Last updated 6 months ago
Crypto is about freedom, but that freedom is fragile. Every year, 15% of crypto users lose access to their digital assets, not to hackers, but to forgotten or misplaced seed phrases.
K33P solves this with a zero-trust, self-custodial digital vault that uses encryption, identity biometric signature, & ZK-proofs to ensure only the rightful owner can access the content of the vault.
This is the total amount allocated to K33P | Self-custodial digital Vault..
Please provide your proposal title
K33P | Self-custodial digital Vault.
Enter the amount of funding you are requesting in ADA
95000
Please specify how many months you expect your project to last
12
What is the problem you want to solve?
Crypto is about freedom, but that freedom is fragile. Every year, 15% of crypto users lose access to their digital assets, not to hackers, but to forgotten or misplaced seed phrases.
Supporting links
Does your project have any dependencies on other organizations, technical or otherwise?
No
Describe any dependencies or write 'No dependencies'
No dependencies
Will your project's outputs be fully open source?
No
License and Additional Information
Please choose the most relevant theme and tag related to the outcomes of your proposal.
Cross-chain
Describe what makes your idea innovative compared to what has been previously funded (whether by you or others).
K33P is innovative because it directly tackles one of the biggest unsolved problems in self-custody: the permanent loss of wallets due to forgotten or inaccessible seed phrases. Unlike previous solutions that rely on custodial recovery, centralized services, or complex hardware wallets.
K33P delivers a novel, future-proof approach to secure self-custody, (Next-of-Kin) and digital inheritance, something not yet funded in the ecosystem.
Expanding Cardano’s presence across African markets, where self-custody adoption is accelerating and where K33P already has traction.
Describe what your prototype or MVP will demonstrate, and where it can be accessed.
Secure storage of seed phrases using biometric authentication and decentralized identity signatures.
Multi-platform access (Android, Web extension and iOS), with freemium + premium tiers available.
The MVP will be made available to early users from our existing 2,937-person waitlist, and later to the broader crypto community via the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
Prototype link: Demo link in the pitch.
Describe realistic measures of success, ideally with on-chain metrics.
On-chain activity: Number of DID authentications, vault creations, and recovery requests processed on Cardano.
Adoption growth:
Milestone 1: 5,000 active users (500 premium subscribers).
Milestone 2: 50,000 users, 5,000 premium.
Milestone 3: 200,000 users, 30,000 premium.
Milestone 4: 1M+ users, 200,000 premium.
Transaction volume from vault interactions and enterprise API integrations.
Revenue growth: Progression from ~$2K MRR at MVP launch to ~$15M projected annual by Year 3.
By solving a universal pain point, K33P not only protects users but also increases retention.
Please describe your proposed solution and how it addresses the problem
K33P stack is deeply layered around user ownership, zero trust, and next-gen UX. By combining Cardano smart contracts, Iagon decentralized data storage, ZK privacy with client side encryption, and identity-bound access, it offers a highly secure and user-friendly approach to storing sensitive information like seed phrase, documents. With Next Of Kin capability.
by uses a decentralized account identification (DID) model that is account-based, not wallet-bound. Each DID is uniquely generated using the user's information provided during onboarding, and it serves as the secure anchor for vault setup, biometric binding, and zero-knowledge authentication for vault access.
Self-sovereign security: Client side encryption and decryption, with no third-party access.
Biometric authentication: Eliminates need to remember passwords or store physical copies. Leveraging (E.g Face I.D, PIN, Fingerprint, Iris scan, Voice I.D)
Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZK Privacy): Ensures full privacy and regulatory compliance.
Decentralized storage architecture: Eliminates single points of failure.
Seamless recovery: **Simplifies identity recovery system. (account DID verification)
At K33P, security and privacy are our top priorities. With K33P Vault, ownership is verifiable and indisputable, users are exactly who they claim to be, and no one else can impersonate them. Experience secure, private, and trustless digital safe, redefining identity protection
Please define the positive impact your project will have on the wider Cardano community
K33P integrates Cardano blockchain technology for immutable identification, transparent onboarding, and secure vault creation.
