Aave is a decentralized lending and borrowing platform built on the Ethereum blockchain. It allows users to lend and borrow a variety of cryptocurrencies, including ETH and stablecoins, using a protocol known as "flash loans". This protocol allows users to borrow funds without collateral and without requiring a credit check, which makes it possible to borrow funds quickly and easily.

Aave was founded in 2017 and is based in Helsinki, Finland. Managed by a team of developers and supported by a community of users and contributors. It is an open-source project, which means that anyone can use the protocol, contribute to its development, or build applications on top of it.

The Aave protocol is designed to be flexible and customizable, allowing users to create their own lending and borrowing pools, set their own interest rates and fees, and customize their user experience. It also offers several advanced features, such as collateral-based lending, stablecoin support, and liquidity pools.

Aave has been recognized for its innovative use of blockchain technology and has won several awards, including the "Best DeFi Project" at the 2020 DeFi Awards and the "Best Lending Protocol" at the 2021 Blockchain Life Awards.