As we explore the Mina ecosystem, we will present an overview of its necessity and its role. Furthermore, we will examine the zkApps within the ecosystem, the tools available for developing these applications, and the grants that Mina offers to support builders and developers.
Introduction
In our digital world we have a lot of our personal data scattered across different platforms, ones we actively use and others we probably forgot about. This fragmentation coupled with data silos and the spread of misinformation that plague the internet, poses a challenge to managing and handling our digital identities, which is compounded by the rise of AI and deepfakes.
Blockchain technology has brought on a new era of decentralized digital identity management. While Web2, with its centralized model, allows for multiple online personas is still vulnerable to data breaches.
Web3 offers decentralized solutions but still faces challenges in regulation and privacy. Zero-knowledge proofs, when combined with decentralized identifiers enable secure and private identity verification without revealing personal information.
Mina
Mina is a ZK blockchain with a 22KB size, enabling "proof of everything" through infinitely recursive proofs. It overcomes the limitations of traditional blockchains, which often rely on public-private key pairs and on-chain data storage. By providing a collaborative, reusable "proof of everything," Mina addresses these limitations. While the security and efficiency of these systems are improving every day, the transparency of distributed ledgers raises privacy concerns. This transparency hinders mainstream adoption by corporations and their users, who are hesitant to migrate to Web3. We also need to consider building privacy into blockchain is complex and has many regulatory concerns.
Mina, with its innovative ZKP approach, is addressing the gap between Web2 and Web3. ZKPs enable users to control their identity while providing necessary information without revealing sensitive data.
Mina’s Core Tools
o1Labs, pioneers in blockchain innovation, specializing in zero knowledge are the team behind groundbreaking technologies such as Mina Protocol and o1js. Since 2017 they have been at the forefront of designing Mina's protocol and tools that power zkApps. For a deeper dive into their roadmap, visit their website here
The tools are:
* o1js (formerly Snarkyjs)— a TypeScript library for zk-SNARKs and zkApps
* Kimchi — a modular, general-purpose, PLONK-inspired zero-knowledge-proof system.
zkOracles
o1Labs is also working on developing a new type of blockchain oracle called zkOracles. Blockchain oracles are a class of technology that knows all things from the real world and brings that information to the blockchain.
Another way to expatiate on oracles is, that we generally have all our data on web2, Oracles serve as an interface to access that web2 data and bring it on-chain.
The amazing thing about zkOracles is a unique two-step execution model, that at first proves off-chain that some computation has been performed, then it is packed up into a small proof which is verified on-chain. The off-chain computation is unique in that it can be run locally without paying any costs, allowing for the ability to perform really sophisticated and exciting operations off-chain
As we explore further, let's dive into the products currently in the ecosystem. From infrastructure and tooling for developers to wallets and in-browser zkApps, we'll select one representative product from each category. This also shows how the numerous ways Mina can be integrated.
Digital ID
zkHumans: A ZK-powered protocol decentralized protocol for secure and private programmable identity with cross-organizational utility using Zero-Knowledge Proofs and Crypto-Biometrics.
While crypto-biometrics are a first-class feature, they aren’t a hard requirement. Biometrics facilitate proof of unique and living humans (sybil-resistance). zkHumans supports a multitude of authentication factors to attest to identity ownership, including biometrics, from a multitude of sources or providers. To explore this application further, you can visit their website or their repository and whitepaperDEX
Lumina: A zero-knowledge, KYC-enabled, enterprise-ready DEX on Mina.
It shines a new light on decentralized finance, inspired by permissioned venues for trading large asset blocks while maintaining privacy, compliance, and auditability. To explore this application further, you can visit their website and whitepaper, they also have a blog where they discuss about LuminaExplorer
Mina Explorer: A Mina explorer with charts and analytics on expected protocol returns, locked/circulating supply, current transaction fees, pending transactions, and much more. you can visit the website to see how it works.Gaming
CTF - Capture the flag: A competition where teams or individuals have to solve several challenges by building zkApps on Mina. The one that solves/collects the most flags the fastest wins the competition. Once each challenge has been solved successfully, the user will find a “flag” within the challenge that is proof of completion. To explore and play the game you can visit their website and you can visit the repository to see how it works.Governance
On-chain Funding platform for builders and investors: They provide funding workflows (investments, grants, accelerators) on-chain for better transparency and lower risks for both investors and builders. Utilizing ZKPs and the privacy-preserving Mina blockchain, this innovative solution protects investors’ privacy while allowing them to engage in the funding and decision-making processes. They encourage open and transparent interactions with new standards of transparency and security, such as DAO and milestone-based vesting.
To explore further, you can visit website and their repositoryInfrastructure
=nil; Foundation Bridge: An In-EVM Mina Protocol state verification that enables every state transition, every transaction made within Mina state to be proved on Ethereum directly, in a completely trustless way.
Such a full state verification, thanks to fixed Mina Protocol state proof size (~22Kb), allows to bring provable computations of various complexity made possible by Mina to Ethereum (aka bridge) without any requirements for intermediate relays.
