Last updated 2 weeks ago
Autonomous AI agents lack accountability for physical-world decisions. Without blockchain governance, they cannot safely operate industrial systems, agriculture, or IoT networks.
Edge AI agents with physical sensors, governed by Cardano smart contracts. Agents operate autonomously within safety rules; critical decisions on-chain. Agriculture POC, universal IoT design.
Please provide your proposal title
Autonomous Greenhouse Agents with On-Chain Governance
Enter the amount of funding you are requesting in ADA
100000
Please specify how many months you expect your project to last
7
Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated
No
Original Language
en
What is the problem you want to solve?
Autonomous AI agents lack accountability for physical-world decisions. Without blockchain governance, they cannot safely operate industrial systems, agriculture, or IoT networks.
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?
Yes
Please provide details on the intellectual property (IP) status of your project outputs, including whether they will be released as open source or retained under another licence.
MIT license for PAP protocol and hardware designs. Existing Plugged.in platform remains AGPL-3.0.
Please choose the most relevant theme and tag related to the outcomes of your proposal
AI
Describe what makes your idea innovative compared to what has been previously launched in the market (whether by you or others).
First Production Implementation of Edge AI Agents with Blockchain Governance
This project introduces three fundamental innovations that don't exist in the current market, either on Cardano or any other blockchain.
Innovation 1: Edge-First Autonomous AI
Current AI platforms like OpenAI, AWS IoT, Azure IoT Hub, and LangChain operate on a cloud-centric model where users connect to cloud LLMs, which access cloud databases, then execute actions. This creates vendor lock-in, network dependency, latency issues, and centralized points of failure.
Our PAP (Plugged.in Agent Protocol) inverts this architecture entirely. Users connect to edge agents running embedded LLMs with MCP and RAG locally, which execute actions immediately and sync to Cardano only for governance verification. Each edge device runs autonomously with embedded decision-making. This is the first implementation of Model Context Protocol on edge devices rather than cloud servers.
No existing solution on any blockchain enables AI agents to operate autonomously at the edge with cryptographic governance. We're not adapting cloud AI for blockchain, we're building native edge AI with blockchain as the accountability layer.
Innovation 2: Cryptographic Governance for Physical-World AI
The core problem preventing autonomous AI deployment in physical systems isn't capability, it's accountability. Manufacturers ask "What if AI damages equipment?" Operators worry "Who's liable for mistakes?" Regulators demand "Prove your system followed safety rules." Insurers refuse to cover what they can't audit.
We solve this with Aiken smart contracts that enforce operational boundaries before physical actions execute. These include maximum resource usage per period for water, energy, and chemicals; allowed operational ranges for temperature and flow rates; multi-signature requirements for high-risk actions; and immutable decision logs with tamper-proof timestamps.
Every critical agent decision is logged on-chain with SHA256 hashes linking to detailed off-chain sensor data. Anyone can verify whether the agent followed safety rules. This cryptographic proof of governance compliance doesn't exist in any current IoT or AI platform.
Innovation 3: Universal Protocol, Agricultural Validation
Unlike single-purpose agricultural apps, we're building general infrastructure validated through agriculture. AgrotCardano tracks post-harvest supply chain; DigiFarm tokenizes land ownership. We build the autonomous agent operating system that powers pre-harvest operations.
The same edge agents apply to smart homes for HVAC and security, industrial IoT for predictive maintenance, and environmental monitoring for air quality. The same governance contracts handle spending limits, safety rules, and multi-sig approvals across all domains. The same audit trail supports insurance claims, regulatory compliance, and operational proof regardless of industry.
Agriculture provides ideal validation because mistakes visibly damage crops, outcomes like yield and resource usage are measurable, we have an existing partnership with Biotek greenhouse facilities, and commercial viability delivers immediate ROI. But PAP protocol applies to any autonomous IoT application.
Differentiation from Existing Projects
Compared to Masumi Network, which handles agent-to-agent payments, we build the agents themselves, and Masumi handles transactions between them. Compared to AgrotCardano which tracks post-harvest supply chain, we handle pre-harvest autonomous operations. Compared to DigiFarm which tokenizes land ownership, our agents optimize the farms they tokenize. Compared to the Cardano Foundation's Georgian Wine project, which proves post-production authenticity, we demonstrate live operational compliance throughout the growing process.
These projects are complementary; we're building the infrastructure they need.
Compared to non-Cardano solutions, AWS IoT and Azure IoT Hub are centralized, proprietary, and create vendor lock-in, whereas we're decentralized, open source, and blockchain-verified. LangChain and CrewAI are software-only with no physical world integration while we deploy hardware with sensor integration and actuator control. Ethereum IoT projects face $1-50 per transaction costs that make per-decision logging prohibitive, while Cardano's approximately $0.10 per transaction makes governance economically viable. Solana IoT projects risk network reorgs that corrupt time-series data, while Cardano provides 99.9%+ uptime with deterministic finality.
Why Cardano Specifically Enables This
Cardano's technical architecture uniquely enables this use case. The eUTXO model allows 100+ sensors to write concurrently without blocking, unlike account-based chains. Deterministic fees let AI calculate exact costs upfront, impossible on Ethereum with variable gas. Formal verification provides mathematical proof that safety rules can't be bypassed. Low costs of approximately 0.17 ADA per transaction enable per-decision logging that would be economically impossible on Ethereum.
We're not just using Cardano, we're demonstrating why Cardano's design choices matter for real-world applications.
Production Foundation
Unlike speculative proposals, we build on 8 months of production operations with 900+ active users, growing organically from 10 to 17,915 MCP tool calls, proving protocol maturity; 180+ GitHub stars showing community validation; and zero production downtime, demonstrating reliability.
Fund15 extends this proven software platform to physical hardware deployment, significantly lower risk than greenfield IoT projects.
We are the only project combining edge-first MCP autonomous agents, physical IoT deployment, Cardano governance smart contracts, production platform validation with 900+ users, and a manufacturing partnership with Biotek/Infoteks.