Every account setup on K33P anchors a decentralized account identification (DID) on-chain, increasing real, utility-driven transactions and on-chain data activity. We're also leveraging Cardano's UTXO model and smart contract infrastructure to demonstrate privacy-first design with zero-knowledge authentication, while integrating native protocols like Iagon and Midnight. In short, K33P brings real users, real use cases, and long-term adoption to Cardano.
Every new K33P account involves a Cardano transaction and stores a DID reference on-chain, creating real on-chain utility.
This increases UTXO volume, metadata usage, and smart contract interactions.
Uses Cardano-native protocols like Iagon (for storage) and potentially Midnight (for ZK privacy). Positions Cardano as the go-to chain for privacy, security, and identity-first application.
K33P introduces Cardano to unfamiliar users who may not have otherwise interacted with the chain. by allaying user to pay the Cardano network fee and the 2 $ADA collateral for Vault setup in any supported token leveraging cardano Babel Fees.
Cardano is built on principles of identity, decentralization, and self-sovereignty and K33P is a real-world application of those values.
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?
Trust and Accountability
K33P is built to address one of the most urgent pain points in crypto: the loss of access to wallets due to misplaced seed phrases. With more than $140B permanently lost (Chainalysis, 2024) and nearly 20% of Bitcoin believed to be inaccessible (Reuters, 2024), this is not a theoretical issue, it is real, growing, and deeply felt by users.
Our trust and accountability are anchored in:
By combining these principles, K33P positions itself as a reliable, mission-critical vault solution, designed to serve the evolving security needs of the Web3 world.
Approach Validation
K33P’s user research and testing have confirmed both the need and the effectiveness of our approach. Early adopters and mid-level crypto users consistently highlighted concerns about:
In response, K33P offers a biometric + DID-secured onboarding flow and a zero-knowledge recovery process that eliminates exposure of sensitive data.
Key validations include:
This progress demonstrates that K33P is not only solving a real problem but doing so in a way that users find practical, accessible, and trustworthy.
Technical Approach Feasibility Research
K33P’s architecture is technically feasible and security-first by design. Core elements include:
K33P’s feasibility is further reinforced by:
Through this combination of technical rigor, user-centered design, and ecosystem partnerships, K33P has demonstrated its feasibility as the next-generation vault for digital asset security and inheritance in Web3.
Track Record
https://x.com/k33P_onchain/status/1938936498847654146
https://x.com/ice_onyx/status/1945425587121897893
https://x.com/ice_onyx/status/1928414848041341438
Milestone Title
Foundation & MVP Launch
Milestone Outputs
Establish operational stability, launch K33P MVP on Android and Web, and onboard first active users. Also, get K33P’s Trademark and patent applications filed.
And gain strong presence established in Nigerian and African crypto markets
Acceptance Criteria
Clear accrued obligations and stabilize operations.
Finalize iOS and Android applications with freemium + premium tiers. Implement Next-of-Kin (inheritance) functionality.
Conduct comprehensive security audits.
Execute waitlist conversion campaigns.
Evidence of Completion
MVP live on both Android and web extension with freemium + premium tiers available.
Security audit report completed.
First 2,937 waitlist users onboarded.
Minimum of 500 premium subscribers achieved.
Delivery Month
4
Cost
50000
Progress
10 %
Milestone Title
User Growth & Market Penetration.
Milestone Outputs
Scale adoption to 50,000 users, strengthen brand presence, and establish integrations on our Enterprise API with early organization users/partners, most especially wallets/dApps. With robust social media presence and community engagement and support
Acceptance Criteria
Run targeted digital marketing campaigns and referral programs.
Develop partnerships with influencers and crypto communities.
Enhance product with advanced recovery and multi-wallet support.
Secure intellectual property rights (trademark + patent filings).
Evidence of Completion
50,000 active users achieved.
5,000 premium subscribers onboarded (10% conversion rate).
Trademark and patent applications filed.
Strong presence established in Nigerian and African crypto markets.
Delivery Month
5
Cost
25000
Progress
10 %
Milestone Title
Revenue Optimization & Feature Expansion (Enterprise Launch & Market Leadership)
Milestone Outputs
Expand user base to 200,000, increase premium conversion, and roll out advanced security + Launch enterprise solutions, scale user base to 1M, and establish K33P as the market leader in crypto security in Africa.
Acceptance Criteria
Entry leveel to K33P verse (Gamification Future)
Deloy advanced security protocols and expand premium features.
