We are thrilled to unveil the beneficiaries of the 1st Open Call round of the NGI Sargasso program, with each innovative project receiving a grant of 100,000 Euros for a nine-month journey starting in October to revolutionize the next generation of the internet and collaborate with U.S. or Canadian partners, tapping into extensive resources and funding to bring their visionary projects to life.

Meet the innovative projects embarking on a journey to transform the next generation of the internet.

GENERAL OPEN CALL

  1. APSIDE

Locations: Luxembourg, USA

Partners: Compellio SA, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

APSIDE aims to enhance interoperability among blockchains by creating a universal “asset profile” standard. This endeavor aligns with the Internet Engineering Task Force’s Secure Asset Transfer Protocol, fostering seamless asset transitions and ensuring technology-neutrality across decentralized ecosystems. This collaborative effort between Compellio and MIT is geared towards international standardization, ensuring smooth and efficient asset profiling and interoperability across the blockchain ecosystem.

  1. DDIP: Decentralized Digital Identity Profile

Locations: Netherlands, Canada

Partners: Sphereon International B.V., Northern Block, Inc.

DDIP is set to streamline the integration of cross-border Verifiable Credentials by tackling significant challenges of interoperability. The project focuses on the promotion and creation of open-source specifications compatible with EUIDW ARF. The ultimate goal of DDIP is to establish a universally adopted automated conformance test suite and a digital platform for documentation, thus catalyzing global consensus on decentralized digital credential mechanisms.

  1. EvORAN

Locations: Poland, USA

Partners: Warsaw University of Technology, University of Maryland

EvORAN is dedicated to enhancing the security assurance of O-RAN networks, establishing a benchmark of trust for multi-provider O-RAN gear. The project will develop open-source tools for O-RAN product assessment and software ensuring test repeatability. The outcomes of the EvORAN project will significantly contribute to the security assurance and trustworthiness of 5G/6G networks in the O-RAN landscape.

  1. SBAS: A Secure Underlay for the Internet

Locations: Germany, USA

Partners: Otto-von-Guericke Universitaet Magdeburg, University of Virginia

The SBAS project is tackling the underdeployment of modern secure Internet routing solutions. It aims to provide a secure routing pathway for users, minimizing the Internet’s carbon footprint and enhancing data security and privacy. The deployment and evaluation of SBAS across the operational SCION network will offer advancements in security and efficiency for internet routing.

  1. SNDS: Secure Named Data Sharing

Locations: Greece, USA

Partners: Athens University of Economics and Business, The University of Memphis

SNDS is set to revolutionize Named-Data Networking (NDN) by introducing tailored extensions for enhanced data sharing and security. The project aims to transition from NDN’s existing system, emphasizing content identification, security, and verifiable credentials, leading to a global CDN-inspired infrastructure utilizing NDN.

DIGITAL CREDENTIALS CALL

We are delighted to present the three esteemed winners of the NGI Sargasso Digital Credentials Call, set to commence their pioneering projects in October.

  1. D3ICA (France, Canada) – “Democratizing Decentralized Digital Identity through Cloud agents” by Kallistech SAS, this initiative takes on the challenge of making digital credentials more inclusive and user-friendly. It presents an innovative concept of cloud agents, ensuring enhanced privacy, security, and interoperability while simplifying digital credentials management. D3ICA is committed to offering a more inclusive, easy-to-use solution that provides greater functionality, such as delegation and advanced rule setting, without compromising the principles of decentralized digital identity.
  2. EBSI-CAN (Malta, Canada) – Led by The Commonwealth Centre for Connected Learning Foundation, EBSI-CAN embarks on exploring the potential use of the European Blockchain Services Infrastructure (EBSI) in the Canadian educational credentialing context. The initiative promises enhanced control over personal data for Canadian citizens and a stronger emphasis on user-centric credentials and identity. It aims to advance cross-border recognition of digital identities, ensuring compatibility, reliability, and seamless international qualification recognition by employing blockchain-based solutions.
  3. INTEROP4DID (Austria, Canada) – Implemented by walt.id GmbH, INTEROP4DID focuses on creating an interoperable decentralized identity and wallet infrastructure. It commits to expanding open-source tools, conducting interoperability testing with Canadian digital solutions, and aligning on standards and governance structures. This approach promises to bolster various identity use cases across the EU and Canadian landscapes, ensuring alignment and support for their relevant ID technologies.

Each of these projects reflects the NGI Initiative’s commitment to fostering a human-centric Next Generation Internet, focusing on interoperability, standardization, and innovation.

Congratulations to all beneficiaries, and we look forward to witnessing your impact on shaping the future of the internet!