7-Month Deliverables at a Glance
2 fully autonomous greenhouse deployments
PAP-Core (edge MCP runtime + governance connector + agent DID)
PAP-Hardware (sensor & actuator drivers, 72h buffer, LoRaWAN/4G stack)
30 deployed edge-agent devices
50+ calibrated sensors
Governance smart contracts on Cardano mainnet
At least 1,000 governance transactions
Public live dashboard for sensor + decision data
Full open-source release (protocol, firmware, hardware schematics)
Close-out report + 5–10 minute validation video
Describe what your prototype or MVP will demonstrate, and where it can be accessed.
Complete Autonomous Greenhouse Operations with On-Chain Governance
Our MVP demonstrates end-to-end autonomous agricultural operations where physical sensors monitor greenhouse conditions, edge AI agents make real-time decisions, Cardano smart contracts enforce safety rules, and immutable blockchain records prove governance compliance.
Live Deployment
We will deploy at two operational greenhouse sites at Biotek/Infoteks facilities in Turkey, our manufacturing partner's AgTech hydraphonic greenhouse. These will be operational by Month 6 and validated through 7-day continuous operation totaling 168+ hours. The deployment includes 50+ sensors, 30+ edge devices across 2 independent sites.
Autonomous Decision-Making Demonstration
The MVP demonstrates real-world autonomous scenarios. At 06:30, sensors detect soil moisture at 25% against a 30% threshold, temperature at 28°C. At 06:31, the edge agent decides to initiate 10-minute irrigation. The same minute, Cardano governance checks the daily limit of 500L against 320L already used and 50L requested, approving because 370L remains under limit. At 06:32, physical execution begins as the valve opens and water flows. At 06:42, completion occurs as the meter confirms 48L delivered. An on-chain record logs agent ID, action, sensor data, and hash of detailed telemetry.
No human touched a button. AI made the decision. Blockchain proved it followed rules.
Safety Rule Enforcement
The MVP demonstrates multiple safety scenarios. When an agent attempts irrigation exceeding daily limits, the smart contract rejects and blocks the action. When an agent requests pesticide application, multi-signature approval is required and the system waits for operator confirmation. When temperature spikes trigger emergency ventilation, pre-approved safety actions execute immediately and log on-chain.
The blockchain doesn't just record decisions, it enforces boundaries before physical actions execute.
Tamper-Proof Audit Trail
Every critical decision creates verifiable proof. On-chain records include transactions with agent ID, action type, timestamp, governance approval, and data hash. Off-chain storage contains detailed sensor readings at 10-second intervals, agent reasoning logs, and video timestamps. Hash linking enables anyone to verify off-chain data matches on-chain claims.
Demonstration scenario: "Why did greenhouse use 500L water on March 15?" Query blockchain, see 15 irrigation events, each links to sensor data, revealing "Heat wave justified usage."
Offline-Capable Edge Operations
The MVP demonstrates 72-hour disconnected operation. Edge agents continue autonomous decisions without internet. Local buffer stores all sensor data and decisions. When connectivity restores, batch sync to Cardano verifies governance compliance retroactively. Zero data loss, zero operational interruption.
Multi-Sensor Integration
Physical sensors deployed include environmental monitoring for temperature at ±0.5°C accuracy, humidity at ±3% RH, CO₂ from 0-5000 ppm, O₂, and light spectrum PAR. Soil sensors measure pH at ±0.1 accuracy, moisture, and EC electrical conductivity. Actuators include solenoid valves for irrigation, peristaltic pumps for nutrients, and relay modules for ventilation and heating. Connectivity uses LoRaWAN for long-range communication, 4G cellular backup, and local mesh networking.
All integrated through PAP protocol, all governed by Cardano smart contracts.
Access Points
The live dashboard at biorke.is.plugged.in/greenhouse shows real-time sensor readings from both greenhouse sites, agent decision history with blockchain transaction links, governance rule status including limits used and approvals pending, with public read-only access for community verification.
Cardano mainnet explorer shows all governance transactions publicly visible at published contract addresses. Anyone can verify whether agent-07 really executed irrigation at 06:32. Target is 1,000+ transactions during the 7-month period.
GitHub repositories include PAP protocol at github.com/VeriTeknik/PAP under MIT license, edge firmware at github.com/VeriTeknik/PluggedinOS, smart contracts at github.com/VeriTeknik/pap-contracts in Aiken, and hardware schematics at github.com/VeriTeknik/pap-hardware with open BOM.
Video documentation includes a 5-10 minute walkthrough of operational greenhouse, real-time demonstration from voice command through agent decision to physical action to blockchain record, published on YouTube with community Q&A session.
Physical site visits are enabled with greenhouse locations documented with GPS coordinates, community members invited during validation period, and photo/video documentation of installation and operation.
Technical Architecture
The physical layer connects sensors for temperature, humidity, pH, and CO₂ through I2C/UART to edge devices. The edge layer runs PAP Protocol on Raspberry Pi 4 or ESP32 with embedded MCP Server for tool execution, local RAG for agricultural knowledge base, lightweight LLM for decision model, sensor drivers for hardware integration, and Cardano light wallet for transaction signing. The governance layer uses Cardano smart contracts written in Aiken including spending rules validator, safety limits enforcer, multi-sig approval handler, and audit log recorder. The verification layer separates on-chain storage for critical decisions, governance approvals, and data hashes from off-chain storage for raw telemetry, detailed logs, and video, with hash linking providing cryptographic proof of data integrity.
What MVP Proves
Technical feasibility confirms edge AI plus Cardano governance works in production. Economic viability shows approximately $10/day blockchain cost per greenhouse is sustainable. Safety assurance demonstrates smart contracts prevent dangerous actions. Audit capability provides complete decision trail, cryptographically verified. Scalability path confirms same architecture applies to any IoT application.
Post-MVP Access
After Fund15 completion, open-source SDK publishes on NPM as @pluggedin/PAP. Documentation site already launched at https://docs.plugged.in/agents/overview . Community Discord channel opens for developers. Hardware kit becomes available for purchase at cost plus shipping. API access enables third-party integrations.
Describe realistic measures of success, ideally with on-chain metrics.
