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Bono Network Grant application #2423
Bono Network Grant application #2423
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Purpose of Cross-Chain Compatibility
The goal of cross-chain compatibility is to make Bono smooth and user-friendly, especially for those who may not be well-versed in crypto. While using bridges or managing different wallets might be straightforward for us, the end user needs a seamless experience—something “grandma-proof.” Blockchain is simply a tool here, and our focus is on accessibility where traditional payment methods are unavailable. For instance, in countries like Macedonia or Iran, where Visa, MasterCard, or PayPal are not accessible, payments can only be reliably made via crypto or cash. Likewise, in these jurisdictions, victims should be able to submit or pay for cases using local fiat (via High Table members) or any form of crypto. To facilitate this, we would use account abstraction to handle all user transactions efficiently, bridging funds securely to Polkadot or other networks as needed to initiate the legal process on behalf of the user.
Decentralized Governance in Bono
While decentralized governance might not be an immediate focus, it’s critical to establish a foundation for it now. The Bono token will enable High Table members to participate in network governance, including decisions on point systems that prioritize cases. By balancing input between law firms and end users, we can create a system that prioritizes cases fairly, ensuring a true middle ground is reached that benefits all parties involved.
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Can you please clarify which parts of this are part of the grant, and which are future work? For example, I don't see a delivery or spec for the ZK module.
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There are various ZK modules that we can incorporate either currently or later in the MVP. For example there are ways to scan passports in a zero-knowledge way. this can be tested both on the user-facing side or for the hightable side. this also depends if we decide to use third-party solutions or build everything from scratch. I believe Bono and the W3F can reach a solution in terms of a middle ground. The MVP doesn't need to be a full implementation of our vision but at the same time, we shouldn't create a one-off solution that fails to scale.
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Please specify here who will be the beneficiary of the grant. If you don't have a legal entity, all beneficiaries need to individually perform KYC. Please list their names here. No need for an address in that case.
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We just finished the paperwork for our Delaware C corp, a foundation in either UAE or Switzerland will also be incorporated but that will take some time. by next week when incorporation is finished, I will update this section.
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I don't see any legal experts on your team. Can you elaborate how you established that the ideas you are implementing are (a) a good idea from a legal expert's perspective and (b) attractive enough for legal experts to encourage their collaboration in it? Also, it seems to me that vetting and keeping engaged a "consortium of elite legal firms and professionals from around the globe" would perpetually cost an immense amount of money. How would you fund this?
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I have spent over $20,000 simply on consultation fees. A senior lawyer will soon join Bono from the side of the entity that gave us our first check. and the entity in charge of corporate structuring is legal nodes.
A) As for if it is a good idea, I think we can't answer that if we don't test it first, nothing similar has been done before as far as I have researched so there is no ground for comparison.
B) That is where the bono token comes in. By becoming a member of the network the firms will have access to cases put on the platform, a set of tools provided to them by the network and staking rewards, the cases will be funded by the people who fund them and want to see justice achieved. the price of cases will be set by the firms. bono will mediate this transaction and funnel the funds to relevant firms. in the future, there will be an auction system that will hopefully strike a balance between pushing the price down and delivering quality.
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Please provide access to these. You can use my Github handle or email (sebastian at web3.foundation).
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Where can I learn more about this pilot case?
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Our new website will launch soon that details the pilot program. (hopefully less than 2 weeks). The details of the cases will be separately emailed to the foundation. the cases cannot be made public now due to legal and strategic reasons.
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Given that humans have so far solved every multijurisdictional case without blockchain and AI, this seems like a mad claim. Can you elaborate how you came to this conclusion?
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Thank you for your perspective. I understand that cases have been managed across jurisdictions in the past, but it’s crucial to recognize the unique obstacles present in certain regions. I encourage you to consider what it would entail to pursue legal action in places like Turkey, India, Iran, or Macedonia. In these areas, there are numerous barriers: finding a reliable lawyer or law firm without falling victim to scams, negotiating fair pricing, overcoming language barriers, and ensuring secure payment methods. This becomes exponentially more complex if the defendant operates across multiple countries, as it demands coordinated communication between law firms and timely, cross-border action. By the time these logistics are resolved, many months can pass—often allowing the opposing party to evade accountability.
For instance, imagine a global fraud case where the victims span various countries but the defendants operate out of Turkey and Iran, using shell companies in Dubai and funds routed through accounts in the Caymans. Pursuing this case under conventional methods would require the victims to individually navigate the legal systems in each country, find trustworthy legal representation, coordinate between multiple law firms, and manage secure payments across borders. Without a unified framework like Bono, there’s simply no accessible way for individuals to reliably engage and manage these processes.
