermind

Step 2: Run Nethermind

nethermind -c mainnet \ 
--data-dir /mnt/chaindata/nethermind \ 
--JsonRpc.Enabled true \ 
--HealthChecks.Enabled true \ 
--HealthChecks.UIEnabled true \ 
--JsonRpc.EngineHost=127.0.0.1 \ 
--JsonRpc.EnginePort=8551 \ 
--JsonRpc.JwtSecretFile=/secrets/jwt.hex 

You should see logs indicating the client is running. Eventually, the message:

Waiting for Forkchoice message from Consensus Layer

will appear, indicating the execution client is waiting to pair with the consensus client.

Step 3: Detach the Session

Press: Ctrl-a then d to detach from the session and return to the main shell.

Step 4: List Active Sessions (Optional)

screen -ls

To reattach later:

screen -r nethermind

Launching Lighthouse (Consensus Client)

Step 1: Create a New Screen Session

screen -S lighthouse

Step 2: Run Lighthouse Beacon Node

lighthouse bn \ 
--network mainnet \ 
--execution-endpoint http://127.0.0.1:8551 \ 
--execution-jwt /secrets/jwt.hex \ 
--checkpoint-sync-url https://mainnet.checkpoint.sigp.io \ 
--http \ 
--datadir /mnt/chaindata/lighthouse

After some initial setup, Lighthouse should begin syncing with the network.

Step 3: Detach the Session

Use the same key combination: Ctrl-a then d.

Verifying Synchronization Between EL and CL

At this stage, both the execution client (Nethermind) and the consensus client (Lighthouse) should be running in separate screen sessions. To confirm that they are properly connected and synchronization is underway, reattach to the Nethermind session and inspect the logs.

Step 1: Reattach to the Nethermind Session

screen -r nethermind

This command brings you back into the Nethermind screen session, where you can observe real-time logs.

Step 2: Check for Communication Messages

If Lighthouse is running and connected correctly, Nethermind’s logs should no longer display:

Waiting for Forkchoice message from Consensus Layer

Instead, you should see logs indicating that the Engine API communication has been established and blocks are being processed. Look for messages like:

Received ForkChoice: ...
Syncing...

These logs confirm that Nethermind is receiving block proposals and fork choice updates from Lighthouse and that the node is syncing correctly with the Ethereum mainnet.

Conclusion

And you’re done! You have deployed a fully functional Ethereum node on OVHcloud.

While this guide focused on the technical deployment, it is important to complement the setup with proper security hardening, monitoring, and maintenance practices to ensure long-term stability. With the foundation now in place, you can extend the node’s functionality, integrate it into larger infrastructures, or use it as a base for research, development, and staking operations.

This is the first guide in our mini-series and will shortly be followed by a tutorial on how to deploy an Ethereum node on a bare metal server and monitor it in real-time. Stay tuned for more.

Can you introduce Cryptomate, its industry, mission and values?

CryptoMate was founded by a team with deep experience in Fintech, Banking, Crypto, and Academia. We are capitalizing on a massive shift we identified: just as traditional fintech evolved from single services to Super Apps and finally to Embedded Finance, blockchain is now in its 3rd Wave.

This 3rd Wave moves past simple exchanges and TradFi apps to Embedded Stablecoins and AI Agents, allowing any company to offer sophisticated, global financial services.

Our mission is driven by a core belief: “no single bank fits everyone’s hand.” We are building the toolkit for a “constellation of micro-fintechs” across emerging markets. We believe financial inclusion must be profitable for local entrepreneurs to scale from the bottom up, rather than a top-down, high-cost model.

This vision is not theoretical; it’s a proven business model. We are already serving clients in 12+ countries. Our focus on providing real tools for local entrepreneurs has fueled a 10x increase in the last year, putting us on track to cross $100 Million in annualized transaction volume.

We have the team, we have the traction, and we are leading this new, decentralized financial revolution.