On-Chain Verifiable Metrics
All primary success metrics are publicly verifiable on Cardano mainnet, no self-reported numbers required.
For Cardano mainnet transactions, we target 1,000+ verified through blockchain explorer contract interaction count. For unique agent DIDs registered, we target 20+ verified through on-chain DID registration transactions. For smart contract governance calls, we target 500+ verified through contract method invocation logs. For critical decisions logged, we target 100+ verified through governance approval transactions. For multi-signature approvals, we target 10+ verified through multi-sig transaction records. For data hash commitments, we target 500+ verified through SHA256 hashes linked to off-chain data.
Contract addresses will be published and anyone can query Cardano explorer to confirm transaction counts match our claims.
Technical Performance Metrics
For system uptime, we target 95% or higher over 7-day validation, verified through Grafana dashboard with public URL and CSV export. For sensor accuracy, we target ±5% versus calibrated reference, verified through third-party calibration report in PDF. For transaction latency, we target under 30 seconds from decision to confirmation, verified through timestamp analysis from blockchain. For offline capability, we target 72 hours continuous operation, verified through disconnection test report with data integrity proof. For data integrity, we target 100% hash verification, verified by confirming on-chain hashes match off-chain data.
Physical Deployment Metrics
For greenhouse sites operational, we target 2 or more, verified through GPS coordinates and site photos showing before and after states. For sensors deployed, we target 50 or more, verified through hardware inventory list and installation photos. For edge devices active, we target 30 or more, verified through device registration on blockchain. For actuators controlled, we target 20 or more, verified through physical action logs linked to transactions. For continuous operation achieved, we target 168+ hours representing 7 days, verified through timestamped uptime logs.
Adoption and Community Metrics
For farm operator satisfaction, we target 80% or higher, verified through survey results with NPS score and testimonials. For SDK and protocol downloads, we target 50 or more, verified through GitHub release download count and NPM statistics. For external developers testing, we target 3 or more, verified through GitHub issues and PRs from non-team contributors. For documentation pages published, we target 50 or more, verified through public docs site on GitBook or GitHub Pages. For community contributors, we target 10 or more, verified through GitHub contributor count excluding team members.
Ecosystem Contribution Metrics
For open-source commits, we target 500 or more, verified through GitHub's public commit history. For academic publications, we target 1, verified via an ArXiv paper ID or conference acceptance. For media coverage, we target 5 or more articles, verified through press mention links. For Cardano developer engagement, we target 100 or more, verified through Discord and Telegram discussion participants. For Town Hall presentations, we target 3 or more, verified through recorded sessions and community feedback.
Economic Validation Metrics
For cost per transaction, we target under 0.20 ADA, verified through blockchain fee analysis. For daily operational cost, we target under 20 ADA per greenhouse, verified through transaction volume multiplied by average fee. For infrastructure efficiency, we target under $15 per day total operating cost, verified through budget versus actual comparison.
Why These Metrics Are Realistic
Based on comparable deployments, 100 decisions per day across 2 greenhouses over 30 days equals 6,000 potential transactions. We target 1,000+ representing a conservative 17% capture rate of critical decisions only. Non-critical telemetry stays off-chain for economic efficiency.
Based on our production platform, we currently have 888 users and 17,915 MCP tool calls in 8 months, proving we can handle transaction volume and user engagement. Hardware deployment represents incremental risk, not greenfield development.
Based on agricultural IoT standards, ±5% sensor accuracy is industry standard for greenhouse monitoring, 95% uptime is typical SLA for agricultural automation, and 72-hour offline buffer aligns with rural connectivity realities.
Success at Project Completion
Month 7 snapshot shows 2 greenhouses running autonomously for 30+ days, 1,000+ blockchain transactions proving governance compliance, farm operators trusting the system enough to reduce manual monitoring by 50%, 3+ external developers building on PAP protocol, ArXiv paper submitted for academic validation, and clear path to Fund16 scaling with 10+ greenhouses.
Honest Constraints
We are not promising mass adoption of 100+ greenhouses in 7 months as that timeline is unrealistic. We are not promising revenue breakeven during Catalyst period as this is validation phase, not commercialization. We are not promising global distribution as focus is POC validation in controlled environment. We are not promising advanced AI features like computer vision and predictive modeling as those belong to Phase 2 scope.
Risk-Adjusted Success Scenarios
In the optimistic scenario with 90% confidence, all metrics are achieved or exceeded with hardware arriving on schedule, both greenhouse sites operational, 1,500+ transactions, and 95%+ uptime.
In the expected scenario with 95% confidence, core metrics are achieved with minor shortfalls. Hardware delays of 1-2 weeks are absorbed by contingency, 1,000+ transactions achieved, 90%+ uptime maintained, one greenhouse fully operational with second in final validation.
In the conservative scenario with 99% confidence, minimum viable success is achieved despite supply chain delays impacting timeline. We achieve 500+ transactions which is reduced but still meaningful, single greenhouse fully validated, protocol proven, and documentation complete.
All scenarios deliver open-source PAP protocol, production-validated smart contracts, and clear evidence of autonomous AI governance on Cardano.
Verification Commitment
All metrics will be publicly auditable through published contract addresses, GitHub repos, and dashboard URLs. Third-party verification comes through calibration reports from independent labs. Community accessibility is ensured through Town Hall updates and Discord transparency. Blockchain proof means primary metrics appear on-chain, not self-reported.
Please describe your proposed solution and how it addresses the problem
Key Advantages
First edge-native MCP agents with on-chain governance
First physical autonomous AI system deployed on Cardano
Real hardware in real greenhouses (not simulation)
900+ active users validating the platform maturity
Hardware manufacturing partner eliminates adoption risk
PAP Protocol: Infrastructure for Autonomous Physical-World AI
We're building the operating system for autonomous AI agents in the physical world, with agriculture as our proof of concept. This isn't an "agriculture app"; it's general infrastructure that happens to be validated through greenhouse deployment because greenhouses offer clear safety requirements where crop damage is visible, measurable outcomes in yield and resource usage, an existing partnership with Biotek facilities, and commercial viability with immediate ROI.
