Hetzerk: A protocol for Decentralized Materials (Therapeutics at first) Discovery to bridge Large Industries, like Pharmaceuticals, to newer and better blockchain technologies leveraging Nunet

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

Justin Diamond

[GENERAL] Email address of main applicant

justin@hetzerk.com

Additional applicants

There are no other proposers.

[GENERAL] Please specify how many months you expect your project to last (from 2-12 months)

10

[GENERAL] Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated into English from another language.

No

[GENERAL] Does your project have any dependencies on other organizations, technical or otherwise?

Yes

[GENERAL] If YES, please describe what the dependency is and why you believe it is essential for your project’s delivery. If NO, please write “No dependencies.” .

We are developing on Nunet, a decentralized protocol that leverages Cardano for decentralized computation from which we develop our products on.

[GENERAL] Will your project’s output/s be fully open source?

No

[GENERAL] If NO, please describe which outputs are not going to be open source. If YES, please write “Project will be fully open source.”

Our intention is to progressively transition the majority of our project's deliverables to open-source. This will be done after we have cemented considerable industry and academic partnerships to maintain our competitive position. However, we must consider the necessity of retaining certain proprietary aspects, particularly those related to collaborations with industries and Intellectual Property rights. This is crucial when dealing with the development stages of therapeutics and materials, and specifically when proprietary rights over discovered molecules or materials are involved. These might be represented in unique smart contracts on the Cardano blockchain or in specific Cardano blockchain-based applications developed for our industrial partners. We will approach these proprietary components with a balance between openness and strategic protection of our discoveries.

[METADATA] Category of Proposal

dApp

[METADATA] SDG rating

9 - Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation. Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all countries

[IMPACT] Please describe your proposed solution.

We are continuing the creation of our decentralized protocol for physics simulations and inference used for discovery of therapeutics, drugs, and other industry relevent materials (even Quantum materials) using Machine learning while leveraging Nunet for decentralized computational resources. We aim to make our protocol open ended such that enhanced physics simulations can leverage knowledge from Deep Learning [1], to neuro-symbolic AI [2], quantum chemistry [4], cognitive architectures[5], etc. Additionally, we are building a tokemonics system to incentive computation, data, algorithm development, mining, and community rewards for collaborations and support from individual community members, academics, and even corporations. One of our driving principles is the coupling of advancements in artificial intelligence to advancements in functional near-term technologies.

Our solutions will be useful in markets like Biotechnology, Artificial Intelligence, Chemical Synthesis, and many more. These are quickly growing markets, and would be absolutely amazing for the health of the cardano ecosystem to bridge the market demand home. Take for instance just the Biotechnology market; it is expected to surpass 1.5 Trillion by 2030 and growing at nearly ten percent per year [6].

We're aiming to engineer a substantial shift in the way we compute with Nunet. Essentially, we're building a computational environment designed for smooth integration of multi-scale simulations. This system will use both theoretical and AI-driven algorithms, developed from various data sources. The idea is to improve knowledge extraction and incorporate cognitive principles, establishing a highly interconnected computational network within the physical sciences.

The goal is to match and eventually exceed the capabilities of current High-Performance Computing (HPC) infrastructures. In an ideal scenario, once Nunet is fully developed and backed by a substantial ecosystem, we anticipate the ability to simulate molecular systems faster than most leading supercomputers today.

All of our code will be developed with parallel processing in mind, targeting multi-virtual node CPUs and GPUs. By integrating AI into our approach, we aim to overcome many traditional limitations encountered in high-level computations. Our method promises not only to optimize resource usage, but also to reduce the time required to reach solutions, providing a unique, powerful toolset for innovation in the sciences. We hope these tech-focused details provide a compelling reason to cast your vote in our favor.

Find more information in our LitePaper: https://www.hetzerk.com/litepaper

References:

[1] https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.accounts.0c00472

[2] https://arxiv.org/abs/2006.11287

[3] https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acscentsci.0c01236

[4] http://quantum-machine.org/gdml/

[5] https://arxiv.org/abs/1410.5401

[6] https://www.globenewswire.com//news-release/2022/01/18/2368681/0/en/Biotechnology-Market-Size-to-Surpass-US-1-683-52-Bn-by-2030.html

[IMPACT] How does your proposed solution address the challenge and what benefits will this bring to the Cardano ecosystem?

Our proposed solution aims to directly address key areas of the challenge, specifically focusing on computational services and smart contract automation for industrial and research entities.

