Accelerate Mass Adoption: Open Source Atala Wallet SDK with No Seed Phrase Vulnerability and a No-Code Self-Sovereign Identity Platform

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

Seira Yun

[GENERAL] Are you delivering this project as an individual or as an entity (whether formally incorporated or not)

Entity (Incorporated)

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

12

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

No

[GENERAL] Summarize your solution to the problem (200-character limit including spaces)

We improve the Atala identity wallet SDK to allow wallet recovery using a password-protected backup file instead of a seed phrase. We also build a no-code Self-Sovereign Identity platform.

[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.”

For Milestone 3, we are reliant on IOG's Atala Team to review and merge our Pull Request into the Atala Wallet SDK. We have already initiated discussions with the Atala Team at IOG and begun collaboration.

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

Yes

[GENERAL] Please provide here more information on the open source status of your project outputs

Our project is proudly open source, licensed under the GNU General Public License v3.0 (GPLv3). This license allows others to freely use, modify, and distribute our code, under the condition that any derivative work will also be open source under the GPLv3. This fosters collaboration and community-driven development, as it encourages other developers to contribute to our project, or to use our code as a starting point for their own projects, thus driving innovation in the sector.

By making our project open source, we aim to contribute to the global movement of shared knowledge and collaborative problem solving. This approach ensures transparency, promotes the sharing of knowledge, and encourages a collective approach to addressing the challenges associated with the impact job sector. Ultimately, we believe that open-sourcing our project will lead to a more robust, efficient, and impactful solution, thanks to the contributions of the global developer community.

[METADATA] SDG rating

Our project aligns with the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

1. SDG 4: Quality Education - By creating an open-source identity wallet that can issue and verify educational certificates, we contribute to improving access to quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities.
2. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure - Our project fosters innovation by providing a solution that supports the latest version of Atala PRISM and enables the secure management of identity credentials on both browser and mobile platforms.
3. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals - We promote collaboration and knowledge sharing through our open-source approach. By encouraging other developers to contribute to our project, we aim to create partnerships that drive innovation and collective problem-solving.

By addressing these SDGs, our project aims to contribute to the overall sustainable development and positive social impact within the Cardano community and beyond.

[SOLUTION] Please describe your proposed solution

Problem 1: The reliance on seed phrase-based wallet recovery is hindering mass adoption.

The widespread adoption of blockchain wallets is significantly hindered by the use of seed phrases for wallet recovery. Seed phrases, also known as recovery or mnemonic phrases, are a list of words required to recover a blockchain wallet. This applies to both crypto wallets for token transactions and identity wallets for managing Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs) and Verifiable Credentials (VCs). For security reasons, this phrase must be kept confidential[^1^].

Backgrounds on seed phrases

Since a private key consists of random binaries, it's not human-readable, so it must be stored digitally. However, due to hacking risks, BIP39 was created to allow these keys to be written down on paper[^2^].

However, the seed phrase being a single point of failure poses several challenges. Firstly, users may forget their seed phrases or misplace the physical copy containing it[^3^]. Secondly, if another person acquires the seed phrase, they can access the wallet and its funds[^4^]. Lastly, non-technical users may find the concept of a seed phrase difficult to comprehend and manage[^5^].

These challenges are discussed in several sources. For instance, this Cointelegraph article states that seed phrase recovery is a hindrance to mass adoption: “As the Web3 space looks to onboard its first billion users, intuitive wallet experiences are critical. Seed phrases are a hindrance to that experience.” In addition, this Blockworks article states that seed phrases have become a “major pain point for users”.

Currently, the Atala PRISM Identity Wallet SDK only supports wallet recovery based on seed phrases. This limitation hinders mass adoption.

[^1^]: Nakamoto, S. (2008). Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System.

[^2^]: Bitcoin Improvement Proposals. (2013). BIP39: Mnemonic code for generating deterministic keys.

[^3^]: Lee, T. B. (2018, August 4). I forgot my PIN: My epic tale of losing $30,000 in bitcoin. ARS Technica.

[^4^]: Hern, A. (2016, March 18). What happens to your bitcoin when you die? The Guardian.

[^5^]: Mearian, L. (2014, February 7). Bitcoin's software gets security fixes, new features. Computerworld.

Alternatives to seed phrase-based recovery:

Two primary alternatives to seed phrase-based recovery exist: social recovery and multifactor recovery involving backup files. Social recovery, which has been endorsed by Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin[^1^], utilizes trusted contacts to help users regain access to their accounts. A prominent example of a wallet employing this method is the Argent wallet[^2^].

