zkVerify Ecosystem Q3 2024 Report

As we reflect on the third quarter of 2024, it's evident that zkVerify has made significant progress in advancing the zero-knowledge proof ecosystem. Below is a full breakdown of technical upgrades, strategic partnerships, educational initiatives, and key events.

Technical Milestones

The past quarter saw several important technical developments:

1. zkVerify attestation on ApeChain: we successfully implemented zkVerify attestation on the ApeChain testnet, paving the way for zero-knowledge games and projects in the Ape ecosystem.
2. Ultraplonk verifier for Aztec's Noir: our team introduced an Ultraplonk verifier for Aztec's Noir language, further expanding the toolkit available to developers and projects building with Aztec’s technology.
3. Runtime upgrade 0.5.2: this runtime upgrade introduced several new features, enhancing the zkVerify functionalities in governance (bounties, treasury, vesting) and reducing gas fees.

Ecosystem Growth and Partnerships

zkVerify's ecosystem continues to expand through strategic partnerships and collaborations:

• zkVerify was selected to join the Institutional Accelerator program hosted by Delphi Digital and The Tie.
• A partnership with Hyperbridge was formed to enable multi-chain zk proof verification, a development that caught the attention of CoinDesk's Protocol Village.

Developer Empowerment Initiatives

Recognizing the importance of education in the zk space, we've launched several initiatives:

• We kicked off Phase 1 of our Incentivized Testnet for developers (Phase 2 for the wider community coming soon!), encouraging hands-on exploration of our technology through two different challenges: building a verifier and a demo app that integrates zkVerify for zk proof verification. Applications are not closed yet - apply today!
• A comprehensive developer education program in collaboration with Metaschool. If you are a developer interested in learning the basics of zk proofs and how zkVerify works, join now!
• A practical tutorial on publishing attestations on-chain and interacting with attestations on various networks (Sepolia, Gobi, Jenkins).
• zkVerify is the state-of-the-art proof verification layer. But what about generating zk proofs? Check our blog posts "The case for sending Risc0 zkVM proofs to zkVerify" to learn how zkVerify and Risc0 proofs are a match made in heaven.

Media Presence and Thought Leadership

Our team members have been active in sharing knowledge and insights across various media platforms:

• Launched the "zkTalk" podcast series, discussing cutting-edge topics in cryptography and zk technology. Episode 1 with Gevulot, a key player in the zk space available here.
• Contributed to the Coinmarketcap glossary with an entry on Modular Proof Verification by Horizen Labs’ CEO Rob Viglione.
• Participated in numerous podcasts, interviews, and AMAs, including appearances on TheRollup, TradeTalks on Nasdaq, ApeChain’s Metamonday, House of ZK, and the Crypto Oracle weekly podcast.

Events Participation

zkVerify maintained a strong presence at major industry events:

• Sponsored and participated in hackathons like ZK Hack Montreal and ETHWarsaw. We are very excited to see real-world use cases being implemented thanks to zkVerify! A breakdown of the ZK Hack winners here and ETHWarsaw winners here.
  • If you’d like to learn more about the projects built with zkVerify at these hackathons, be sure to check out our website here!
• Attended conferences such as Polkadot Decoded, ETHCC in Brussels, Korea Blockchain Week, Token2049 in Singapore, MyTokenAsia in Malaysia, Verifiable Summit in Warsaw, and ETHMilan.
• Co-hosted dedicated ZK events like:
  • ZK Power Hour in Singapore with Singularity and Caldera
  • The Rollup Day in Singapore with Zeeve RaaS
  • ZK Night at Messari's Mainnet in New York with Electron and Hadron Founders Club.

Looking Ahead

As we move forward, zkVerify is focused on several key initiatives:

• Launching Phase 2 of our Incentivized Testnet for wider community involvement and participation.
• Expanding our validator set and integrating additional verifiers.
• Integrating with various bridges and oracles.
• Preparing for mainnet launch.

The future of zero-knowledge proofs is bright, and zkVerify is at the forefront! Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to build and innovate in the space.

For developers interested in building zk projects that leverage zkVerify’s proof verification, don't forget to check out our grant program and incentivized testnet. Happy building!