Guido De Luca (CTO) and Alan Boryszanski (CEO), co-founders of Cryptomate.

What were specific challenges you faced before joining OVHcloud’s Blockchain Accelerator?

Before the accelerator, our challenges were a direct result of our rapid 10x growth.

Technical: Our hybrid infrastructure (using one hyperscaler and one challenger) was becoming a bottleneck. We were running high-frequency financial processing, real-time AI agents, and deposit detection engines through multiple blockchain networks on systems that were difficult to scale. We faced performance issues and security complexities trying to manage both bare metal and managed cloud services at $100M in transaction volume.

Operational: We needed to deploy in new regions (Asia, Africa) for our clients, but our current setup made global, low-latency deployment slow and complex.

Financial: Our other provider’s costs were becoming unpredictable and a major budget drain. We needed a solution that offered the power of bare metal for our core processing without the punishing, variable costs of hyperscalers.

How did OVHcloud and the Startup Program help you overcome these challenges?

OVHcloud and its Startup Program were the direct solution to our scalability, cost, and performance crises.

Bare Metal servers are our key differentiator. They give us the raw, dedicated processing power needed for our financial engine and AI agents, something that was prohibitively expensive on our other hyperscaler provider. We get 100% of the CPU/RAM, which is critical for security and low-latency in our MPC wallet operations.

Predictable pricing was the biggest financial win. We’ve eliminated the unpredictable, variable costs of hyperscalers. Now our infrastructure budget is a fixed, manageable operational expense, allowing us to scale without fear.

We use vRack to build a secure, private global network connecting our nodes in Europe and North America, with a clear path to Asia. This solved our global deployment challenge.

The Startup Program’s support and credits were vital, giving us the financial breathing room to migrate and optimize our complex architecture without disrupting our 10x growth.

What tangible results have you achieved since collaborating with OVHcloud? How have these results helped to accelerate your growth or improve your product/service offering?

The results have been transformative. Since migrating to OVHcloud, we’ve reduced our monthly infrastructure costs by over 30%, moving from unpredictable hyperscaler bills to a fixed, manageable budget.

Crucially, by leveraging dedicated bare metal servers, we’ve increased our transaction processing speed by 50%. This isn’t just a metric; it’s a critical enabler. It allows us to securely handle our $100M annualized transaction volume and run our complex AI agents with the low latency our clients demand.

This collaboration directly accelerated our 10x growth. We now have a stable, high-performance global foundation, giving us the confidence to onboard larger clients and expand into new regions without fearing performance bottlenecks or budget overruns.

What are your ambitions for the future of your startup, and how do you see it evolving within the cloud ecosystem?

Our ambition is to become the global operating system for our “constellation of micro-fintechs,” scaling from $100M to billions in transaction volume.

Our future challenges are threefold: massive global scale, the heavy compute power required for our AI agents, and navigating complex data sovereignty laws as we enter new markets in Africa and Asia.

OVHcloud is our partner for sustainable success. Its powerful bare metal servers provide the cost-efficient engine for our AI and core transactions. Crucially, its global network and focus on data sovereignty give us a secure, compliant, and predictable foundation to scale globally, ensuring our future growth is both fast and financially stable.

What advice would you give to other growth-stage startups considering the cloud or joining a support program?

First, challenge your cloud stack. Don’t just default to the big hyperscalers because it’s easy. As you scale, their variable costs can kill your margins. For core, high-performance workloads—like our financial engine—dedicated bare metal servers provided us with 50% more speed at 30% less cost. Control your infrastructure economics before they control you.

Second, use startup programs for their expertise, not just their credits. The credits from the OVHcloud Startup Program were great, but it was their expert support in migrating our complex, high-volume architecture that was invaluable. Find a partner who invests in your success and understands your specific technical needs.

Conclusions

OVHcloud was the key to solving our scaling crisis. We cut our infrastructure costs by 30% and boosted transaction performance by 50% by migrating from unpredictable hyperscalers to their powerful bare metal servers. This partnership gave us the stable, cost-predictable foundation necessary to handle $100M in transaction volume and power our global AI.