How Our Solution Addresses the Problem
The core problem is accountability for autonomous AI. Manufacturers hesitate because AI might damage equipment. Facility operators worry about liability when agents make mistakes. Regulators demand proof that autonomous systems followed safety rules. Insurers refuse to cover what they can't audit.
We solve this with a three-layer architecture that provides cryptographic proof of governance compliance.
PAP Architecture Overview
PAP-Core (Software)
Embedded MCP runtime
Governance connector (Aiken validators)
Agent DID identity
Kill-switch logic
On-chain/off-chain hashing bridge
Local RAG knowledge bundle
PAP-Hardware (Edge Layer)
Sensor drivers (I2C/UART/PWM)
Actuator control (valves, pumps, relays)
Offline buffer (72 hours)
LoRaWAN + 4G connectivity
Telemetry batching
Layer 1: Edge AI Agents
Traditional cloud AI platforms like OpenAI, AWS IoT, and Azure IoT Hub follow a centralized model in which users connect to cloud LLMs that access cloud databases, then execute actions. This creates vendor lock-in, network dependency, and single points of failure.
Our PAP (Plugged.in Agent Protocol) inverts this entirely. Each edge device runs autonomously with an embedded MCP server for tool execution, local RAG system containing domain knowledge like agricultural best practices, a lightweight LLM for decision-making, sensor drivers for direct hardware integration through I2C, UART, and GPIO, and a Cardano light wallet for transaction signing.
The key innovation is moving AI orchestration from centralized platforms to autonomous edge devices. Transactions were already decentralized through blockchain, but AI agent coordination remained centralized until now. We complete blockchain's decentralization promise.
Layer 2: Physical Sensor Infrastructure
For our agricultural proof of concept, we deploy environmental sensors measuring temperature at ±0.5°C accuracy, humidity at ±3% RH, pH at ±0.1, CO₂ from 0-5000 ppm, O₂, and light spectrum. Actuators include solenoid valves for irrigation, peristaltic pumps for nutrients, and relay modules for ventilation and heating. Connectivity uses LoRaWAN for long-range low-power communication, 4G cellular backup, local mesh networking, and offline buffering for 72 hours.
This same architecture applies universally. Smart homes use HVAC, lighting, and security sensors. Industrial IoT uses vibration sensors, temperature monitoring, and quality control cameras. Environmental monitoring uses air quality, water level, and weather station sensors. Supply chain uses temperature loggers, GPS trackers, and tamper sensors.
Layer 3: Cardano Governance Smart Contracts
Smart contracts written in Aiken enforce operational boundaries before physical actions execute. Governance rules include maximum resource usage per period for water, energy, and chemicals; allowed operational ranges for temperature deltas and flow rates; approved merchants and services through whitelisting; and multi-signature requirements for high-risk actions.
We implement a strategic on-chain versus off-chain approach. What goes on-chain includes critical decisions like "Agent-07 opened vent at 14:23 due to temp=32°C", safety violations like "Agent-03 attempted dosage exceeding limit", multi-sig approvals like "Operator Ali approved pesticide application", data hashes as SHA256 of hourly sensor batches for tamper verification, and agent DIDs as decentralized identifiers. Volume runs approximately 100-500 transactions per day per greenhouse, costing roughly 17 ADA daily, which equals about $10, and is economically viable.
What stays off-chain in the Plugged.in database includes raw sensor telemetry at 10-second interval readings representing millions of records, video recordings for time-lapse growth monitoring, model training data for ML optimization datasets, and debug logs with detailed agent reasoning traces.
Hash linking ensures every on-chain transaction includes the SHA256 hash of off-chain data batches. Anyone can verify whether the database matches blockchain claims.
This isn't about storing data on blockchain, which would be wasteful. It's about cryptographic proof of governance compliance, similar to how the Cardano Foundation's Georgian wine project uses NFTs for bottle authenticity. We're proving operational authenticity.
Real-World Use Case: Autonomous Irrigation Decision
Here's how the system works step by step. First, sensors detect soil moisture at 25% against a 30% threshold, temperature at 28°C, and time at 06:30 which is optimal. Second, the agent decides to initiate 10-minute irrigation. Third, Cardano governance checks that the daily limit is 500L, 320L has been used, and 50L is requested, approving because 370L remains under 500L. Fourth, physical execution occurs as the valve opens, water flows, and the meter confirms 48L delivered. Fifth, on-chain recording logs agent ID, action, duration, volumes, sensor data, timestamp, data hash, and smart contract approval. Sixth, future verification becomes possible when someone asks "Why so much water in March?" They query the blockchain, see 15 events, link to sensor data, and discover "Heat wave justified usage."
Why Cardano Specifically
Cardano's technical architecture uniquely enables this use case. The eUTXO model enables 100+ concurrent sensor writes while Ethereum's sequential processing creates gas competition. Predictable costs of 0.17 ADA per transaction are guaranteed while Solana's costs are volatile with reorg risks. Deterministic execution lets agents calculate exact costs upfront while BSC has unpredictable mempool behavior. Low fees of approximately $0.10 per transaction enable per-decision logging while Ethereum's $1-50 per transaction is prohibitive for sensors. Formal verification through Plutus and Aiken provides mathematically provable safety while Move is newer and less battle-tested. Stability with 99.9%+ uptime since 2017 contrasts with new chains that have frequent outages corrupting time-series data.
Economic proof for one greenhouse with 50 sensors making 100 decisions daily over one year shows Cardano costs approximately 6,200 ADA or $3,720 annually, which is viable. Ethereum costs $36,500 annually, which is prohibitive. Polygon costs $3,650 annually but has centralized validators. Solana costs $730 annually but reorgs corrupt data.
Cardano makes autonomous IoT economically practical. This use case is impossible on Ethereum.
Ecosystem Alignment and Collaboration
Our solution complements existing Cardano projects rather than competing with them. Masumi Network handles AI agent payments and identity, so we build the agents while Masumi handles agent-to-agent transactions. AgrotCardano tracks post-harvest supply chain, so we handle pre-harvest operations while they track distribution. DigiFarm tokenizes land ownership, so our agents optimize farms while their NFTs prove ownership. World Mobile provides rural connectivity, so they provide internet while we provide applications.