Prepare infrastructure for enterprise use (API foundation, scaling capacity).
Expand marketing across Africa (Ghana, Kenya, South Africa).
Develop and deploy enterprise-grade API for wallets and dApps.
Build custom enterprise solutions and integration pricing models.
Drive enterprise sales, partnerships, and thought leadership campaigns.
Introduce advanced analytics and customer success programs.
Evidence of Completion
200,000 active users achieved.
30,000 premium subscribers onboarded (15% conversion rate).
Infrastructure scaled to support 200K+ users.
Enterprise API launched and integrated with first partner wallets/dApps.
Industry presence established through enterprise partnerships and media engagement.
Delivery Month
6
Cost
20000
Progress
10 %
Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources
Milestone 1: Foundation & MVP Launch.
Activities Budget:
ADA 17,000 – Staff & Operations (salary payments + team retention)
ADA 21,000 – Technical Development (iOS completion, premium features, smart contract audit, QA testing)
ADA 7,000 – Infrastructure & Security (Iagon storage, encryption, biometric, ZK proof implementation)
ADA 3,000 – Legal & Compliance (licensing, data protection compliance)
ADA 2,000 – Marketing & Launch (waitlist conversion, app store optimization)
Total Budget: ADA 50,000
Milestone 2: User Growth & Market Penetration.
Activities Budget:
ADA 6,000 – Marketing & User Acquisition (digital campaigns, community, influencers, content)
ADA 9,000 – Product Enhancements (advanced recovery, multi-wallet, UX improvements)
ADA 7,000 – Legal & IP Protection (trademark, patent filings, legal consultation)
ADA 3,000 – Team Support (customer support scaling, marketing specialist)
Total Budget: ADA 25,000
Milestone 3: Revenue Optimization & Feature Expansion (Enterprise Launch & Market Leadership)
Activities Budget:
ADA 9,000 – Product Development (Advanced security, enterprise API foundation) (B2B API integration, enterprise-grade solutions, security features)
ADA 4,000 – Marketing & Business Development (sales, partnerships, thought leadership, industry presence)
ADA 4,000 – Infrastructure Scaling (storage capacity, performance optimization for 200K users)
ADA 3,000 – Operational Excellence (customer success programs, process optimization)
Total Budget: ADA 20,000
How does the cost of the project represent value for the Cardano ecosystem?
K33P delivers value to the Cardano ecosystem by addressing one of the most critical challenges in self-custody: the permanent loss of wallets due to misplaced or inaccessible seed phrases. With over $140B already lost in crypto assets globally, K33P’s zero-trust vault provides a Cardano-native solution that safeguards users while reinforcing the network’s reputation for security and innovation.
The cost of this project represents strong value for money in several ways:
Direct Ecosystem Impact: By integrating decentralized storage, zero-knowledge proofs, and Cardano smart contracts, K33P strengthens the ecosystem’s security layer, ensuring users can adopt Cardano with confidence in long-term recoverability.
User Growth at Scale: With 2,937 users on the waitlist and structured milestones to scale to 1M+ users within three years, every funding round directly contributes to measurable growth in Cardano’s user base.
Sustainable Revenue & Adoption: K33P introduces a freemium + premium model, securing recurring revenue while expanding Cardano’s reach across Africa and beyond. Projections indicate 200,000 premium subscribers and $15M annual revenue by Year 3, showcasing sustainability far beyond grant funding.
Unique Feature Set: Unlike existing custodial recovery or hardware-based solutions, K33P combines biometric + DID onboarding, inheritance (NOK) functionality, and non-open-source zero-trust architecture, positioning Cardano at the forefront of user-centric crypto security.
Strategic Leverage: Partnerships with wallets, protocols, Web2 organizations, and key industry players amplify Cardano’s presence in mainstream adoption, especially within the fast-growing African crypto market.
For a relatively modest funding request compared to the market potential, K33P positions Cardano as the leading blockchain for secure, self-custody adoption, while simultaneously unlocking real user growth, retention, and trust at scale.
Terms and Conditions:
Yes
We're a team of dedicated builders with deep roots in crypto infrastructure, UX design, smart contracts, and digital branding. We've all lost access to something before, we're building K33P so no one else has to.
