Japanese Tech Company Wins Fifth Straight Dutch Government AI Grant
Netherlands, Thursday, 26 February 2026.
ELSOUL LABO has secured Dutch WBSO funding for five consecutive years, making it a rare recipient of sustained government backing for AI research. The company transforms complex blockchain operations into simple conversations - their latest breakthrough allows anyone to deploy Solana validators through natural language commands like ‘Deploy a mainnet validator,’ eliminating the need for technical expertise that previously required days of specialized training.
Revolutionary AI Platform Transforms Complex Operations
ELSOUL LABO B.V., headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands, under CEO Fumitake Kawasaki, achieved a milestone on February 24, 2026, with the release of SLV v0.10.0 [1][2]. This breakthrough platform represents the culmination of five years of continuous research and development funded by the Dutch government’s WBSO (Research and Development Promotion Act) program since 2022 [1][2][3]. The company’s 2026 WBSO-approved project, titled “Research and Development on Automation of Validator Placement and Operational Orchestration,” has been directly implemented in SLV v0.10.0’s AI Agent Skills [2][3]. Previously, setting up a Solana validator required CLI proficiency, manual configuration, and memorization of complex procedures, taking hours to days to complete [1][2]. SLV v0.10.0 eliminates these barriers by enabling complete deployment through natural language conversations with AI agents, requiring no specialized command-line expertise [1][2][8].
Three Production-Ready AI Agent Skills
The platform introduces three production-ready AI Agent Skills that systematize real-world operational knowledge accumulated through development and production use [1][2][3][8]. The slv-validator skill manages mainnet and testnet validators, including Jito, Agave, and Firedancer types [1][2][8]. The slv-rpc skill handles deployment and management of RPC nodes with Standard, Index, and Geyser gRPC capabilities [1][2][3][8]. The slv-grpc-geyser skill manages gRPC Geyser streaming services, including Yellowstone and Richat implementations [1][2][3][8]. Version 0.10.0 expands Firedancer support specifically, incorporating firedancer-agave and firedancer-jito validator types [1][2][8]. The AI Agent Skills are built on accumulated knowledge covering CLI commands, Ansible Playbook correspondence, recommended versions, safe operational practices, and common pitfalls [8].
Platform-Agnostic Design Ensures Flexibility
SLV v0.10.0 maintains complete flexibility by avoiding lock-in to any specific AI agent, with compatibility across OpenClaw, Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Windsurf, and other platforms [3]. The system preserves the CLI foundation while adding a sophisticated layer for AI agents to operate it [1][2]. Before executing any operations, the AI Agent always proposes a dry-run using –check mode, ensuring changes are reviewed and approved by the operator [1][8]. A typical interaction demonstrates the platform’s simplicity: when a user requests “Deploy a mainnet Jito validator on 203.0.113.10,” the agent responds “I’ll set up a mainnet Jito validator. Let me walk you through…” [1][2][7][8]. The company recognizes that automating Solana validator operations with generic AI alone does not produce stable results, necessitating specialized AI designed for blockchain infrastructure nuances [1][2].
Future Integration and Continued Evolution
Looking ahead, SLV plans to integrate with MCP (Model Context Protocol) for greater precision and more advanced automation capabilities [1][2]. The platform aims to provide a trusted foundation for Solana’s evolution, enabling AI agent collaboration with precise operational knowledge [2]. ELSOUL LABO’s approach demonstrates that “research and development is not separated from real-world implementation and operations,” ensuring practical applicability of their innovations [1]. The company’s sustained WBSO approval across five consecutive years from 2022 to 2026 reflects both the technical merit of their research and the Dutch government’s recognition of the project’s potential economic impact [1][2][3]. As SLV continues to evolve, it promises to support Solana’s operational quality while creating a more inclusive environment for blockchain network participation [2].