No competitive conflicts exist; we're building the infrastructure that other projects need.
Partnership: Biotek/Infoteks Manufacturing
Biotek is Turkey's leading POS terminal manufacturer with 50,000+ units deployed, maintaining a 15+ year partnership with VeriTeknik through PCI-DSS certification collaboration. They hold ISO 9001 certified manufacturing with facilities in Turkey for design and China for volume production.
The partnership scope includes PCB design and manufacturing for sensors and edge devices, quality control and testing, pilot deployment in Biotek's AgTech greenhouse, a revenue share model with no equity dilution, and zero CapEx for manufacturing setup.
Technical Innovation: PAP Protocol
Core intellectual property includes embedded MCP runtime as the first implementation of MCP on edge devices rather than cloud, offline-first architecture where agents operate without internet and sync when available, cryptographic agent identity where each agent has a DID on Cardano, station and satellite model where user's control station orchestrates field satellites, kill switch for instant termination via blockchain transaction, and governance-as-code where smart contracts enforce operational boundaries.
Our open source strategy releases core PAP protocol under MIT license to maximize adoption, keeps the Plugged.in platform under AGPL-3.0 to protect commercial moat, releases hardware designs as open source after Fund15 validation, and provides agricultural models as open datasets for community use.
Please define the positive impact your project will have on the wider Cardano community
Creating Infrastructure for Autonomous Operations Across Multiple Industries
This project establishes Cardano as the first blockchain where autonomous AI agents operate physical systems with cryptographic governance; not just for agriculture, but as a universal infrastructure applicable to any industry requiring accountable automation.
New Transaction Category: Autonomous Physical-World Operations
We create an entirely new category of on-chain activity. This isn't DeFi speculation or NFT trading,it's operational technology meeting blockchain. Every autonomous decision by an AI agent controlling physical equipment generates verifiable blockchain transactions proving governance compliance.
Immediate impact during Fund15 includes 1,000+ transactions in 7 months from 2 greenhouses and technical validation of the governance model.
Scalable impact in Fund16 and beyond includes agriculture with 10 greenhouses generating 10,000 transactions yearly, smart buildings with 5 pilot buildings generating 15,000 transactions yearly for HVAC, lighting, and security, industrial IoT with 3 factory floors generating 20,000 transactions yearly for predictive maintenance, and environmental monitoring with 4 sensor networks generating 8,000 transactions yearly for air quality. Total multi-industry potential exceeds 50,000 transactions yearly from diverse use cases.
Developer Ecosystem Expansion
Our open-source PAP protocol enables any IoT developer to build autonomous agents on Cardano. Agriculture validates the model while developers apply it everywhere.
Potential applications beyond agriculture include smart home automation for energy optimization and security systems representing an $80B market, industrial predictive maintenance for factory equipment monitoring representing an $84B market, supply chain monitoring for cold chain compliance and asset tracking representing a $35B market, environmental networks for air quality, water levels, and climate stations with government contract potential, and building management for HVAC optimization and occupancy-based control in commercial real estate.
The multiplier effect means each industry vertical that adopts PAP generates 5,000-20,000 transactions yearly. If 10 sectors adopt, that creates 50,000-200,000 annual transactions.
Enterprise Validation
The industrial IoT sector represents $300B+ globally by 2030. Our project demonstrates Cardano scales to operational technology, positions Cardano for enterprise pilots across industries, and creates a reference implementation for blockchain plus autonomous systems.
Cardano visibility in technical communities.
Strategic Positioning: First-Mover in Autonomous Operations Economy
While other blockchains focus on DeFi and NFTs, Cardano becomes the governance layer for physical-world AI. This positioning is defensible because once industrial systems integrate, switching costs create a natural moat.
We complement existing Cardano projects without competitive conflicts. Masumi Network focuses on AI agent payments and identity while we build agents and Masumi handles agent-to-agent transactions. AgrotCardano focuses on post-harvest supply chain while we handle pre-harvest operations and they track distribution. DigiFarm focuses on land tokenization while our agents optimize farms and their NFTs prove ownership. World Mobile focuses on rural connectivity while they provide internet and we provide applications.
We're building the operating system that other projects need.
Proof of Cardano's Technical Superiority
Autonomous agents expose why Cardano's architecture matters in production. The eUTXO model enables parallel sensor transactions where 100+ devices don't block each other. Deterministic fees let AI calculate exact costs upfront, which is impossible on Ethereum with variable gas. Formal verification provides mathematical proof that safety rules can't be bypassed. Low costs of $0.10 per transaction enable per-decision logging versus $1-50 on Ethereum.
Every successful autonomous transaction demonstrates these advantages in real-world production environments, not just theoretical comparisons.
Real-World Adoption Pathway
Phase 1 during Fund15's 7 months covers agriculture POC with 2 greenhouses, 1,000 transactions, and technical validation proving safety rule enforcement.
Phase 2 during Fund16's first year covers multi-industry expansion with agriculture expanding to 10 greenhouses for revenue validation, smart buildings adding 5 pilot sites for energy optimization, and industrial adding 3 factories for predictive maintenance, totaling 50,000+ transactions across industries.
Phase 3 during years 2-3 covers enterprise scaling with 100+ deployments across sectors, 500,000+ annual transactions, and enterprise partnerships with companies like Siemens, Schneider Electric, and agricultural cooperatives.
The Cardano benefit is multi-industry adoption creating 500,000-1,000,000 annual transactions of real operational activity rather than speculation.
Comparison with Similar Catalyst Success Patterns
The Cardano Foundation Wine Traceability project in Georgia used NFT-based authenticity for luxury goods and demonstrated physical-world blockchain utility. Our parallel is live operational governance rather than just post-production tracking.
The Empowa Housing project in Africa used real estate tokenization and brought real-world assets to blockchain. Our parallel is operational automation of physical systems rather than just ownership records.
The lesson is that projects with physical-world validation create lasting value, and we follow this proven pattern.