On the other hand, multifactor recovery involves the use of backup files in addition to other authentication measures. Wallets using this method are rare, especially within the Cardano ecosystem. However, some examples do exist outside of it. For instance, the Dock.io identity wallet uses a recovery system involving a password-protected backup file[^3^]. Our plan includes implementing a similar solution to enhance the security and user experience of our wallet.

[^1^]: Buterin, V. (2018, January 11). A simple and secure wallet.

[^2^]: Argent. (2019, May 13). Introducing Argent V1: A new type of Ethereum wallet.

[^3^]: Dock.io. (2021). Wallet Recovery.

See also:

https://wirexapp.com/

https://www.cypherock.com/features/no-backup

https://medium.com/@bitizenwallet/private-keys-single-point-of-failure-a20b5f00a67d

Solution 1: We improve the Atala identity wallet SDK to allow wallet recovery using a password-protected backup file instead of a seed phrase.

The solution aims to address the vulnerability of seed phrases by enhancing the Atala identity wallet SDK to allow wallet recovery using a password-protected backup file instead of a seed phrase. Essentially, this wallet eliminates a single point of failure through the use of two-factor authentication, i.e., a password and a backup file. Consequently, even if someone acquires your backup file, they can't decrypt it without your password. Similarly, a password alone is useless without access to your backup file. Moreover, you can always change your password. Implementing two-factor authentication for recovery significantly improves both security and user experience.

Wallets with multi-factor authentication are rare, but they do exist outside the Cardano ecosystem. For example, the Dock.io identity wallet uses a recovery system with a password-protected backup file. We plan to implement a similar solution.

Specifically, we will contribute to the Atala PRISM Identity Wallet SDK repository. We aim to add new features without affecting the existing wallet recovery feature which uses seed phrases. The new features include the following:

• Users do not see seed phrases when creating a wallet.
• Users see an alert: "Please secure your wallet by backing up the wallet".
• Users select a secure password to encrypt the backup file.
• Users have the freedom to save the backup file wherever they prefer, including on an external hard drive or cloud.
• Users can restore a wallet by decrypting the backup file with the password.

The technical schema is found below:

This plan has been discussed with IOG's Atala PRISM team. They have confirmed that this improvement is not part of their roadmap and would welcome this additional feature to the SDK.

This solution allows projects in the Cardano ecosystem to create their own wallets using this SDK. They can use a password-protected backup file for wallet recovery. This method is not only user-friendly but also secure. It will contribute to the widespread adoption of identity wallets and Self-Sovereign Identity.

With this enhanced SDK, we'll boost Socious Wallet's security by shifting from seed phrase recovery to multifactor file backup recovery. This will let end-users enjoy the advantages of SSI, DID, and VC without the complexity of managing seed phrases or the risk of a single point of failure. Upon completion of this project, users will have a secure identity wallet on their iOS and Android mobile devices without the need to manage seed phrases.

Socious has been a longstanding contributor to the Atala PRISM community. Socious’s open-source wallet, built using the Wallet SDK, has been shared with the community. Many community members have used the Socious Wallet as a reference in developing their own wallets.

Problem 2: The lack of No-Code Self-Sovereign Identity solutions are hindering mass adoption.

Organizations can issue work and educational certificates as verifiable credentials using Socious Talent Marketplace. Users can then receive these certificates using Socious Wallet. Nevertheless, we have received requests from several organizations seeking to use Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) solutions for various purposes. For example, one organization wants to use SSI to verify someone's adult status without revealing their identity, utilizing zero-knowledge proofs. Another organization wants to use SSI to confirm membership in a specific community. Currently, there is no no-code platform that allows these organizations to flexibly create verifiable credentials schemas of their choice or create proof presentation requests.

Organizations have the ability to issue both work and educational certificates as verifiable credentials using the Socious Talent Marketplace. This platform serves as a reliable source for these important documents, providing a level of trust and verification. Users can then receive these certificates using Socious Wallet, a secure and user-friendly platform for storing and accessing these credentials.

However, we have noticed a growing trend amongst our clients. We've received numerous requests from several organizations who are interested in using Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) solutions for a variety of different purposes. The reasons behind this are diverse.

For instance, one particular organization is interested in using SSI to verify someone's adult status without revealing their identity. They want to achieve this by utilizing zero-knowledge proofs. This technique would allow the organization to confirm the individual's age without needing any other personal details, thus ensuring privacy and trust.

