Grants for Innovation in Privacy Tech
The Zcash Foundation has just spilled the beans on $80,000 worth of grant funding, aimed squarely at innovators and tech whizzes eager to boost the privacy-oriented digital currency Zcash. This isn’t just any old cash giveaway. These funds are earmarked specifically for endeavors in software development, scientific exploration, and community outreach. Yup, you heard that right—time to put those thinking caps on!
A Sneak Peek into Zcash
So, what’s all the hoopla about Zcash? This privacy-driven cryptocurrency isn’t just your run-of-the-mill digital coin. Zcash allows users to make secretive transactions using a cutting-edge cryptography technique known as zk-SNARKs. Sounds fancy, right? Well, it was conceptualized back in 2014 under the name ‘Zerocash’ by researchers from prestigious institutions like Johns Hopkins University and the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. Talk about street cred!
Applying for the Grants: Get Involved!
If you think you have what it takes to grab a piece of that $80,000 pie, here’s what you need to know: potential applicants should head over to GitHub and submit their creative proposals by September 15, 2017. After that, a panel of reviewers—including notable figures like cryptographer Alex Biryukov and Ethereum researcher Vlad Zamfir—will assess the submissions. Get those ideas rolling!
What’s Cooking in the Zcash Kitchen?
While you’re scrambling to write your proposal, know that there’s plenty of exciting stuff happening behind the Zcash curtain. A big-ticket item on the agenda is a software upgrade named Sapling, designed to integrate new innovations into the Zcash protocol. One interesting feature on the drafting board is a payment disclosure mechanism. This would allow transaction information to be securely embedded in the blockchain, visible only to the parties in the know. Sneaky and secure—just how we like it!
Getting Even Bigger?
But wait! There’s more. Zcash is also looking to roll out Cross-Chain Atomic Transactions (XCAT)—a feature that would facilitate seamless inter-blockchain transactions with other big players like Bitcoin and Ethereum. If that’s not ambitious, we don’t know what is! Just recently, Wikileaks even jumped on the bandwagon, announcing they’ll start accepting Zcash for donations. A significant move, indeed!
