Manta Network, a privacy protocol for Web3, has been named as the architect to lead the Zero-Knowledge Challenge supported by 750K allocated by the Polkadot Pioneers Prize. This challenge is designed to advance the development and adoption of zero-knowledge (ZK) technology across the Polkadot blockchain network.
This part of the ZPrize initiative involves the use private funds to support the advancement of the zero-knowledge proofs increasingly viewed as vital for extending the Polkadot blockchain’s capabilities to support numerous mainstream applications. Already, Manta Network is sponsoring ZPrize’s “Open Division” competition with other Polkadot ecosystem participants to maximize throughput and minimize the latency of these ZK operations.
In its role as the lead architect of the “Zero-Knowledge Challenge” competition, Manta Network will focus on working out multi-scalar multiplication (MSM) and number-theoretic transforms (NTT), which together form the foundation for ZK computations. This competition (and the award) will target maximum efficiency for these operations on client-type devices and blockchain-based VMs, specifically WebAssembly (WASM).
Shoumo Chu, a Manta Network Co-founder and Core Contributor, explains:
“We are aiming to solve the ‘last mile problem’ for mass ZKP adoption, in order to further massive ZKP and privacy adoption. This will enable a better, faster and more seamless user experience and allow the community to build out more easily integrated use cases.”
As a plug-and-play privacy protocol, Manta Network has positioned itself as an end-to-end privacy solution for the Polkadot ecosystem by deploying advanced cryptographic solutions, including zkSNARK and Groth16 zero-knowledge proofs. By joining with other zero-knowledge companies alongside its role in architecting and sponsoring the ZPrize competition, Manta aims to accelerate ZK technology development to drive scalability and privacy across the Polkadot network and implementations across the broader blockchain ecosystem.
Advancing ZK Technology
Earlier this year, Polkadot had launched the Polkadot Pioneers Prize – an incentive program addressing the critical challenges across the Polkadot ecosystem. Featuring a diverse range of challenges across different categories, the Polkadot Pioneers Prize is designed to attract and support the best talents to develop the Polkadot infrastructure further.
The Polkadot Pioneers Prize is designed to provide the necessary financial support to two distinct categories of innovation: advancements in zero-knowledge technology and further development of the Polkadot infrastructure. As part of this initiative, Polkadot has allocated 993286.08 DOT (roughly $20 million) for the first two categories of the program: zero-knowledge research and Polkadot infrastructure improvement, details of which will be revealed later this year.
To that extent, Polkadot-based privacy protocol Manta Network had earlier announced its participation in a consortium of zero-knowledge technology companies, funds, and foundations sponsoring the ZPrize category, which features awards worth over $7 million.
The ZPrize competition is shaped similarly to XPrize and other contests that leverage private funds to spark technological progress in multiple areas for various applications. It is a joint project including more than 32 partners and sponsors from the blockchain ecosystem, including 0xPARC, Aleo, The Algorand Foundation, Polkadot Pioneers Prize, Polygon, Zero Knowledge Validator, Ethereum Foundation, and many others.