Similarly, another organization wants to use SSI to confirm membership in a specific community. This would help them maintain the exclusivity of their community while also providing a verifiable means of confirming membership.

Currently, one of the challenges these organizations face is the lack of a no-code platform that would allow them to create verifiable credentials schemas of their choice or to create proof presentation requests. This lack of flexibility in the current solutions available on the market is a significant hurdle for these organizations, and it's something that needs to be addressed.

Solution 2: We build a no-code Self-Sovereign Identity platform.

Our no-code Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) platform is designed to be a game-changer in the field of digital identity management. It will allow organizations to create their own verifiable credentials schemas and proof presentation requests, without requiring any coding knowledge. This platform will democratize access to SSI solutions, enabling organizations of all sizes and industries to leverage the power of decentralized identities.

This platform will be user-friendly and intuitive, designed with a clean and simple user interface that makes it easy even for non-technical users to navigate. It will provide a easy-to-use interface for creating verifiable credentials schemas, with a wide range of customizable fields to suit various use cases.

For example, Japan's laws related to online cigarette sales require sellers to verify the buyer's age. This is achieved by asking them to upload scans of their government-issued IDs. Sellers can only deliver to adults at the address listed on the ID. A high demand exists for zero-knowledge proof due to the perceived risk of sharing driver's license scans. If the seller's server is compromised, crucial identity information could be used maliciously. However, due to a lack of technical knowledge, it's challenging for cigarette sellers to integrate Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) solutions into their websites. With a no-code SSI platform, an organization wanting to verify someone's adult status could create a credential schema with fields for birth date. Another scenario is when an organization wishes to verify community membership. They could create a schema with fields for the membership number and joining date.

In addition to creating verifiable credentials schemas, the platform will also allow organizations to create proof presentation requests. These are requests for a holder of a verifiable credential to present certain pieces of data from their credential, without revealing the entire credential. For example, a bar could request proof that a customer is over the legal drinking age, without needing to see their full ID. This aligns with privacy-enhancing technologies like zero-knowledge proofs, which allow individuals to prove certain facts about themselves without revealing any additional information.

Importantly, this platform will be built on Cardano, leveraging the security and decentralization of the Cardano blockchain and Atala PRISM. The verifiable data registry (VDR) will be anchored on the Cardano blockchain, providing an immutable record that can be independently verified by any party. This will increase trust in the credentials issued through the platform, as they cannot be tampered with or falsified.

Overall, our no-code SSI platform will lower the barriers to entry for organizations wanting to implement SSI solutions, promoting wider adoption of decentralized identities. It will provide organizations with the flexibility to create their own credential schemas and proof requests, enabling a multitude of use cases. And by building on Cardano, it will offer a secure and decentralized solution that respects user privacy.

Technical Resources: For a deeper understanding of our project's technical foundation, please explore the following resources:

• Atala Documentation
• Agent: Hyperledger Labs Open Enterprise Agent
• Wallet SDK: Atala PRISM Wallet SDK
• Mediator: Atala PRISM Mediator
• Socious Wallet Repositories:

1. https://github.com/socious-io/socious-wallet-api
2. https://github.com/socious-io/socious-wallet
3. https://github.com/socious-io/open-enterprise-agent
4. https://github.com/socious-io/prism-agent-setup

Additional information can be found here: https://socious.notion.site/Public-Accelerate-Mass-Adoption-Open-Source-Atala-Wallet-SDK-with-No-Seed-Phrase-Vulnerability-and--a9bf8318af95458eb158f512fd4e8585?pvs=4

[IMPACT] Please define the positive impact your project will have on the wider Cardano community

Value to the Cardano Community: The success of the project will bring value to the Cardano Community by addressing significant challenges of seed phrase-based wallet recovery and the lack of no-code Self-Sovereign Identity solutions. This will contribute to mass adoption of identity wallets and enhance the utility of digital identities within the Cardano network.

Measuring Impact: The impact of our project will be measured through both quantitative and qualitative metrics:

• Quantitative Metrics:User Adoption Rates: We will track the number of active users to gauge the adoption level of our solution.
• Credential Issuance and Verification: We will monitor the number and types of credentials issued and verified through our wallet to understand its use.
• Qualitative Metrics:User Feedback and Satisfaction: We will conduct surveys and collect user testimonials to assess the user experience and satisfaction.
• Case Studies: We will develop case studies that showcase the real-world applications and benefits of our solution within the Cardano ecosystem, particularly focusing on how our project helps overcome the challenges of seed phrase-based recovery and the lack of no-code platforms for Self-Sovereign Identity solutions.