From an industrial viewpoint, our computational protocol enables users to exchange tokens for precise computational modeling of specific systems or private/public algorithms curated by a wide variety of entities, which may include individuals, research labs, corporations, or community contributors. For the Cardano community, this proposal envisages a reward system, remunerating contributions in areas such as data provision, computational resources, algorithmic development, mining, and technological innovation.

Rewards are primarily derived from the following processes: physics data (incorporating experimental data, simulation data, and theoretical data), computational resources and storage provision, algorithm advancements (including the creation of new algorithms, neural network training, performance enhancement of existing networks), mining operations, and broader technological development. Mining, in this context, refers to the ultimately automated procedure of executing specific computations proposed by community members or recommended by an AI agent. Anyone can participate in this process through staking or resource allocation. Furthermore, entities that contribute to the protocol's development through any of the aforementioned avenues, including mining, can gain rewards through a prearranged distribution of tokens paid by industrial users using smart contracts.

Our immediate objective within this proposal is to develop a minimum viable product (MVP) on the Cardano platform. This MVP aims to initiate collaborative efforts with the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors, with a longer-term ambition to serve as the decentralized cloud solution for AI-driven drug, therapeutic, and materials (batteries, quantum devices, LED, glass...) development.

Benefits to the Cardano Ecosystem:

1. User Expansion: The solution attracts an array of users from various backgrounds, thus expanding the user base within the Cardano ecosystem.
2. Ecosystem Enrichment: An influx of diverse users and increased transactional activity will reinforce the robustness of the Cardano ecosystem, facilitating the exchange of innovative ideas and novel solutions.
3. Resource Utilization: By facilitating users to offer their computational resources and storage, the proposal provides a platform to utilize unused resources effectively and reward their contribution.
4. Decentralized Solution: The proposal aids in furthering the cause of decentralized science and research. By providing a platform for a wide range of computational problems, it democratizes access to computational resources and promotes collaboration among researchers.

In terms of quantifying the impact, we anticipate a significant increase in users and transaction volume within a realistic timeframe following project completion. Exact figures will be dependent on various factors such as outreach efforts and adoption rates among potential users. Given the unique value proposition of our platform, we expect a positive response from the scientific and research community.

A handful of markets we may be able to enter, and bring to Cardano, in the coming years are listed below:

Potential Target markets

• Drug Discovery Technologies Market

1. 70 B 2020 -> 110 B 2025 @ 10% CAGR

• AI Market

1. 90 B 2021 -> 1.8 T 2030 @ 38% CAGR

• Global Simulation Software Market

1. 11.5 B 2020 -> 26 B 2027 @ 12.8% CAGR

• Molecular Modeling Market

1. 1.6 B 2027 @ 16% CAGR

• Global Computational Biology

1. 2.7 B 2018 -> 12.4 B by 2027 @ 20.6% CAGR

• Global Computational Fluid dynamics market

1. 2.1 M 2021 -> 3.4 M by 2027 @ 8% CAGR

• Global Semiconductor Modeling

1. 342 M2021 -> 615 M by 2028 @ 8.7% CAGR

• Distributed Cloud Market

1. 3.9 B by 2025 @ 24.1% CAGR

References:

1. https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/simulation-software-market-263646018.html
2. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/computational-biology-market-size-worth--12-45-billion-globally-by-2028-at-20-64-cagr-verified-market-research-301502624.html#:~:text=According%20to%20Verified%20Market%20Research,20.64%20%25%20from%202019%20to%202026.
3. https://www.imarcgroup.com/computational-fluid-dynamics-market
4. https://www.globenewswire.com/en/news-release/2021/08/11/2279088/0/en/Molecular-Modeling-Market-Worth-USD-1-617-80-Million-by-2027-at-15-93-CAGR-Report-by-Market-Research-Future-MRFR.html
5. https://www.marketwatch.com/press-release/semiconductor-modeling-market-size-share-global-industry-current-trends-top-companies-application-growth-factors-development-and-forecast-to-2028-research-report-2022-05-18-3197059#:~:text=The%20global%20Semiconductor%20Modeling%20market,8.7%25%20during%202022%2D2028.
6. https://www.industryarc.com/Report/19198/distributed-cloud-market.html
7. https://www.bccresearch.com/market-research/biotechnology/drug-discovery-technologies-report.html

[IMPACT] How do you intend to measure the success of your project?