Don’t let infrastructure costs limit your growth. We strongly urge other startups to join the OVHcloud Startup Program. Contact their team to build your own foundation for sustainable success.

If you’re a startup looking to transform your business, we encourage you to join the OVHcloud Startup Program or contact OVHcloud to discover how our solutions can support your journey!

This accelerator has been a game-changer for the 16 startups that participated. The program’s focus on technical guidance, business strategy, and mentoring has yielded impressive results, with participants such as CryptoMate and AzurSafe achieving significant milestones and successes.

“OVHcloud was the direct solution to our scalability, cost, and performance crises. Bare Metal servers are our key differentiator, giving us the raw, dedicated processing power needed for our financial engine and AI agents,” said Alan Boryszanski, co-Founder of CryptoMate. “The Startup Program’s support and credits were vital, giving us the financial breathing room to migrate and optimize our complex architecture without disrupting our 10x growth.”

Similarly, AzurSafe has surpassed $90 billion in transaction value monitored across more than 30 blockchains, highlighting emerging fraud trends and providing real-time insights using advanced AI and ML technologies. “The precision of our fraud detection tools has been approved, audited, battle-tested, and endorsed by experts in the financial and investigative industries,” said Sam Dabiri, Founder and CEO of AzurSafe. “We are preparing huge projects that will completely redefine the landscape on an international scale.”

Kavodax, another participant, has launched in 30 countries and is in discussions with VCs involved with the Accelerator.

We would like to extend our gratitude to our partners who made this program possible, including Alchemy, Degen House, Crypto Mondays London, Super Team Solana, Fintech District, and Dysnix as well as the delivery partners Link Innovations and Empact Ventures. Their expertise and support have been invaluable to the success of our participants.

In fact, Dysnix has already been able to deliver tangible value to Mira Network, another participant. Dysnix is providing DevOps services to Mira Network to aid their migration from another hyperscaler in a short timeframe, following an infrastructure audit. The outcome of this collaboration has been better infrastructure scalability and significant cost optimisation.

“The OVHcloud Startup Program Fast Forward Blockchain and Web3 accelerator has been a resounding success, and we are proud to have played a role in the growth and development of these innovative startups,” said Philip Marais, Global Startup Program Director at OVHcloud. “Our program is designed to provide founders with the acceleration they need through unique go-to-market support to allow them to thrive in the blockchain and Web3 ecosystem, and we are thrilled to see the impact it has had on our participants.”

“The blockchain and Web3 ecosystem is rapidly evolving, and it’s essential for startups to have the right support and resources to succeed,” said Omar Abi Issa, Global Sales Director for Blockchain, Web3 and AI at OVHcloud. “Our program is committed to providing the necessary tools and expertise to help startups overcome the complex challenges of this landscape and achieve their full potential.”

As we look to the future, we are excited to continue supporting the growth and development of blockchain and Web3 startups through our OVHcloud Startup Program. With our expertise, resources, and network of partners, we are confident that we can help these innovative companies achieve their full potential and make a lasting impact on the industry.

Look out for future blog articles covering interviews with our Blockchain and Web3 Accelerator participants or find out more about the Startup Program below.

If you’re a startup looking to transform your business, we encourage you to join the OVHcloud Startup Program or contact OVHcloud to discover how our solutions can support your journey!

