The NGI TrustChain initiative by the European Commission has allocated an additional €1.8 million in grants to top European startups aiming to tackle online misinformation and false identities using blockchain technology.
The EC project revealed the 15 newest recipients of these 'democracy grants,' each receiving up to €117k. These startups, selected from 162 applicants, hail from ten different European countries. This marks the third cohort of the NGI TrustChain Project, addressing critical issues exacerbated by political, social, and military conflicts spilling into the online realm. So far, NGI TrustChain has distributed over €4.6 million to 43 companies.
Yuting Jiang, CEO of ZKorum, a grant recipient, emphasized their collaboration with TrustChain to foster inclusive online discussions and enhance their identity verification platform.
Dr. Muttukrishnan Rajarajan from City, University of London, highlighted the urgency of combating misinformation and online harm, especially with many national elections happening this year. TrustChain startups are leveraging blockchain, identity, privacy, and decentralized technologies to restore public confidence in online activities.
F6S, a prominent community for blockchain founders, is a key consortium member supporting NGI TrustChain. Sean Kane, co-founder of F6S, noted the pervasive issue of fake information and expressed optimism that these grants will empower new European startups to promote trusted discussions in digital public spaces.
The newest recipients of the Trustchain startup grants are:
ZKorum (France): Creates open-source tools to humanize and reduce polarization in online social spaces, fostering inclusivity and democracy.
AI-MetaBloQ (Greece): Develops IT solutions for the life sciences sector, integrating and managing sector-wide data and providing valuable services.
Compellio (Luxembourg): Supplies global infrastructure components to connect Web2 and Web3 computing for both public and private entities.
Forkbomb BV (Netherlands): Offers cryptography, identity, and blockchain interoperability solutions to make cryptography accessible to everyone.
ENISMARO (Italy): Delivers a comprehensive solution to track and trace food production, ensuring transparency by sharing product information with all stakeholders and consumers.
Arsys Internet (Spain): Develops a data aggregation platform to encourage data sharing and create high-quality datasets.
Acurraent UG (Germany): Assists small and medium-sized enterprises in restructuring, digitizing, and expanding, with a focus on UX/UI and Web3 research.
In Trade 4 You (Italy): Eases access to international trade for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises.
QX by Qpick (Poland): Enhances customer experiences and loyalty for brands, retailers, and smart cities globally with a blockchain-based travel wallet and digital ID.
Digital Democracy World (Sweden): A non-profit organization dedicated to supporting and promoting effective democratic organization at all levels and types of organizations.
Pavlos Efraimidis (Greece): Developing FLORA, an innovative ovulation tracking app using Federated Learning to enhance transparency and user privacy.
City and Me doo Nis (Serbia): Provides digital support for creating interactive and sustainable communities.
Gheorghe Asachi Tech, University Iasi (Romania): Offers a reliable open-source platform for developing ideas, projects, and business plans.
SecureOpinion (United Kingdom): Uses decentralized blockchain systems to create a secure, privacy-preserving solution for sharing public opinions on social media, boosting trust and transparency.
Neuron AI (Greece): Develops and delivers AI solutions for the EU and global markets.
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