Our project aims to build a robust computational infrastructure on the Cardano network, in partnership with Nunet and SingularityNet. Our ultimate objective is to establish a productive cycle of development, deployment, rewards, and continuous enhancement in efficiency, thereby creating a platform for simulation-based solutions relevant to both academia and industry. These solutions could span from AI-assisted drug discovery to quantum mechanical simulations of biomolecules. Therefore, the success of our project will be measured based on a multi-faceted framework:

1. Collaboration Metrics: We aim to establish a myriad of academic and industrial partnerships, the number of which will serve as a primary measure of success. This will involve tracking the number of collaborations, ranging from simple integrations to more complex partnerships, within the platform's ecosystem.
2. Decentralized Network Contribution: A significant marker for success would be evaluating how much decentralized networks contribute to the creation of enhanced materials discovery platforms. This can be quantified by assessing the increase in performance or efficiency due to the incorporation of decentralized computation.
3. User Engagement: Monitoring the volume of unique users utilizing our platform for their research or industrial needs. A steady increase in user count will indicate that our solutions are resonating with the target audience and meeting their requirements.
4. Transaction Volume: Tracking the total number of transactions on the platform will be a clear indicator of platform usage and the practical value our solution brings to its users.
5. Research Impact: The quality and quantity of research outcomes achieved using the platform will also be a critical measure. This could include the number of research papers published, the scope of the research's impact, and the innovations derived from the platform.

In terms of benefits to the Cardano ecosystem:

1. Cardano as Settlement Layer: By successfully executing this project, Cardano stands to be the foundation layer for decentralized open-source computing frameworks used for training AI/ML models.
2. Expandable Infrastructure: The framework we are building is designed to be extendable, allowing for a variety of solutions and business models to be built atop our base infrastructure.
3. User Onboarding: Our platform intends to facilitate the transition of Web2 users to the decentralized world. By providing a seamless interface and smooth onramp/offramp solutions, users can utilize computational power without fully realizing the underlying Web3 infrastructure.

In both short and long-term perspectives, these metrics offer a comprehensive measure of our project's impact on Cardano's productivity and growth. Moreover, gathering user opinions and feedback would supplement these metrics, offering qualitative insight into our project's efficacy and areas of potential improvement.

[IMPACT] Please describe your plans to share the outputs and results of your project?

Our dissemination strategy will be multi-pronged, ensuring maximum exposure for our project's results and outputs across different channels and stakeholders. This comprehensive plan includes the following components:

1. Academic Publications: Results from our project will be shared through academic papers submitted to leading industry conferences and journals. This will enable our findings to reach a broad audience of researchers and professionals in the field.
2. Community Engagement: We intend to actively engage with the Cardano community and other blockchain communities, sharing regular updates about our project’s progress, outputs, and impacts. This could include AMAs (Ask Me Anything sessions), webinars, blog posts, and active participation in community forums.
3. Collaborative Platforms: By leveraging the Nunet and SingularityNet platforms, we plan to share our outputs with a wide array of developers, researchers, and organizations who are already part of these communities.
4. Industrial Partnerships: To ensure the real-world applicability of our findings, we will actively pursue partnerships with industry stakeholders, including but not limited to pharmaceutical and biotech companies.

Regarding the utilization of project results in further research and development activities, we envision a broad range of possibilities that extend beyond the immediate scope of the project:

1. Tokenization Events: The data and insights gained from the project could pave the way for tokenization events, offering a new means to incentivize and fund future development. For instance, we might establish a token that represents computational resources within the platform, enabling stakeholders to participate directly in the growth and success of the ecosystem.
2. Venture Capital Funding: The success of the project could attract interest from venture capital firms, providing a significant source of funding for further research and development. VC funding could enable the acceleration of platform improvements, the expansion into new market segments, or the exploration of novel use cases.
3. Partnerships with Other Projects or Platforms: The project results could lead to synergistic partnerships with other initiatives or platforms within the Cardano ecosystem and beyond. These collaborations could bring additional resources and expertise, enhancing our ability to drive innovation and expand our platform's reach.
4. Licensing of Technology or Algorithms: If the project results in unique technology or algorithms, these could potentially be licensed to other entities for use in their own projects, providing a source of revenue to fund further research and development.

These potential avenues exemplify how the outcomes of our project could create a foundation for future growth and innovation, driving long-term value within the Cardano ecosystem and the broader blockchain industry.

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] What is your capability to deliver your project with high levels of trust and accountability?

Hetzerk has a comprehensive academic background, industry experience, and a successful history with related project catalyst proposals and collaborations with recognized entities within the Cardano ecosystem.