Meet the 16 Selected Startups

The 16 startups selected for the Blockchain & Web3 Accelerator are:

1. ARZE, an AI-powered ERP suite composed of three integrated tools: payroll, invoicing, and back-office business intelligence.
2. Kavodax Inc, a blockchain-powered B2B cross-border payment platform.
3. Kross Blockchain, Africa’s first smart contract layer 1 chain and Nigeria’s first blockchain.
4. Mira Network AG, a Swiss-based blockchain ecosystem revolutionizing how communities fund, earn from, and participate in real-world businesses.
5. KALICERTIF, a blockchain-based certification platform for digital assets and identity verification.
6. tokenforge GmbH, a white-label platform for tokenizing real-world assets in a fully compliant and scalable.
7. Insurechain SL, offering a modular and interoperable infrastructure designed to simplify and accelerate the adoption of blockchain technology across industries.
8. AzurSafe, providing advanced transactional analytics solutions for enterprises and financial institutions to help them fight fraud.
9. Credshields technologies, a Web3 cybersecurity tooling company.
10. CryptoMate, a blockchain-based platform for effortless global transactions.
11. Huralya, a blockchain-based platform for anonymous sign-ins and crypto payments for easy subscriptions.
12. Pirichain Technology, a blockchain-based data ecosystem designed for secure data storage, management, and analysis.
13. Sollpay, a next-generation non-custodial wallet and payment platform.
14. Vizyon France, a decentralized teleradiology platform.
15. AYUMIA, a blockchain-based platform for secure and transparent food tracking and tracing.
16. Epoch Protocol, a coordination layer for intent solvers – tools designed to analyze and understand the intent behind smart contract code or blockchain transactions.

“The Blockchain & Web3 Accelerator is a unique opportunity for innovative blockchain startups to accelerate their growth, develop their solutions, and connect with a strong network of partners and investors. We are excited to support the growth and development of these promising startups and look forward to seeing the impact they will make in the blockchain industry,” says Philip Marais, Global Startup Program Director, OVHcloud.

Meet the Partners

The Blockchain & Web3 Accelerator is supported by well-known industry partners, including:

1. Alchemy, a blockchain development platform for building and deploying blockchain applications.
2. Degen House, helping to build projects on the Solana blockchain and bring them to market.
3. Crypto Mondays London, a blockchain community for networking and education.
4. Super Team Solana, a community of the best talent learning, earning and building in crypto.
5. Fintech District, an open ecosystem created to aggregate the Italian financial services industry and to spread fintech culture and innovation.
6. Dysnix, offering full-cycle DevOps & MLOps for seed+ and high-growth companies.

These partners will provide valuable guidance, mentorship, and resources to the participating startups throughout the Accelerator.

Accelerator Program Overview

The Blockchain & Web3 Accelerator program is designed to support the growth and development of the selected startups. The program will consist of three phases:

1. Phase I – Go-to-Market
   Focused on refining your product-market fit, marketing, and go-to-market strategy. Participants work with our team to sharpen your positioning and business foundations.
2. Phase II – Build
   Deep dive into blockchain technology and cloud integration. Participants collaborate with our Web3 and technical teams to optimize your infrastructure and unlock the full potential of OVHcloud solutions.
3. Phase III – Scale
   Prepare for investor engagement and scalable growth. This phase includes sales strategy and investor readiness.

“As a former startup, OVHcloud understands what founders and their teams need, but as a global organisation which shares blockchain’s ethos of decentralisation, transparency and security, OVHcloud is in a unique position to help nurture and support the growth of tomorrow’s blockchain champions. We look forward to meeting latest group of companies participating in our accelerator,” says Omar Abi Issa, Global Sales Director, Blockchain, Web3 and AI, OVHcloud.

The program will culminate with a Showcase event, which is part of the OVHcloud Partner Network Summit on 20 November 2025, where the 16 participating startups will pitch their solutions to an audience of investors, OVHcloud customers and partners, and industry experts.

To participate in the action, sign up to attend the Showcase event virtually or as part of the OVHcloud Partner Network Summit:

I want to attend the Showcase in Paris on 20 November!

I want to attend the Showcase virtually on 20 November!

If you’re a startup looking to transform your business, we encourage you to join the OVHcloud Startup Program or contact OVHcloud to discover how our solutions can support your journey!

OVHcloud is an industry leader for cloud infrastructure for blockchain and Web3 startups, delivering scalable, compliant, and secure cloud solutions made for decentralised applications, enabling the next era of digital trust.