Bono’s solution is designed to address precisely these issues. By providing a secure, decentralized infrastructure, Bono can enable victims to collectively file claims, engage vetted law firms across jurisdictions, and coordinate actions through a single platform. Our infrastructure would streamline payments through crypto options or local currency proxies, remove the language barrier, and create a transparent process where victims can monitor the case's progress in real time.
It’s worth considering that survivorship bias can lead to overlooking the challenges that make justice inaccessible for many worldwide. I’d recommend this article on survivorship bias, as it highlights how we sometimes misinterpret what’s “functional” simply because certain cases succeed while many others, silently, do not. Bono aims to bridge that gap and provide a reliable, accessible path to justice in cases where traditional systems fall short.
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The milestones have 2 and 1.5 FTEs, how do you get to 3 here?
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This is likely a typo from when I was adjusting the first draft. nonetheless, any number that I put here will be a rough estimation at best simply due to the unpredictable nature and legal side of this project and how much we want to commit to the MVP. for example do we want to legally bind the smart contracts? is it going to be a one-time thing? or are we going to lay the groundwork for legally binding smart contracts in all the pilot countries? these decisions will be taken hand in hand with the Polka Dot Foundation until we reach an agreement on the scope of this grant. I studied the documents provided by the w3f and it was noted that the foundation provides leniency in terms of timing as long as reasonable progress is being made.
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Thanks @Thisisily yes I can confirm that we do have a grace period, and it's true that we aren't super strict with timelines. That being said, we also can't have an open-ended grant with no deadline, mainly for budgeting purposes. I would suggest giving your best estimate now, and it can always be extended down the line with an amendment. I will say though, that I am not familiar with any Polka Dot Foundation. Not sure if you are referring to W3F when you say this.
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Not covered by Grants Program. See our guidelines and FAQ.
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this section will be updated
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Partly not covered by Grants Program.
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Not covered by Grants Program.
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This comes out to 18k per person-month, which is well above any rate we have paid in the past. Can you elaborate how you got to this number?
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There are two key issues to address. First, we’re dealing with the same recurring typo, and though this may take longer than expected, I’ll push to resolve it within two months. Second, implementing this system involves multiple layers of complexity. One of the most challenging is the KYC process. As detailed in the documents, Bono operates with two main interfaces: a user-facing side and a High Table side, where lawyers decide which cases to post publicly. For the latter, we need to issue KYC-enabled wallets and LEIs for law firms accessing the platform, ensuring verification is accurate and error-free.
To achieve this, we could use a decentralized KYC provider, like Worldcoin’s ID layer, Concordium's wallet, or similar, which would enable access through a set of whitelisted wallets, allowing firms to access the High Table admin board. This complexity is essential to ensure global functionality, even in restricted regions like Iran, North Korea, Russia, Macedonia, and parts of sub-Saharan Africa. With this system, we aim to establish a baseline for legal accessibility worldwide, similar to how Interpol’s i/24 network operates in difficult jurisdictions.
Regarding costs, the $54,000 allocation includes around $1,500 per law firm for LEIs for the initial 10 firms ( this is absolutely essential in making sure that our permissioned blockchain solution is regulated and works ), the bridging or oracle solution, UI/UX to make it functional. Partnering with a provider like Concordium could lower this, though it may require additional paperwork to accommodate riskier jurisdictions ( or we could postpone these cases, something I don't want). Alternatively, we could postpone this layer, running a simpler MVP for the initial 10 law firms to validate the concept, and implement this comprehensive KYC later with VC funding. However, our primary focus remains on moving closer to our goal of setting a global standard for legal accessibility.
If the foundation is not certain about this, the dedicated budget can be spent by the foundation itself through collaboration with bono to make sure the solution is built and works in due time.
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Our grants program only focuses on the development part, so I would argue that we probably can't fund the procurement of LEIs for 10 firms.
For the KYC solution, have you considered using Deloitte (generated on Kilt identity infrastructure)? There are currently some privacy concerns when it comes to Worldcoin.
Additionally, I understand that a permissioned chain may be the only way to achieve this, but I'm not sure if we are the best avenue for funding it.
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Please note that all deliverables and their spec should be reproducible and verifiable. This is too vague.
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Considering it will still be some time before Plaza is ready for integration, I don't think 1.5 months is a realistic timeframe here. In fact I would suggest to remove this milestone all together for now and focus on a smaller scope of a PoC of the app.
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Security audits are not covered by the Grants Program.