To explore and demo how it works, you can visit their websiteNFTs
CPoNE (pronounced see-poh-nee): This is a method for achieving this verification by deploying a zkApp on the Mina blockchain. This app generates proof of the endorsement’s authenticity and then bridges it to Ethereum, where the NFT is minted. In this method, they use X(formerly Twitter) as an “identity provider” since it is a widely used and popular service. To explore how it works, can visit the repositoryOracles
zkNotary: A zkOracle for Mina powered by TLSNotary. zkNotary addresses the challenge of proving data originating from TLS-secured APIs. By utilizing a two-party computation (2PC), it divides TLS session keys so anyone can create cryptographic proofs of authenticity that prove that data accessed via TLS genuinely originated from a specific REST API. This is a powerful cryptographic primitive that will enable more ZK applications.Privacy
AdMeta: This helps Web3 projects acquire users and promote their products in a decentralized way. In AdMeta users own, control and profit from their data. The data used for ad matching is fully authorized by the user and is processed in a privacy-protected manner.AdMeta also enables Web3 content creators, and Metaverse landholders to monetize their content and land in a simple and decentralized way. To explore more you can visit their website and go through their repository to understand how it works.Tooling
zkApp.store: A zkApp marketplace for Mina Protocol that provides a platform where developers can submit, manage, and showcase their zkApps, and users can easily discover, use, and rate the zkApp ecosystem. To discover more zkApps you can visit their websiteWallets
Clor.io: A Mina Protocol wallet to store, send, receive, and stake Mina Protocol tokens from desktop, browser, and hardware wallets. To download and use the wallets you can visit their website and explore their repository to see how it works.zkRollups
Zeko: A Layer 2 ZK Rollup ecosystem specifically designed for zero-knowledge applications (zkApps), settled by Mina Protocol, the ultimate L1 for processing ZKPs. Its purpose is to bring higher throughput and ultra-fast transaction confirmation times, a modular stack for building custom ZK Rollups, and an L2 interoperability layer for zkApps. To explore you can visit their website and check out their repository to understand how it works.
Now we have taken a look at projects that actively use Mina, let's explore the grants Mina is providing to developers and builders.
Ecosystem Grants
In the rapidly expanding landscape of blockchain technology, zero-knowledge proofs have emerged as a powerful new primitive. Developers seeking to explore zero-knowledge's unique scalability and privacy properties actively choose Mina for its lightweight recursive design and intuitive developer experience. This has brought the need for Mina to design grant programs designed to empower developers and entrepreneurs to learn and build their ideas on the Mina Protocol.
These grants are split into these options
- Navigator Grants Navigators is an ongoing developer program for builders to accelerate their ZK projects to production on Mina Protocol.
This grant program is designed for teams that are in the early to mid lifecycle of their project. The Navigators grant program provides support via growth or starter grants.
The goal is to fund at least 100 projects that enhance the Mina ecosystem this year.
- Identify & onboard skilled teams swiftly & enable them to start building.
- Accelerate the deployment of applications/tooling into production.
Grants are continuously awarded to skilled developers and teams based on written project proposals. The allocation of funding is determined by a Navigators Exploration Team (NExT) composed of members from Mina Foundation, o1Labs, and Mina ecosystem builders.
There are two tracks for grants:
a. Starter: Suited for teams that are new to the Mina ecosystem. Teams will be awarded up to 15,000 MINA to build a project over one month. This is an invite-only program and currently not accepting applications.
b. Growth: Suited for experienced teams in the web3/Mina ecosystem. Teams will be awarded up to 100,000 MINA to build a project that enriches the Mina ecosystem and pushes it forward, be it tooling, infrastructure, or a zkApp over 1-3 Months.
Both tracks are milestone-based and teams will need to submit a proposal that outlines at least one mid-point milestone and the final deliverable(s) in detail. The grants program is open to both solo developers and teams alike. It is open for application on a rolling basis throughout this year. You can apply for support to build existing projects or propose new projects.
For more information, see the pages for each respective track.
- zkIgnite Grants zkIgnite is a cohort-based, community-governed innovation fund for experienced ZK builders and entrepreneurs in the Mina ecosystem. This program is designed to support developers with key resources and grants to turn their ideas and passion projects into full-fledged businesses. The allocation of funding is determined by a team of electors from the Mina community.
So far, zkIgnite has financed 80 ZK applications and developer tools that are expanding the possibilities within the Mina Protocol, via Cohort 1, Cohort 2, and Cohort 3.
You can get involved in one of the two available tracks
a. zkApp Product: In this track, developers are to build consumer applications leveraging zero-knowledge proofs to solve real-world problems. Both teams and individual contributors are welcome, with teams encouraged to have at least 1-2 technical developers.
b. Developer Tooling and Infrastructure: In this track developers create tools that make it easier to build on Mina Protocol, enhancing efficiency for fellow developers.
For more information, see this link
- Core Grants Core is a grant program that funds public goods and addresses current infrastructure needs on Mina Protocol through an RFP (Request for Proposals) process. These grants are allocated on a rolling basis and are specific in scope. They focus on supporting high-priority development areas, including token standards, zkOracles, Data Availability layers, new development features, and more.
There are two types of Core grant tracks
a. Ecosystem Advancement: Here, the focus is on proposals originating from RFCs, covering specific scopes and deliverables.
b. Public Goods: This aims to support new developments, maintenance, or enhancement of Mina Protocol.
To explore this grant further, you can go to this link
Foundation program
The Mina Foundation, a non-profit, supports the Mina Protocol and its ecosystem by working with ecosystem partners to support network health and security, administering grant programs to community members who make significant contributions, fostering community growth, and enhancing the vibrancy of the Mina ecosystem.
The Mina Foundation Delegation Program delegates voting power associated with tokens held by the Mina Foundation to a group of third-party block producers in Mina Foundation's commitment to decentralization. Block producers are objectively and transparently chosen based on their uptime performance. For more details on how to get started, you can visit the website
With a major upgrade of Mina Protocol coming soon, plus bridges and other critical tooling in progress, now is the time to start building. Mina’s TypeScript framework for zkApps makes it easy and provides unique recursion properties that make your smart contracts composable and efficient.
Conclusion
This glimpse into the Mina ecosystem only scratched the surface. Dive deeper into Mina by exploring their resources and official channels:
Website: link here
Youtube: link here
Telegram: link here
Discord: link here
X(formerly Twitter): link here
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