The Avail Foundation is founded on the belief that high-trust societies are key to driving progress and ensuring equitable social and economic coordination. By supporting the development of trust-minimized systems, the Foundation aims to empower people worldwide to interact and transact with one another seamlessly and securely.
The emergence of the internet has revolutionized value transfer on a global scale. It has facilitated the creation of a global value network connecting people, businesses and organizations across borders.
The internet enables various mechanisms for value transfer:
- Financial transactions: Online banking, digital wallets, cards and others allow transfer of funds
- E-commerce: Marketplaces connect buyers and sellers globally, facilitating the exchange of goods and services
- Information exchange: Social media, email and messaging platforms enable transfer of knowledge, ideas and communication
- Digital services: Cloud computing, software as a service (SaaS) and online platforms provide value though digital solutions
Despite the internet’s direct connectivity, intermediaries still play too vital a role in coordinating global commerce:
- Trust: Intermediaries establish trust between parties by verifying identities, ensuring compliance and managing risk
- Complexity: Many transactions involve intricate processes that require specialized intermediaries
- Legal and regulatory compliance: Intermediaries navigate legal frameworks, taxation and cross-border regulations
- Conversion: Financial intermediaries convert currencies, enabling seamless cross-border payments
- Security: Intermediaries protect against fraud, cyber threats and unauthorized access
Technology has already radically changed the role of trust in society; today, it is easier than ever to economically and socially interact with people around the world. Tomorrow, blockchains and applied cryptography will enable people everywhere to interact with each other over networks that allow global value transfer, without relying on trusted third parties or intermediaries.
The Avail Foundation’s initial focus is to nurture and grow the ecosystem surrounding the Avail protocol. By collaborating with diverse stakeholders and partners across the industry, the Foundation aims to create global-scale infrastructure that enables trust-minimized systems to flourish. This collaborative approach ensures that the benefits of the Avail protocol are accessible to the widest possible community of users and developers.
The Avail Foundation will be established in Switzerland, following the precedent set by other well-respected blockchain foundations. Switzerland offers a favorable legal framework and environment for non-profit organizations, with a long history of hosting international foundations focused on public goods and social impact, such as the Ethereum Foundation. By setting up the Foundation in Switzerland, we ensure the Avail Foundation operates within a robust legal system that holds the Foundation legally accountable to its stated mission and maintains its non-profit status, transparency, governance, and compliance with international standards.
Avail will transition all IP related to the Avail protocol, including Avail DA, Avail Nexus, Avail Fusion and others, to the Avail Foundation over time.
Primary initiatives for the Avail Foundation will include:
Grants, Development, and Research
- Allocate funds for research and development initiatives led by third parties that advance the growth and development of the Avail ecosystem.
- Provide grants to projects building infrastructure, tools, applications, interoperability solutions, and dApps that enhance the Avail ecosystem and showcase its benefits.
- Establish a bug bounty program to ensure the security and reliability of Avail products.
- Fund academic research projects exploring novel approaches to blockchain unification. This includes research in scalability, interoperability, and data availability.
- Collaborate with research institutions, industry partners, and other blockchain foundations to conduct studies, co-fund projects, and contribute to the broader blockchain research community.
Education, Adoption, and Community Engagement
- Fund those developing comprehensive educational resources, such as tutorials, guides, and online courses, to help developers and users understand and integrate Avail into their projects.
- Host workshops, webinars, conferences, hackathons, and coding competitions to share knowledge, encourage innovative solutions, and foster a vibrant developer community around Avail.
- Create a community ambassador program and offer scholarships and grants to students and researchers to empower enthusiasts and spread awareness about Avail in their local communities and educational institutions.
- Provide mentorship, advisory support, and access to a network of experts to help grant recipients and developers succeed in building on Avail.
- Organize research symposiums and conferences to bring together academics, researchers, and industry experts to discuss the latest developments and challenges in blockchain scalability and interoperability.
By offering these initiatives, the Avail Foundation can demonstrate its commitment to supporting the wider community, fostering innovation, and driving the adoption of unification technology. These efforts aim to help establish Avail as a leader in blockchain scalability and interoperability while ensuring that the benefits of the ecosystem are accessible to all.
Initial Foundation Council Members
Anurag Arjun (Co-Founder, Avail)
Anurag Arjun is a seasoned entrepreneur and co-founder of Avail, with a proven track record of success across various industries including cash flow lending and regulatory tech. Since 2017, Anurag has been a key figure in the blockchain space, co-founding Matic Network (now Polygon Labs) and spearheading the development of Avail in 2020. His unique blend of expertise in research, economics, and engineering has been instrumental in creating innovative blockchain solutions. In 2023, Anurag led Avail's spin-off from Polygon, focusing on empowering rollup and application blockchain communities with a highly scalable, modular blockchain stack. Anurag's vision and commitment to modular blockchain technology continue to drive Avail's growth and impact in the rapidly evolving blockchain ecosystem.
Prabal Banerjee (Co-Founder, Avail)
Prabal Banerjee is the co-founder of Avail and a distinguished researcher and technical leader in the blockchain industry. With a background in cryptography dating back to 2013, Prabal has been at the forefront of blockchain technology since 2016. He played a pivotal role in the creation of Avail in 2020 and continues to lead a team of researchers exploring cutting-edge developments in cryptography and blockchain technology.
Andreas Traum
Andreas Traum is an experienced consulting partner specializing in the capital markets industry within PWC Deutschland's Financial Services Advisory division. His expertise extends to on-site and multi-site global delivery excellence, ensuring that clients receive top-notch service and results across diverse locations. Andreas is passionate about fostering growth and innovation in the digital assets ecosystem, particularly in cryptocurrencies, digital tokens, and crypto custody.
Richard Harker
Richard Harker is an accomplished Client Services professional with a strong background in the financial services industry. Currently serving as the Head of Client Services at Centralis Group, Richard brings a wealth of experience and expertise to his role. Throughout his career, Richard has demonstrated a keen understanding of client needs and a commitment to delivering exceptional service. His skills encompass a wide range of areas, including tax preparation, customer relationship management (CRM), year-end close processes, treasury operations, and financial accounting.
As the Avail Foundation begins its mission to support the growth and development of the Avail ecosystem, we invite the community to stay informed about our upcoming initiatives. In the near future, the Foundation will share more details about our grant programs, educational resources, and community events. Developers, researchers, and enthusiasts interested in contributing to or learning more about Avail are encouraged to visit our website at availproject.org and follow us on Twitter for the latest updates and opportunities to get involved. Together, we can work towards a future where trust-minimized systems enable seamless, secure interactions on a global scale.