Sharing Outputs and Opportunities: We will share the outputs and opportunities of our project through the following methods:

• During and after the completion of the project, we plan to spread its outputs. This will include providing monthly and milestone reports, as well as regular town hall meetings.
• We will share information about the project's outputs, impact, and opportunities with community members. The close-out report and video will be publicly available on YouTube. Additionally, we will share updates on our website and social media platforms. Work opportunities for Cardano developers will be listed on our Socious platform, which is a talent marketplace.
• Since Socious is an open-source project, our code base is publicly available on our GitHub page. Cardano developers are encouraged to fork and use it for other projects.
• We will also engage with the community through community forums and social media platforms, providing regular updates and insights.

Through these measures, we aim to not only quantify the impact of our project but also foster a sense of collaboration and shared growth within the Cardano community. Our commitment to transparency and engagement will ensure that the benefits of our project are widely disseminated and leveraged for the advancement of the Cardano ecosystem.

[CAPABILITY & FEASIBILITY] What is your capability to deliver your project with high levels of trust and accountability? How do you intend to validate if your approach is feasible?

Our team is aptly suited and equipped to successfully deliver this project. We possess the requisite capabilities that uniquely position us to execute this project to high standards of trust and accountability.

Socious is a fast-growing impact startup that provides a talent marketplace, making impact work accessible and transparent. We connect purpose-driven professionals with impact organizations through AI matching. We use blockchain to trace impact work and reward contributions.

Socious is supported by 500Global, Microsoft, and Milkomeda Foundation. Our platform lists over 80k jobs, 24k organizations, and has 8k registered users. Our team consists of experts in impact measurement, finance, data science, and blockchain development.

Our team members include:

• Seira Yun

Title: Founder and CEO

Role: Product Ownership, Project Management, Research

Commitment: Full-time

Linkedin:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/seirayun/

Bio: Seira Yun is the Founder and CEO of Socious.io, a talent marketplace that makes impact work accessible and transparent. Socious connects purpose-driven professionals with impact organizations through AI matching, and uses blockchain to trace impact work and reward contributions.

Seira is a serial impact entrepreneur with years of experience in the sector. He has led teams within the ICRC, UNHCR, and social ventures. Drawing from personal experiences as a migrant, an autistic person, and a proud pansexual queer, Seira is driven to make the world a better place through social innovation. As a full-stack developer with a Master's in Social Innovation from the University of Cambridge, he enjoys blending technology with purpose. Seira is also an impact angel investor, a member of Hustle Fund's Angel Squad, and a mentor for 4WARD.VC's Climate Accelerator. When not working, he enjoys shooting hoops, running, reading, spending quality time with the kids, or embracing the adventure of getting lost during travels. He is also a long-term member of the Cardano community; he’s won and managed five Catalyst projects and has completed Atala PRISM Pioneer Program.

• Minh Douangprachanh

Title: Lead Designer

Role: Design

Commitment: Full-time

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michel-douang/

Bio: With more than a decade of experience specializing in product design, Minh is a multidisciplinary artist who has always believed art has a language of its own. As a neurodiverse individual, Minh is passionate about helping people and creating sustainable and inclusive solutions.

• Ehsan Mahmoudi

Title: Lead Developer

Role: Backend/Blockchain/AI Engineering

Commitment: Full-time

LinkedIn:

https://linkedin.com/in/ehsan-mahmoudi-611123b8/

Bio: More than 8 years of experience in Python and Machine Learning as well as extensive experience in blockchain development. Ehsan has worked for global startups including Rechat, AEC, and Navaak.

• Sanaz Mahmoudi

Title: Senior Frontend Developer

Role: Frontend Development

Commitment: Full-time

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanaz-mahmoudi/

Bio: An experienced frontend developer with 7+ years of experience.

• Marjan Arami

Title: Senior Frontend Developer

Role: Frontend Development

Commitment: Full-time

Bio: An experienced frontend developer with 10+ years of experience.

• Azin Zare

Title: QA Engineer

Role: Quality Assurance

Commitment: Full-time

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/azin-zare-355a27179/

Bio: An experienced QA engineer with 9+ years of experience.

• Mohammad Balkhani

Title: Software Engineer

Role: Backend and DevOps Engineering

Commitment: Full-time

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohammad-hosein-balkhani/

Bio: An experienced software engineer with 7+ years of experience.