Community Empowerment
We open source everything. PAP protocol releases under MIT license for maximum adoption across industries. Hardware schematics release as open BOM and PCB designs. Domain models release as open datasets for agriculture, buildings, and factories with community contributions.
Expected contributions include IoT developers adding sensors for cameras, acoustic monitoring, and advanced analytics; industry experts creating templates for manufacturing SOPs and building management rules; researchers publishing papers citing PAP protocol; and students building thesis projects on autonomous governance.
Network effects mean each contribution makes Cardano more valuable for the next autonomous system developer.
Honest Impact Assessment
What we will achieve during Fund15's 7 months includes first production autonomous agents on Cardano validated in agriculture, 1,000+ real-world blockchain transactions from physical systems, open-source protocol applicable to any autonomous IoT use case, academic publication increasing Cardano credibility in technical communities, and demonstrated model for multi-industry expansion.
What we won't achieve in 7 months includes mass adoption of 100+ deployments which takes 2-3 years, multiple industry deployments since agriculture POC comes first with others following, revenue breakeven since this is validation phase, and global distribution since focus is technical proof.
Why fund us anyway: Infrastructure projects create exponential value over time. Agriculture validates the governance model. Once proven, every industry that needs autonomous operations including manufacturing, buildings, logistics, and utilities can adopt PAP protocol on Cardano.
The strategic bet is that Cardano doesn't just support agriculture, it becomes the blockchain for autonomous operations across all industries. This proposal validates the foundational model that unlocks that future.
TCP/IP didn't transform the internet in 7 months, but it became foundational. PAP protocol could become the standard for autonomous IoT on Cardano.
Post-Fund15 Expansion Path (Not in 7-Month Scope)
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?
Proven Delivery Track Record
Our founding team has an exceptional Catalyst history through their work, completing 8 funded projects across Funds 9-11 with 100% completion rate. The same core team members who delivered those projects now lead this proposal under VeriTeknik B.V. Zero milestone delays occurred across all 8 projects, with every deliverable submitted on time. The team maintains active community engagement through Town Halls and regular updates.
The most notable project is Fund11's Open-Source NFT and Wallet Auth Framework. The deliverable was a production authentication library. The impact is that it's live on NPM as littlefish-nft-auth-framework. Usage includes multiple Cardano dApps that have integrated it. Evidence is available at milestones.projectcatalyst.io/projects/1100213.
Why this matters: Our team doesn't just deliver code, we ship production tools that developers actually use.
Team Background
VeriTeknik B.V. was founded in 2007 and operates in Netherlands and Turkey. The company built Turkey's first PCI-DSS certified data center and has 15+ years of infrastructure security experience. A successful exit occurred with PCI-Checklist SaaS from 2018-2022, raising ₺1.1M and scanning 96% of Turkey's virtual POS vendors.
The founding team brings their Catalyst experience from Littlefish Foundation into VeriTeknik's commercial operations, combining proven blockchain delivery capability with enterprise-grade infrastructure expertise.
Technical Capability: Hardware Plus Blockchain Expertise
Our blockchain development experience through Littlefish Foundation includes 8 Cardano projects delivered, experience with Plutus, Aiken, and Mesh SDK, deep understanding of eUTXO model and deterministic transactions, and production NPM packages used by the Cardano community.
Our IoT and hardware experience through VeriTeknik includes building PCI-DSS certified data centers representing physical infrastructure, experience with sensor integration, industrial networking, and embedded systems, and a DevOps engineer with LoRaWAN expertise.
Our AI and MCP experience through Plugged.in includes 888 users and 17,915 MCP tool calls, being first to implement MCP proxy orchestration, and experience with LLM integration, RAG, and knowledge bases.
The unique combination is that most blockchain teams lack hardware experience while most IoT teams lack blockchain expertise. Our team has both, Cardano expertise proven through Littlefish Foundation delivery, hardware expertise proven through VeriTeknik infrastructure operations.
Manufacturing Partnership: Infoteks
Why Infoteks: They maintain a 15+ year relationship with VeriTeknik with established trust, hold ISO 9001 certified manufacturing for quality assurance, have experience with 50,000+ POS terminals as secure hardware, and operate facilities for design in Turkey and volume production in China.
What Infoteks provides includes PCB design and fabrication, component sourcing at scale with bulk pricing, quality control and testing, and pilot site access to their own AgTech greenhouse for validation.
What we retain includes all intellectual property covering PAP protocol, firmware, and smart contracts; platform control with Plugged.in remaining our product; and customer relationships through direct sales with no middleman.
Risk mitigation comes through revenue share model rather than equity investment, meaning no dilution and clear boundaries.
Feasibility Validation: Production Platform
Current Plugged.in metrics as of November 2025 show 888 active users representing real users not just signups, 17,915 MCP tool calls representing real usage not demos, 184 GitHub stars showing developer validation, and 8 months operational showing stability proven.
What this proves includes that we ship production code not vaporware, community adoption happens through organic growth from 10 to 888 users, technical architecture works as MCP proxy scales, and team executes consistently with no pivots or restarts.
Fund15 extension means adding physical hardware to a proven software platform represents lower risk than a greenfield hardware project.
Risk Analysis and Mitigation
Risk 1 is hardware supply chain delays. Likelihood is high due to ongoing global chip shortage. Impact is schedule delay of 2-4 weeks. Mitigation includes pre-ordering components in Month 1 with 8-week buffer, identifying 3 alternative suppliers per component, maintaining 15% spare inventory, and leveraging Biotek's China sourcing to reduce delays.
Risk 2 is sensor accuracy issues. Likelihood is medium because environmental calibration is tricky. Impact is data quality concerns. Mitigation includes budget for calibration instruments at 3,500 ADA, validation against certified reference sensors, commissioning independent testing lab if needed, and accepting ±5% tolerance per agricultural standards.
Risk 3 is connectivity problems at greenhouse sites. Likelihood is medium due to rural areas and thick walls. Impact is data transmission gaps. Mitigation includes dual connectivity through LoRaWAN plus 4G cellular backup, offline-capable design with 72-hour local buffering, LoRaWAN's 10km+ range proven in agriculture, and site survey before installation to test signal strength.