To elaborate:

1. Academic Expertise: Currently pursuing a PhD in machine learning, where I've had the opportunity to engage with institutions such as the University of Michigan, University of Basel, Toyota Technological Institute of Chicago, Michigan State University, and University of Luxembourg. This academic experience has spanned various disciplines including biology, computer science, physics, and machine learning, equipping me with a broad and robust understanding of the technical aspects central to this project.
2. Proven Track Record in AI: Authored papers on AI-related topics, specifically generative models and transformer models, at conferences like ICLR and ICML in 2023.
3. Success with Project Catalyst Proposals: Prior to this project, I have nearly completed two related project catalyst proposals. These experiences have given me an intimate understanding of the proposal process, insights into the Cardano ecosystem, and a proven track record of delivering on project commitments.
4. Collaboration with Established Protocols: Currently, I am working with Nunet and SingularityNet, both established Cardano protocols, aiming to be one of the pioneering use-cases of Artificial Intelligence on decentralized computation infrastructure. These collaborations allow us to combine our AI expertise with their established infrastructure and resources.

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] What are the main goals for the project and how will you validate if your approach is feasible?

Our project's central goals fall within the sphere of advanced computational protocol development and fostering meaningful industrial collaborations. We aim to develop a decentralized infrastructure on Cardano, working in partnership with Nunet and SingularityNet, to address the complex, computation-intensive challenges that both the academic and industrial sectors face.

Key Objectives:

1. Development and Integration of Multi-faceted Algorithms: Our primary objective is to create an infrastructure capable of integrating a diverse array of algorithms to solve sophisticated industrial problems. We will assess the success of this goal based on the successful integration of these algorithms, evaluated through systematic performance and stress testing, as well as the qualitative feedback from our industrial partners.
2. Creating Utility Protocols: Another critical goal is to develop utility protocols that can aid in the effective usage and interpretation of our platform's outputs, like visualization tools. These tools' successful deployment and utilization by our end-users will serve as an indicator of accomplishment.
3. Onboarding Industrial Entities to Cardano: We aim to provide an innovative, decentralized solution for computation-intensive tasks that would attract industrial corporations to the Cardano ecosystem. We will measure this by the number and quality of collaborations and partnerships we form with these entities.
4. Advancing the Use of Decentralized Protocols in Scientific Research: We aim to demonstrate the efficacy of decentralized protocols for scientific computations. Success in this area will be gauged by the adoption rates within the academic community, number of academic partnerships, and contributions to scientific literature.

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] Please provide a detailed breakdown of your project’s milestones and each of the main tasks or activities to reach the milestone plus the expected timeline for the delivery.

Milestone 1: Initialization and Project Conceptualization

Main Tasks / Activities: Assembling the core project team, setting up communication channels, and drafting a comprehensive project blueprint after thorough brainstorming and understanding of Cardano's and Nunet's decentralized and computational landscape and our project's specific requirements.

Expected Delivery Time: (6-12 Weeks)

Success Criteria: Creation of a detailed project blueprint with clear steps and deliverables

Milestone 2: Integration and Testing of Computational Framework

Main Tasks / Activities: Integration of our computational framework as defined in the project blueprint, and testing the system's capacity to handle complex computational tasks and various algorithms.

Expected Delivery Time: (12 - 20 Weeks)

Success Criteria: Successful integration of the computational framework with the platform and demonstrated platform reliability against an array of computational tasks.

Milestone 3: Engagement Strategy with Industrial Partners

Main Tasks / Activities: Development of a comprehensive strategy to attract and engage with industrial entities, particularly from the pharmaceutical sector, focusing on the unique benefits and potential of our platform to cater to their computational needs.

Expected Delivery Time: (4-8 Weeks)

Success Criteria: Development of a robust industrial engagement strategy and preparation for implementation.

Milestone 4: Implementation of Industrial Engagement Strategy

Main Tasks / Activities: Implementing the industrial engagement strategy, establishing relationships with potential industrial partners, handling inquiries, showcasing the platform's capabilities, and working closely with partners to integrate their computational tasks on the platform.

Expected Delivery Time: (8 -10 Weeks)

Success Criteria: Establishment of relationships with industrial partners, demonstrated use of the platform by industrial partners, and gathering feedback for improvements.

Milestone 5: Evaluation, Industry Guided Development, and Future Expansion Planning

Main Tasks / Activities: Collection and analysis of data from the system, documenting project experiences and lessons, assessing feedback from industrial partners, formation of specific goals for partner-driven expansion, based on the assessment and collected feedback to develop improvements our computational framework, and planning for future platform expansions and enhancements.