• Raphael Hode

Title: Design Advisor

Role Design Direction

Commitment: Part-time

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphaelhode/

Bio: Raphael is a Strategic Designer with a passion for social innovation and sustainability. After a few years in advertising agencies in Paris, Raphael moved to Tokyo in 2015 and joined Designit, a global strategic design firm. At Designit Raphael worked on growing a team and helping some of Japan’s most ambitious companies make innovation happen, leading him to endorse a variety of roles across UX design, service design, business design, and strategy.

In parallel, he has been passionately engaging in activities related to sustainability and social innovation: giving talks and workshops, mentoring early-stage social founders, and eventually co-founding a social venture. Today, he spends most of his time working with incredible social entrepreneurs to help them define, design, and launch visionary products that contribute to creating a more sustainable society.

To supplement our core team, we maintain a reserve of skilled freelancers, ready to contribute at short notice. Our talent marketplace, Socious, is a hub for over 8,000 individuals, many of whom could potentially assist in this project, if required.

The trustworthiness in our fund management processes is grounded in our serious adherence to legal and financial compliance. Each transaction conducted is meticulously documented with tangible evidence and audited internally for accuracy. To bolster our commitment to financial transparency, we have established collaborations with external accounting firms that assure compliance. Our Japanese entity works with Tatsumi Accounting Firm, while our Singaporean entity partners with BBCIncorp.

Additionally, we liaise with an external law firm, Enlighten Law Group, to ensure full legal compliance. This meticulous, multilayered approach to fund management reflects our dedication to maintaining high levels of trust and accountability.

[PROJECT MILESTONES] What are the key milestones you need to achieve in order to complete your project successfully?

Milestone 1: Market and Technical Research

Outputs

Milestone 1 has the following outputs (deliverables):

1. A research paper that includes: literature review, market analysis, competitor analysis, and stakeholder interviews.
2. A video walk through of the research paper

In order to deliver the aforementioned deliverable, we will conduct the following activities.

1. Literature Review: Review existing literature for understanding.
2. Market Analysis: Evaluate demand and identify market gaps.
3. Competitor Analysis: Assess similar offerings from competitors to pinpoint differentiators and opportunities.
4. Stakeholder Interviews: Interview key stakeholders and record their insights, including interview dates. Include their names, roles, and reasons for selection.
5. Research Paper Drafting: Summarize the findings from the above activities in a comprehensive research paper.
6. Video Walkthrough: Create a filmed walkthrough.

Acceptance criteria

The deliverables are considered “accepted” when they meet the following criteria.

1. A research paper that includes: literature review, market analysis, competitor analysis, stakeholder interviews
2. Literature Review: The literature review should be thorough and include proper citation.
3. Market Analysis: This should cover macro-level information explaining why seed phrase-based wallet recovery hinders mass adoption. It should also analyze the need for a no-code SSI platform to achieve mass adoption.
4. Competitor Analysis: This should examine organizations currently offering wallets without seed phrase management, along with other no-code SSI platforms.
5. Stakeholder Interviews: The records should include names (or initials), interview dates, recordings or transcripts, and reasons for selection.
6. Research Paper Drafting: The paper should include all the above-mentioned elements and be saved on Notion with a publicly accessible link.
7. A video walkthrough of the research paper should clearly demonstrate how the aforementioned acceptance criteria have been fulfilled.

Evidence of Milestone completion

As evidence of milestone completion, we submit the following:

1. A research paper on Notion with a publicly available link. The research paper includes literature review, market analysis, competitor analysis, and stakeholder interviews.
2. A video is stored on YouTube and is accessible through a public link.

Expected timeline for the delivery

Month 2

Cost

36,364 ADA

% Completion

7%

Milestone 2: UI/UX Research and Design

Outputs

Milestone 2 includes the following key outputs / deliverables:

1. Wallet Recovery with a backup file Design Figma File
2. SSI Platform v1.0 Figma Design File - First iteration
3. SSI Platform v2.0 of Figma Design File - Second iteration
4. SSI Platform v3.0 of Figma Design file - Third iteration and production-ready version.
5. Video walk-through of the design.

Acceptance criteria

The deliverables are considered “accepted” when they meet the following criteria.

