ChainLink is developing the LINK Network, which will enable connected smart contracts. LINK will provide smart contracts with a variety of external data and access to APIs. ChainLink's goal is to solve the connectivity problem that plagues smart contract based systems, and discourages mass adoption. Many decentralized applications are unable to connect with important external data sources due to limitations involving their consensus protocols. The LINK network wants to connect their smart contracts with external systems and APIs by using secure middleware.

Aergo is developing an SQL based smart contract platform that will allow developers to more easily share data and create DApps. Their platform will combine elements of public and private blockchain architectures and will have a hybrid BFT/dPoS consensus mechanism. The ERGO Hub will serve as a blockchain hosting service that will allow users to test and deploy their own blockchains. Their network is currently powered by the Etherem-based AERGO token.

Zilliqa is an innovative blockchain platform that is designed to be more scalable as the network grows. Zilliqa's platform is based on the concept of sharding; which involves breaking a large network of computers into smaller decentralized networks.
Zilliqa's goal is to increase transaction rates as its network expands. The platform is tailored towards enabling secure data-driven decentralized apps that are designed to meet the scaling requirements of machine learning and financial algorithms.