Risk 4 is smart contract bugs. Likelihood is low because Aiken framework is mature. Impact is critical if safety rules get bypassed. Mitigation includes extensive testnet validation in Milestone 2, formal code review by 3 external Cardano developers, security audit budget included in contingency, and multi-sig for high-risk actions providing human override.
Risk 5 is low farmer adoption. Likelihood is low because Biotek provides pilot site. Impact is limited real-world validation. Mitigation includes Biotek contractually guaranteeing 1 pilot site, targeting 2 sites for diversification, backup plan using VeriTeknik's own test greenhouse, and focusing on tech validation not mass adoption.
Risk 6 is regulatory challenges. Likelihood is low because agriculture IoT is generally unregulated. Impact is deployment restrictions. Mitigation includes legal review in budget at 2,000 ADA, compliance with agricultural standards for organic certification requirements, GDPR-compliant data privacy for EU regulations, and consulting Biotek's regulatory affairs team.
Timeline Realism
Why 7 months is achievable:
Months 1-2 for architecture have no hardware dependencies since it's paper design, contract negotiations run in parallel since Biotek relationship exists, and smart contract design leverages team's proven Cardano experience from 8 prior projects.
Months 3-4 for hardware accommodate 8-week lead time through Month 1 pre-orders, firmware development leverages team's embedded experience from VeriTeknik infrastructure work, and testnet validation avoids mainnet risk.
Months 5-6 for deployment involve only 2 sites representing manageable scope, Biotek handles installation logistics, and 7-day validation is realistic rather than 30-day.
Month 7 for closeout involves standard Catalyst reporting our team has done 8 times before through Littlefish Foundation, video production using in-house capability, and open-source release with code already organized.
Buffer through 12% contingency budget accommodates 2-week delays per milestone.
Evidence-Based Confidence
Why we'll deliver includes founding team track record of 8/8 Catalyst projects completed on time through Littlefish Foundation, existing Plugged.in platform with 888 users proving tech works, manufacturing partner Biotek reducing hardware risk, modest scope of 2 greenhouses not 20, clear milestones where each is independently valuable, budget realism with hardware costs validated via quotes, and community support shown by Fund14 scoring 5/5 Impact proving reviewers believe in us.
Honest assessment: If funded, probability of success is 85-90%. Main risk is supply chain delays which are mitigated. Technical risks are minimal given proven platform and team's delivery history.
Validation Approach
We validate feasibility through progressive milestones. Milestone 1 validates architecture and partnerships through peer review and signed contracts. Milestone 2 validates hardware integration through testnet deployment and sensor accuracy testing. Milestone 3 validates real-world operation through 7-day continuous greenhouse operation. Final milestone validates ecosystem contribution through open-source release and documentation.
Each milestone is independently valuable. Even partial completion delivers usable infrastructure to the Cardano ecosystem.
Why Success Probability is High
8/8 Catalyst projects delivered successfully
Plugged.in already running with real users
Manufacturing partner eliminates deployment risk
Scope limited to only 2 sites → fully manageable
Proven data-center and embedded systems expertise
Milestone Title
rchitecture Design and Partnership Agreements
Milestone Outputs
Acceptance Criteria
Evidence of Completion
Delivery Month
2
Cost
15000
Progress
10 %
Milestone Title
Component Sourcing and On-Chain Infrastructure
Milestone Outputs
Acceptance Criteria
Evidence of Completion
Delivery Month
3
Cost
20000
Progress
40 %
Milestone Title
Edge Agent Software and Sensor Integration
Milestone Outputs
Acceptance Criteria
Evidence of Completion
Delivery Month
4
Cost
20000
Progress
60 %
Milestone Title
Physical Site Deployment at Biotek Facilities
Milestone Outputs
Acceptance Criteria
Evidence of Completion
Delivery Month
5
Cost
15000
Progress
70 %
Milestone Title
7-Day Autonomous Operation and Performance Validation
Milestone Outputs
Acceptance Criteria
Evidence of Completion
Delivery Month
6
Cost
15000
Progress
90 %
Milestone Title
Documentation, Open Source Release, and Sustainability Plan
Milestone Outputs
Acceptance Criteria
Evidence of Completion
Delivery Month
7
Cost
15000
Progress
100 %
Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources
1. Hardware Components: ₳18,000 (18%)
Sensor Nodes (50 units across 2 greenhouses):
8× Industrial reference nodes (SHT40, TEROS 10, Atlas pH, SCD41): ₳8,000
42× Consumer monitoring nodes (DHT22, capacitive soil, MH-Z19B, BH1750): ₳5,500
System Infrastructure:
LoRaWAN gateway + Raspberry Pi gateways + 4G backup: ₳1,500
Actuators (valves, pumps, relays): ₳1,500
Enclosures, cabling, connectors, mounting, spares, shipping: ₳5,000
Hybrid approach with Biotek partnership for cost-effective sourcing.
2. Software Development: ₳55,000 (55%)
Edge Firmware Development: ₳28,000
Sensor drivers (I2C, UART, ADC interfaces): ₳9,000
LoRaWAN integration and mesh networking: ₳8,000
Offline buffering and data synchronization: ₳6,000
OTA update mechanism: ₳3,000
Edge AI/LLM integration: ₳2,000
Smart Contract Development: ₳18,000
Aiken governance validators: ₳7,000
Multi-signature approval logic: ₳5,000
Agent DID registration on Cardano: ₳4,000
On-chain event logging and hash verification: ₳2,000
Testing & Documentation: ₳9,000
Hardware-software integration testing: ₳4,000
End-to-end system testing: ₳2,500
API documentation and developer guides: ₳2,500
Note: Plugged.in platform already exists. Catalyst funds ONLY new edge agent firmware and Cardano integration.