Our complete team consists of seven dedicated professionals:
Sandra Benard, Founder/Lead Designer
UI/UX Designer - B2B, B2C, SaaS, Web3, Project Manager, |Music enthusiast, Game lover, Human.
Profile: https://www.sandrabenard.com/
Portfolio: https://www.behance.net/sandrabenard
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandrabenardo/
X (Twitter) Handle: https://x.com/ice_onyx
Qussim Bakre, Co-Founder/Product Architect
-Mentored 150+ students across Africa in Cardano development and currently serve on the National Supervisory Council of the UCSCN**. **https://x.com/UnifiedCardano
X (Twitter) Handle: https://x.com/OPWeaLTH1/status/1929882541495881837
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/qussim-bakre-5242a4269/
-DePIN Land: Co-Founder. https://www.depinland.org/
Precious E. Omovoiye, Brand Team Lead
X (Twitter) Handle: https://x.com/ewoma_dsgn
Portfolio: https://ewomao.vzy.io/
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/precious-omovoiye/
Udoka Onwuachumba, UI/UX Designer
Digital Product (UI/UX) Designer
https://www.linkedin.com/in/udokaonwuachumba/
https://udoka.framer.website/my-work
Oluwafemi Emmanuel, Development Team Lead.
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oluwafemi-emmanuel-joseph/
X (Twitter) Handle: https://x.com/web3spida
GitHub / GitLab Profile: msticks2github.com/Fmsticks2
Work Contributions
K33P: Smartcontract and Backend
Mentalverse (ICP) – AI-powered mental health ecosystem, with frontend and planned Motoko backend. Integrated chatbot (MindMate) for real-time mental wellness support.
AgriVault (Web3/DeFi) – DeFi project for agriculture leveraging tokenized rewards, decentralized cooperatives, traceable sustainability, and microfinance solutions.
Marktcommerce (Fullstack Web) – University student-focused eCommerce platform enabling online buying/selling, developed with PHP backend & HTML/CSS/JS frontend.
TrustLink (Base Chain) – Web3 identity & verification solution, originally built on Movement Labs but migrated to Base ecosystem. Features JavaScript frontend + smart contracts.
Transportation Payment System (Cardano Hackathon) – Decentralized transport payment system with smart contract-based ticketing, focusing on public bus systems.
IoT Projects (Hardware + Edge AI):
Smart Lighting System (IoT + ESP8266 + Blynk) – Automated lighting with mobile control.
Mosquito Killer Machine (Arduino) – Hardware-based health-tech prototype.
Biomedical Edge Device (ESP32 + TinyML) – SpO₂ monitoring with early hypoxemia detection using real-time AI inference.
Intruder Alarm System (IoT) – Sound alarm triggered by motion detection.
NFT Projects (Base) – Creation of rare NFT collections with multiple variations and metadata for uniqueness.
Repository / Code Links (GitHub/GitLab):
msticks2github.com/Fmsticks2 – Hosts various project repos (Mentalverse, AgriVault, TrustLink, Marktcommerce, IoT experiments, etc.).
Hadiza Mohammed, Software Engineer.
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hadiza-mohammed/
GitHub / GitLab Profile: https://github.com/Hardeezah
Ekom Essiet, Illustrator,Intern.
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekomobong-essiet/
X (Twitter) Handle: egendesignerX@degendesignerX
Portfolio: .website/ekomessiet.framer.website
Work Contributions
K33P: Digital Illustrator for a DeFi wallet that enables safe storage of seed phrases.
Sweeftly: Product Designer for an AI powered swift commerce platform, aimed at enabling easy purchase of cultural ingredients.
Kintsugi: Creative and Visual Designer for a social enterprise aimed at providing skills and education to youths in underdeveloped areas of Africa.
Wakour: Product Designer for a gamified tour guide mobile app that eases the stress of tourists by providing detailed maps to tourist centers, while providing opportunities for locals, small businesses and celebrities to benefit.
DETA: Product Designer for a DeFi mobile app that eases P2P trading.
Tarnan: Product Designer for an AI powered Reminiscence Therapy mobile app, aimed at stimulating certain memories of elderly people.
Meeps: Digital Illustrator for a project on the base ecosystem, that allows you to send cards to friends, lovers and family and still save those cards for future references.