Whether startups are building blockchain-native products or integrating decentralised technologies, our ecosystem offers the technical support, mentorship, and commercial resources they need to succeed.

Key partners in this accelerator that will help with your go-to-market needs are Degen House, Super Team Solana, Crypto Mondays, Alchemy and Dysnix.

Designed to be light-touch in terms of your time but high-impact in terms of value, the Blockchain and Web3 Accelerator offers everything that is OVHcloud (price/performance, energy efficiency, tech freedom, personal touch, decentralization and security of services) and more.

The 10-week program offers:

• €50k in free cloud credits to use on our Public Cloud solutions. This is in addition to Startup Program credits but the maximum total credits that can be allocated remains €100k.
• Deep-dives into blockchain, GTM strategies, sales training etc.
• Workshops on GTM, sales, investor readiness, and marketing to boost growth
• 1-on-1 mentoring from experts
• Engagement with corporates for possible POCs
• Engagement with Venture Capitalists (VCs) for possible funding

Up to 20 startups will be selected for the cohort of the Blockchain and Web3 Accelerator. Applications open on 4th of June, and the accelerator will run from 16 September 2025 to 20 November 2025.

Entries close on 7^th July 2025 (Apply NOW!) and selected participants will be announced on 23 July 2025.

The 10-week program is divided into 3 phases:

1. Phase I – Go-to-Market
   Focus on refining your product-market fit, marketing, and go-to-market strategy. You’ll work with our team to sharpen your positioning and business foundations.
2. Phase II – Build
   Deep dive into blockchain technology and cloud integration. You’ll collaborate with our Web3 and technical teams to optimize your infrastructure and unlock the full potential of OVHcloud solutions.
3. Phase III – Scale
   Prepare for investor engagement and scalable growth. This phase includes sales strategy and investor readiness, culminating in a final pitch at the OVHcloud Summit in Paris on 20 November 2025.

The accelerator program includes 1-on-1 mentoring from OVHcloud and external experts who will be matched with participants based on their needs. The program is designed to be agile, requiring only three hours a week or less, but can scale to support you as needed. It does also include a 1-year commitment to use OVHcloud’s products and solutions to ensure continuity after exit from the Accelerator.

Applications will need to meet the following criteria to be selected:

• You must be a Startup Program member that has been active in the program or as an OVHcloud customer for at least 1 month (not a member? Apply now)
• Your startup must be working with blockchain technology, but please note that we are unable to admit proof of work or mining blockchain creators into the program
• Preference will be given to Scale level members of the Startup Program

“Startups are an essential part of the blockchain ecosystem and one of the building blocks of the digital trust economy,” says Omar Abi Issa, Global Sales Director, Blockchain, Web3 and AI, OVHcloud. “Many startup ideas are created to solve business problems. However, most businesses and consumers experience these problems differently, and before businesses scale (and ‘go horizontal’) it’s important to learn enough about the market and audience so that your solution is truly innovative and useful.

As a former startup, OVHcloud understands what founders and their teams need, but as a global organisation which shares blockchain’s ethos of decentralisation, transparency and security, OVHcloud is in a unique position to help nurture and support the growth of tomorrow’s blockchain champions. We look forward to meeting latest group of companies participating in our accelerator, and are grateful to each and every application to the program.”

Startups like Bware Labs and Super Protocol have already enjoyed the benefits that the Fast Forward Accelerator offers.

“Our collaboration with OVHcloud has been very fruitful since we started using the platform and we are especially thankful to our account manager.” says Flavian Manea, CEO at Bware Labs

“We are very excited to work with OVHcloud, they are a reliable and high-performing partner. They have seamlessly delivered the growth of Super Protocol’s confidential computing infrastructure on which the future of Web3 is being built,” says Yulia Gontar, COO at Super Protocol

Sign up to the Startup Program and Blockchain and Web3 Accelerator today to benefit from a wealth of support – and scale your business faster.