• Wallet Recovery with a backup file Design Figma File should include a user interaction on how users can save a backup file with a password
• SSI Platform v1.0 Figma Design File - First iteration: The design should have essential user stories for issuing verifiable credentials. For example:
• As a business, I can carry out the Know Your Customer (KYC) process.
• As a business, I can issue work certificates.
• As a business, I can issue educational certificates.
• As a business, I can issue other types of certificates by developing a schema.
• SSI Platform v2.0 of Figma Design File - Second iteration: The design should be improved from the first iteration based on the feedback gather via user stories. The prototype on Figma will include interactions that reviewers can click on to view how the app behaves. The design should include the following user stories:
• As a business, I can confirm that the user has completed the proper Know Your Customer (KYC) process.
• As a business, I can authenticate the user's work certificate.
• As a business, I can authenticate the user's educational certificate.
• As a business, I can use zero-knowledge proofs to verify that the user is at least 18 years old.
• SSI Platform v3.0 Production-ready design in Figma. The design will include the following user stories:
• As a business, I can carry out the Know Your Customer (KYC) process.
• As a business, I can issue work certificates.
• As a business, I can issue educational certificates.
• As a business, I can issue other types of certificates by developing a schema.
• As a business, I can confirm that the user has completed the proper Know Your Customer (KYC) process.
• As a business, I can authenticate the user's work certificate.
• As a business, I can authenticate the user's educational certificate.
• As a business, I can use zero-knowledge proofs to verify that the user is at least 18 years old.

“Production-ready” means that it doesn’t need more work from designers and is ready for the engineering team to turn the design into code.

• Video walk-through of the design: The video should include both the design screens as well as a prototype on Figma.

Evidence of Milestone completion

The following five items will be publicly available for the reviewers.

1. Wallet Recovery with a backup file Design File - on Figma with a publicly available link.
2. SSI Platform v1.0 Figma Design File - on Figma with a publicly available link.
3. SSI Platform v2.0 of Figma Design File - on Figma with a publicly available link.
4. SSI Platform v3.0 Production-ready Design File - on Figma with a publicly available link.
5. Video walk-through uploaded to Youtube with a publicly available link.

Expected timeline for the delivery

Month 4

Cost

53,636 ADA

% Completion

18%

Milestone 3: Contribution to the Wallet SDK and Development of Wallet

Outputs

Milestone 3 includes the following key outputs / deliverables:

1. Atala PRISM Wallet SDK can generate a wallet that allows for a wallet backup file + password to recover a wallet.
2. Using the improved SDK above, Socious Wallet switches from seed phrase recovery method to backup file + password recovery method.
3. A video walk through of the Wallet SDK and Socious Wallet.

Acceptance criteria

The deliverables are considered “accepted” when they meet the following criteria.

1. A Pull Request to the Wallet SDK is merged to Main branch
2. Socious Wallet can be recovered with a backup file + password
3. Video includes both the wallet SDK repository walk-through and Socious Wallet recovery flow.

Evidence of Milestone completion

As evidence of milestone completion, we submit the following:

1. Publicly Available GitHub link to the Wallet SDK (open source)
2. Publicly Available GitHub links to Socious Wallet (open source)
3. Youtube video with a publicly available link.

Expected timeline for the delivery

Month 6

Cost

110,909 ADA

% Completion

41%

Milestone 4: No-Code SSI Platform - Issuing Credentials

Outputs

Milestone 4 includes the following key outputs / deliverables:

1. No code SSI platform that can issue certificates as verifiable credentials
2. A video walk through of the No code SSI platform’s functions to issue certificates.

Acceptance criteria

The deliverables are considered “accepted” when they meet the following criteria.

• No code SSI platform can complete the following functions:
• As a business, I can carry out the Know Your Customer (KYC) process.
• As a business, I can issue work certificates.
• As a business, I can issue educational certificates.
• As a business, I can issue other types of certificates by developing a schema.
• Video clearly demonstrates that the aforementioned functions are developed.

Evidence of Milestone completion

As evidence of milestone completion, we submit the following:

1. Publicly Available GitHub link to SSI Platform - issuing verifiable credentials (open source)
2. Youtube video with a publicly available link.

Expected timeline for the delivery

Month 8

Cost

116,364 ADA

% Completion

65%

Milestone 5: No-Code SSI Platform - Verifying Credentials

Outputs

Milestone 5 includes the following key outputs / deliverables:

1. No code SSI platform that can verify verifiable credentials’ proofs
2. A video walk through of the No code SSI platform’s functions to verify proofs.

Acceptance criteria

The deliverables are considered “accepted” when they meet the following criteria.

• No code SSI platform can complete the following functions:
• As a business, I can confirm that the user has completed the proper Know Your Customer (KYC) process.
• As a business, I can authenticate the user's work certificate.
• As a business, I can authenticate the user's educational certificate.
• As a business, I can use zero-knowledge proofs to verify that the user is at least 18 years old.
• Video clearly demonstrates that the aforementioned functions are developed.

