Bringing DePIN to Capitol Hill: How Solana is Revolutionizing Physical Infrastructure

‍June 5, 2025 — The crypto landscape moves at breakneck speed, with new innovations constantly reshaping how we think about technology's role in society. One emerging area that has been generating interest and excitement is DePIN – Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks – where blockchain networks can be used to build and operate real-world infrastructure.

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From "It's Time to Build," to Building Differently

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When Marc Andreessen penned his influential essay “It’s Time to Build,” calling America to overcome institutional inertia and embrace a builder mindset, he struck a nerve. Today, we see the results of that awakening: manufacturing is returning to American shores, policymakers are working to secure domestic supply chains, and massive public investments in infrastructure are making headlines.

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Yet despite this renewed focus on building, we're still wrestling with fundamental challenges in how we approach infrastructure development. Traditional models rely heavily on centralized decision-making processes that can be slow and costly. Government agencies often struggle with lengthy approval processes, while existing public infrastructure frequently lags behind modern needs. Meanwhile, private investors tend to shy away from infrastructure projects that serve smaller markets or remote areas where returns may be limited. This creates a persistent cycle of deteriorating systems, capacity constraints, and chronic underinvestment in critical infrastructure.

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DePIN — decentralized physical infrastructure networks — reimagines  the model. It lets the population participate directly in infrastructure building. It says: don't just fund it — own it, run it, and earn from it.

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Historical Precedents for Community-Driven Infrastructure

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This model of decentralized infrastructure building isn't entirely new. Throughout history, we've seen remarkable examples of communities stepping up to build critical infrastructure when traditional institutions couldn't deliver:

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Amateur Radio Networks (20th century): Radio enthusiasts created a worldwide communications network that operated independently of commercial telecommunications companies. This volunteer-maintained infrastructure often became the most reliable communication option during emergencies and natural disasters, including the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. 

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America's Rural Electric Revolution (1930s–1940s): When major utilities deemed rural areas unprofitable, farming communities formed cooperative networks to electrify their own regions. These grassroots electrical grids brought power to millions of Americans who had been left behind by corporate infrastructure — demonstrating the power of distributed, community-owned systems decades before blockchain technology existed.

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The Early Internet's Collaborative Expansion (1970s–1990s): While government funding launched the internet, its explosive growth came through universities, individual contributors, and small ISPs working within open protocols — not through centralized corporate control.

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Each of these examples demonstrates the same core principle that drives DePIN today: When communities have the right incentives and coordination mechanisms, they can build robust, resilient infrastructure from the ground up.

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When communities have the right incentives and coordination mechanisms, they can build robust, resilient infrastructure from the ground up.

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Beyond Roads and Bridges: DePIN as the New Infrastructure Revolution

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When we hear "infrastructure," our minds typically drift to images of roads, bridges, or power grids. But today's technological developments are tackling core infrastructure challenges in ways that would have seemed impossible just a few years ago. We're seeing solutions that bridge connectivity gaps in remote, hard-to-reach areas, create unprecedented efficiencies in real-world mapping, and bring transparency to environmental preservation efforts that can truly move the needle on conservation, just to name a few.

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The power of DePIN lies in its simple yet transformative approach. Individual participants contribute physical hardware — from wireless routers and environmental sensors to weather stations and computing nodes. The blockchain tracks these contributions transparently and distributes rewards automatically. This creates infrastructure that expands organically from local communities outward, driven by participant incentives rather than central planning. There's no need for bureaucratic oversight — just clear protocols and aligned economic rewards. Most importantly, the people using the infrastructure are often the same people building and maintaining it.

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Many DePIN networks are built on Solana. Some highlights:

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Helium operates a decentralized wireless network that provides cellular coverage where traditional infrastructure falls short. In 2023, the Helium community voted to migrate their blockchain onto Solana by minting nearly one million hotspots as NFTs. By incentivizing individuals to host network nodes, Helium has created a cost-effective way to expand connectivity to underserved areas.

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Hivemapper uses the Solana blockchain to create community-powered, incentive-driven online maps. It’s a user-driven global mapping network that keeps pace with our ever-changing world. Rather than relying on infrequent updates from traditional mapping services, Hivemapper creates real-time, comprehensive maps through a decentralized network of contributors.

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Geodnet is a GPS tool that aims to make centimeter-level location accuracy affordable and accessible for everyday devices like phones, cars and drones. Geodnet uses Solana for decentralized, scalable, and trustless network management — leveraging Solana's fast transaction speeds, low costs, and robust developer community to handle the high-volume data needs of a global positioning network while incentivizing quality data contribution from independent station operators.

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DAWN is a decentralized broadband platform that connects unused internet capacity from individuals and organizations with those who need it, creating a marketplace for broadband internet services. Dawn uses the Solana blockchain as its foundation because of Solana's fast transaction speeds, scalability, and low costs, which are essential for handling the high volume of micropayments and bandwidth exchanges between users in real-time.

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DePIN comes to Washington

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This week, reps from several Helium, Hivemapper, Geodnet, and DAWN will be in Washington, D.C. with the Solana Policy Institute team for meetings with policymakers to explain what DePIN is, why it matters for America's technological leadership, and how Solana-based companies are already helping move our nation forward. 

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American innovation in blockchain technology is creating practical solutions to real-world challenges. When policymakers understand that DePIN can improve rural connectivity, enhance disaster response through better mapping, and create verifiable environmental impact, the potential for supportive policy frameworks becomes clear. 

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The Solana Policy Institute team is incredibly excited to bring DePIN to Capitol Hill. We believe it's crucial to serve as a resource for policymakers and staff who want to understand the latest developments in blockchain technology, especially innovations built on Solana. As DePIN continues to evolve and demonstrate its real-world utility, we're committed to ensuring that policymakers have the information they need to craft thoughtful, innovation-friendly policies that allow American blockchain companies to thrive.

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