Founders of Valar Solutions Part of Winning Hackathon Team
Paris (1 November 2024) — The founders of Valar Solutions GmbH participated in the Algorand France Regional Hackathon, where their team won in the decentralized identity (DID) track. Congratulations to the Certify team — Surabhi, Jalish, Uroš, and Alex — for their innovative work! A round of appreciation as well for all other teams and to the Algorand Foundation for organizing three simultaneous hackathons on three continents — Europe (France), Africa (Nigeria), and Asia (Vietnam).
Certify: A Vision for Transparent and Accessible Node Certification
Certify explores a new approach to blockchain node certification and testing, aiming to make the process more accessible, transparent, and efficient. Traditionally, certification can be complex and expensive, often posing challenges for smaller node runners and making it difficult for clients to compare certifications across different auditing firms and standards. Certify proposes a solution that could simplify this, potentially reducing costs and streamlining verification.
On-Chain Certification
At its core, Certify employs a system where on-chain certification allows audit firms to issue certificates directly on the blockchain. The solution could improve transparency and enable clients to verify and compare standardized certification data in one place, yet accessible from anywhere on the planet — on the Algorand blockchain.
Affordable Stress Tests
Beyond traditional certification, Certify introduces the concept of affordable stress test evaluations. Through temporary stake allocation, node runners can participate in consensus, and have their performance results stored on-chain as proof of performance. The concept has the potential to lower infrastructure testing costs and to speed up the testing process from starting up a node to having a proof of its performance.
Try it Out
By focusing on transparency, efficiency, and affordability, Certify aims to create a more inclusive and reliable certification ecosystem with the potential to remove cost barriers and enhance trust in blockchain networks. You can try out Certify at https://certify.valar.solutions
Implications for the Valar Peer-to-Peer Staking Platform
Certify could provide new node runners on the Valar Peer-to-Peer Staking Platform with a way to demonstrate their node running capabilities from day one. By leveraging on-chain certification and stress test evaluations, new node runners would be able to build credibility with delegators more easily. Additionally, Certify could inspire node runners on Algorand and other blockchains to optimize their operations and provide even more robust infrastructure for on-chain solutions that pave the way to a more prosperous tomorrow.
About the Algorand Regional Hackathons
This year, Algorand’s Regional Hackathons brought innovation to the local level, with developers and entrepreneurs from Vietnam, France, Nigeria, and the neighbouring countries tackling blockchain challenges specific to their markets. Over two months, participants received comprehensive technical and business training, working with regional partners — GFI in Vietnam, 42 in France, and the Taraba Government of Nigeria — to refine their projects. Each region focused on distinct blockchain use cases, from infrastructure and decentralized identity to payments and supply chain solutions. The hackathons not only fostered new ideas but also strengthened local blockchain ecosystems, highlighting the diverse and impactful applications of Algorand technology. Read more about the hackathons and the final results at https://algorand.co/blog/local-solutions-global-impact-the-winners-of-algorands-regional-hackathons