Evidence of Milestone completion

As evidence of milestone completion, we submit the following:

1. Publicly Available GitHub link to SSI Platform - verifying credentials (open source)
2. Youtube video with a publicly available link.

Expected timeline for the delivery

Month 10

Cost

114,545 ADA ($21,280)

% Completion

88%

Title: Marketing and Close-out report / video

Outputs

Milestone 6 (Final) includes the following key outputs / deliverables:

1. Socious Wallet that uses backup file recovery method is deployed to production
2. No-code SSI Wallet is deployed to production.
3. Project close-out report
4. Project close-out video

Acceptance criteria

The deliverables are considered “accepted” when they meet the following criteria.

1. Community members can use the Socious wallet in Production and recover the wallet using a backup file.
2. Community members can use the no-code SSI platform in the production environment.
3. Project close-out report includes all the obligatory fields of the close out report
4. Project close-out video walks through all the key points of the close-out report.

Evidence of Milestone completion

• Socious Wallet’s publicly available URL.
• The SSI Platform’s publicly available URL.
• Project close-out report on Notion with a publicly available link.
• Project close-out video on Youtube with a publicly available link.

Expected timeline for the delivery

Month 12

Cost

57,273 ADA

% Completion

100%

[RESOURCES] Who is in the project team and what are their roles?

Our team is aptly suited and equipped to successfully deliver this project. We possess the requisite capabilities that uniquely position us to execute this project to high standards of trust and accountability.

Socious is a fast-growing impact startup that provides a talent marketplace, making impact work accessible and transparent. We connect purpose-driven professionals with impact organizations through AI matching. We use blockchain to trace impact work and reward contributions.

Socious is supported by 500Global, Microsoft, and Milkomeda Foundation. Our platform lists over 80k jobs, 24k organizations, and has 8k registered users. Our team consists of experts in impact measurement, finance, data science, and blockchain development.

Our team members include:

• Seira Yun

Title: Founder and CEO

Role: Product Ownership, Project Management, Research

Commitment: Full-time

Linkedin:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/seirayun/

Bio: Seira Yun is the Founder and CEO of Socious.io, a talent marketplace that makes impact work accessible and transparent. Socious connects purpose-driven professionals with impact organizations through AI matching, and uses blockchain to trace impact work and reward contributions.

Seira is a serial impact entrepreneur with years of experience in the sector. He has led teams within the ICRC, UNHCR, and social ventures. Drawing from personal experiences as a migrant, an autistic person, and a proud pansexual queer, Seira is driven to make the world a better place through social innovation. As a full-stack developer with a Master's in Social Innovation from the University of Cambridge, he enjoys blending technology with purpose. Seira is also an impact angel investor, a member of Hustle Fund's Angel Squad, and a mentor for 4WARD.VC's Climate Accelerator. When not working, he enjoys shooting hoops, running, reading, spending quality time with the kids, or embracing the adventure of getting lost during travels. He is also a long-term member of the Cardano community; he’s won and managed five Catalyst projects and has completed Atala PRISM Pioneer Program.

• Minh Douangprachanh

Title: Lead Designer

Role: Design

Commitment: Full-time

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michel-douang/

Bio: With more than a decade of experience specializing in product design, Minh is a multidisciplinary artist who has always believed art has a language of its own. As a neurodiverse individual, Minh is passionate about helping people and creating sustainable and inclusive solutions.

• Ehsan Mahmoudi

Title: Lead Developer

Role: Backend/Blockchain/AI Engineering

Commitment: Full-time

LinkedIn:

https://linkedin.com/in/ehsan-mahmoudi-611123b8/

Bio: More than 8 years of experience in Python and Machine Learning as well as extensive experience in blockchain development. Ehsan has worked for global startups including Rechat, AEC, and Navaak.

• Sanaz Mahmoudi

Title: Senior Frontend Developer

Role: Frontend Development

Commitment: Full-time

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanaz-mahmoudi/

Bio: An experienced frontend developer with 7+ years of experience.

• Marjan Arami

Title: Senior Frontend Developer

Role: Frontend Development

Commitment: Full-time

Bio: An experienced frontend developer with 10+ years of experience.

• Azin Zare

Title: QA Engineer

Role: Quality Assurance

Commitment: Full-time

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/azin-zare-355a27179/

Bio: An experienced QA engineer with 9+ years of experience.