3. Deployment & Installation: ₳14,000 (14%)
Site preparation (electrical, network, mounting): ₳5,000
Installation labor (2 sites): ₳4,000
Travel & logistics to Turkey: ₳3,500
Field testing and operator training: ₳1,500
4. Partnership & Coordination: ₳5,000 (5%)
Biotek manufacturing oversight and QC: ₳2,500
Legal agreements and greenhouse site liaison: ₳2,500
5. Project Management & Community: ₳5,000 (5%)
Milestone coordination and Catalyst reporting: ₳2,500
Community engagement (Town Halls, Discord): ₳2,500
6. Contingency Reserve: ₳3,000 (3%)
Buffer for unexpected issues
How does the cost of the project represent value for the Cardano ecosystem?
We're asking for ₳100,000 but we're not starting from zero. Plugged.in already exists, already has 900+ users, and we've already spent 8 months building it. That's roughly ₳250,000 of our own money. Biotek is giving us manufacturing at cost and access to their greenhouse facilities. So realistically, Catalyst is funding maybe 20-25% of the total project cost.
The hardware budget is ₳10,000. That sounds low for an IoT project, and it is, but Biotek makes that possible. Without them we'd be looking at ₳40,000+ just for sensors and edge devices.
Why This is Strong Value for Money
Catalyst is funding only ~20% of a project whose real cost exceeds ₳400k.
Plugged.in already invested ~₳250k.
Biotek subsidizes hardware and provides two greenhouse sites at zero cost.
In return, Cardano receives:
A real-world autonomous AI deployment
1000+ verifiable on-chain governance events
Open-source PAP protocol for all industries
Permanent physical proof of Cardano's suitability for IoT
What does Cardano get? Two working greenhouses with AI agents making autonomous decisions and logging them on-chain. Not a whitepaper, not a demo video, actual physical sites you could walk into. We're targeting 1,000+ transactions during the project period. That's real on-chain activity from real agricultural operations.
Here's why this only works on Cardano: 100 daily transactions for a year costs about ₳6,200 here. On Ethereum that's $36,500. The math just doesn't work anywhere else.
After Catalyst ends, we sell hardware kits and charge monthly subscriptions. Nothing complicated. We think we can break even around month 18 if we get 10 paying greenhouses. Maybe that's optimistic, maybe not, but it's a plan that doesn't require another Catalyst grant to survive.
AgrotCardano got ₳75,000 for software-only supply chain work. DigiFarm got ₳120,000. We're asking ₳100,000 for software plus actual hardware in actual greenhouses. Seems reasonable to us.
I confirm that evidence of prior research, whitepaper, design, or proof-of-concept is provided.
Yes
I confirm that the proposal includes ecosystem research and uses the findings to either (a) justify its uniqueness over existing solutions or (b) demonstrate the value of its novel approach.
Yes
I confirm that the proposal demonstrates technical capability via verifiable in-house talent or a confirmed development partner (GitHub, LinkedIn, portfolio, etc.)
Yes
I confirm that the proposer and all team members are in good standing with prior Catalyst projects.
Yes
I confirm that the proposal clearly defines the problem and the value of the on-chain utility.
Yes
I confirm that the primary goal of the proposal is a working prototype deployed on at least a Cardano testnet.
Yes
I confirm that the proposal outlines a credible and clear technical plan and architecture.
Yes
I confirm that the budget and timeline (≤ 12 months) are realistic for the proposed work.
Yes
I confirm that the proposal includes a community engagement and feedback plan to amplify prototype adoption with the Cardano ecosystem.
Yes
I confirm that the budget is for future development only; excludes retroactive funding, incentives, giveaways, re-granting, or sub-treasuries.
Yes
I Agree
Yes
Core Team Members
Project Lead: Cem Karaca
Role: Project architect, strategic lead, and core developer for AI infrastructure
Expertise: Extensive experience in software development, AI integration, and successfully delivering 8 Catalyst projects through Littlefish Foundation
Track Record: github.com/VeriTeknik/pluggedin-app/graphs/contributors
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ckaraca
GitHub: github.com/ckaraca
Responsibilities: Overall project architecture and core development, MCP protocol integration strategy, Smart contract design oversight, Integration with VeriTeknik VPS services, Stakeholder communication and milestone reporting
Lead Blockchain Engineer: Emir Olgun
Role: Lead blockchain engineer focusing on Cardano smart contracts, AI agents, and RAG implementations
Expertise: Expert in Python, TypeScript/JavaScript, Cardano blockchain, smart contract development, and creator of the littlefish-nft-auth-framework (NPM package with 10+ daily downloads)
Track Record: github.com/littlefish-foundation/littlefish-nft-auth-framework/graphs/contributors
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/emir-olgun-404048234
GitHub: github.com/emir-olgun
Responsibilities: Smart contract development using Aiken/Mesh framework, MCP payment tools implementation, SDK development and documentation, Security review coordination
DevOps Engineer: Berk Atalay
Role: Infrastructure architect managing deployment, scaling, and system reliability
Expertise: Cloud infrastructure, CI/CD pipelines, Docker/Kubernetes, and Cardano node operations
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/berk-atalay-gd28
Responsibilities: Cardano node deployment and maintenance, MCP server infrastructure setup, Monitoring and performance optimization, Security implementation and audit coordination
Frontend Developer: Serhat Yıldız
Role: User interface architect for wallet management and AI payment flows
Expertise: Senior developer specializing in React, Next.js, TypeScript, and Web3 integration
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/serhat-yldz
GitHub: github.com/serhat-yildiz
Responsibilities: Wallet setup interface at plugged.in, Payment approval flows and notifications, Dashboard for transaction monitoring, Integration with existing Plugged.in platform
Additional Resources
VeriTeknik B.V. Support: As the parent company, VeriTeknik provides legal and compliance framework, existing VPS infrastructure for MVP, financial management and reporting, and business development connections.
Community Contributors: Our 900+ MCP users and 180+ GitHub stars represent a technical community ready to beta test payment features, contribute to open-source SDK, provide feedback and bug reports, and extend functionality through pull requests.
Team Track Record
This team has successfully delivered 8 Catalyst Projects demonstrating consistent delivery capability with 100% completion rate, Plugged.in Platform with 900+ users in 9 months proving product-market fit, NPM Packages as production tools used by Cardano developers, and maintains active GitHub presence with community engagement and open source contributions.