Expected Delivery Time: (6 - 10 Weeks)

Success Criteria: Comprehensive project documentation, feedback implementation, documentation of improvements, and a clear future development roadmap.

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] Please describe the deliverables, outputs and intended outcomes of each milestone.

Milestone 1: Strategic Research and Project Conception for Industry Appeal

Deliverables: Comprehensive study identifying industry demands and preferences, evaluation of best AI methodologies to meet these needs, integration plan combining traditional and AI-driven methods for optimal results, and strategic blueprint for leveraging decentralized infrastructure to maintain competitive edge. This will be alongside the project timeline, resource distribution strategy, and risk management tactics.

Outcomes: A refined project roadmap incorporating cutting-edge AI and traditional methods, designed specifically with industry appeal in mind. Team members will have a clear understanding of how to utilize decentralized infrastructure to obtain and maintain a competitive advantage in our project execution.

Milestone 2: Development and Verification of Computational Framework Integration

Deliverables: A MVP platform merged with our computational algorithms, accompanied by a comprehensive report detailing the implementation process, technical challenges faced, and their problem-solving techniques.

Outcomes: A flexible platform capable of performing various computational tasks, enhancing our potential in both industrial applications and research fields. The successful integration and validation process will offer a stable base for future modifications and adjustments according to specific industrial needs, ensuring we stay relevant in our competitive market and research goals.

Milestone 3: Engagement Strategy with Industrial Partners

Deliverables: A detailed strategy outlining how we'll engage with industrial partners, specifically those in the pharmaceutical sector.

Outcomes: A roadmap for attracting and maintaining relationships with potential industrial partners, promoting the benefits and potential of our platform in their computational processes.

Milestone 4: Implementation of Industrial Engagement Strategy

Deliverables: Implemented engagement strategy, relationship establishment with potential industrial partners, a report summarizing the inquiries received, the demonstrations conducted, and the platform's use by industrial partners.

Outcomes: Strengthened relationships with industrial entities, adoption of the platform by industry partners, and valuable feedback to improve our platform and align it better with industrial needs.

Milestone 5: Evaluation and Future Expansion Planning

Deliverables: Analysis report of data collected from the platform, project experience documentation, a detailed feedback report from industrial partners, and a future expansion plan for the platform.

Outcomes: Comprehensive understanding of the project's progress, lessons learned, feedback-driven improvements in the platform, and a clear plan for future expansion and enhancement.

[RESOURCES & VALUE FOR MONEY] Please provide a detailed budget breakdown of the proposed work and resources.

Milestone 1: Initialization and Project Conceptualization (6-12 Weeks)

• Technical Research & Analysis: 50,000 ADA
• Project Planning & Blueprint Formation: 25,000 ADA

Milestone 2: Development and Verification of Computational Framework Integration (12-20 Weeks)

• Development of AI Methods & Protocols: 30,000 ADA
• Integration of Traditional and AI Methods: 30,000 ADA
• Framework Testing and Debugging: 20,000 ADA
• Documentation and Technical Report: 10,000 ADA

Milestone 3: Formulation of Industrial Engagement Strategy (4-8 Weeks)

• Market Analysis & Industry Needs Assessment: 15,000 ADA
• Engagement Strategy Development: 15,000 ADA
• Preparing Industry-specific Outreach Material: 10,000 ADA

Milestone 4: Execution of Industrial Engagement Strategy (8 - 10 Weeks)

• Initial Outreach & Communication: 25,000 ADA
• Engagement and Partnership Building: 30,000 ADA

Milestone 5: Assessment, Re-developments and improvements with Industry expansion, and Future Expansion Strategy (6-10 Weeks)

• Project Evaluation & Assessment: 7,500 ADA
• Strategic Re-development and Improvement: 35,000 ADA
• Expansion Planning & Strategy Development: 7,500 ADA

[RESOURCES & VALUE FOR MONEY] How does the cost of the project represent value for money for the Cardano ecosystem?

With an investment of 310,000 ADA, this project proposes to bridge Cardano Dapps with significant players in the industrial sector like Roche or Novartis, companies valued in billions of dollars. The potential return on this modest investment could be tremendous, amplifying Cardano's impact and visibility in these industries. Furthermore, this initiative also intends to promote decentralized science projects, showcasing the capabilities of the Cardano and growing Nunet ecosystem in a new and exciting domain. The value for money here is represented not only in immediate outcomes but also in the long-term growth and recognition of Cardano.

[IMPORTANT NOTE] The Applicant agreed to Fund10 rules and also that data in the Submission Form and other data provided by the project team during the course of the project will be publicly available.

I Accept