• Mohammad Balkhani

Title: Software Engineer

Role: Backend and DevOps Engineering

Commitment: Full-time

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohammad-hosein-balkhani/

Bio: An experienced software engineer with 7+ years of experience.

• Raphael Hode

Title: Design Advisor

Role Design Direction

Commitment: Part-time

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphaelhode/

Bio: Raphael is a Strategic Designer with a passion for social innovation and sustainability. After a few years in advertising agencies in Paris, Raphael moved to Tokyo in 2015 and joined Designit, a global strategic design firm. At Designit Raphael worked on growing a team and helping some of Japan’s most ambitious companies make innovation happen, leading him to endorse a variety of roles across UX design, service design, business design, and strategy.

In parallel, he has been passionately engaging in activities related to sustainability and social innovation: giving talks and workshops, mentoring early-stage social founders, and eventually co-founding a social venture. Today, he spends most of his time working with incredible social entrepreneurs to help them define, design, and launch visionary products that contribute to creating a more sustainable society.

To supplement our core team, we maintain a reserve of skilled freelancers, ready to contribute at short notice. Our talent marketplace, Socious, is a hub for over 8,000 individuals, many of whom could potentially assist in this project, if required.

[BUDGET & COSTS] Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources

Please find below a detailed breakdown of our budget, including the allocation of people and hours to each task. We have calculated the cost at $50 per person per hour. The current conversion rate for ADA-USD is 0.44 at the time of writing.

Executive summary:

Total Cost: 489,091 ADA

Milestone 1: 36,364 ADA

Milestone 2: 53,636 ADA

Milestone 3: 110,909 ADA

Milestone 4: 116,364 ADA

Milestone 5: 114,545 ADA

Final Milestone: 57,273 ADA

Please find the details of the breakdown here:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Bap8H9wiR_aKb7QjbAqnM3atGtXihnAe8Z9Inyx_r6k/edit?usp=sharing

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

This project aims to enhance the Cardano ecosystem by improving the Atala identity wallet SDK and creating a no-code Self-Sovereign Identity platform. Both deliverables are designed to simplify digital identity management, enhance security, and ease the process of issuing and verifying credentials. The budget, based on empirical data and industry standards, is set at a competitive rate to ensure cost-effectiveness while delivering high standards of professionalism and expertise. The team, with a proven track record of onboarding 8,000 individuals to the Cardano network, is committed to transparency and continuous engagement with the community.

We believe that this project offers great value for money within the Cardano ecosystem for the following reasons:

1. Direct Benefits to the Cardano Community: The project's deliverables, specifically the open-source Atala Wallet SDK enhancement and the no-code Self-Sovereign Identity platform, are aimed to provide direct benefits to the Cardano ecosystem. They aim to simplify digital identity management, boost security, and ease the process of issuing and verifying credentials. These advancements are vital for promoting mass adoption and sustained growth of the Cardano network.
2. Value for Money: Atala PRISM and Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) represent new technology. Developing Software Development Kits (SDKs) for such technology is both challenging and time-consuming. Additionally, creating a no-code SSI platform requires substantial resources. Considering these factors, we believe the proposed budget is highly reasonable.
3. Proven Track Record of Onboarding: Socious has successfully onboarded 8,000 individuals to the Cardano ecosystem. Leveraging this experience, our new project is positioned to significantly expand this number, directly contributing to the growth and vibrancy of the Cardano community.
4. Competitive Salary Structure: While the average hourly rates for product designers, developers, and product managers are high in our industry (averaging $72, $68, and $65 respectively, as outlined in our detailed cost breakdown), we have consciously budgeted salaries at a more modest $50 per hour. This decision reflects our commitment to cost-effectiveness while maintaining high standards of professionalism and expertise.
5. Budget Based on Empirical Data: Our budgeting process is informed by extensive experience with similar projects. We have carefully analyzed past projects to determine the optimal number of personnel and hours required, ensuring that every aspect of the budget is realistic and justified.
6. Continuous Engagement and Transparency: Our commitment to regularly sharing progress reports, engaging with the community through forums and social media, and maintaining an open-source codebase on GitHub demonstrates our dedication to transparency. This approach not only builds trust but also encourages collaboration.

In conclusion, the project's cost reflects a balanced approach that prioritizes quality, market alignment, and value addition to the Cardano ecosystem. Our detailed and prudent budgeting, combined with our commitment to community engagement and transparency, ensures that the project provides excellent value for money.