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The DecentraTech Stack

The DecentraTech Stack is a collection of technologies that are the building blocks and toolsets of decentralized applications (DApps) and decentralized networks, and hence enablers of decentralization.
 
The list below includes both basic technology building blocks and also toolsets, which are typically combinations of building blocks that provide common functionality. 
 
The term network node describes an individual processing unit (hardware or virtual) and DApp instance running on it that connects with others to form a decentralized network.

DecentraTech Collective Accelerating Blockchain and Web 3.0 for Business (Website) (Websit

The DecentraTech Stack includes:

  • Blockchain and Distributed Ledgers – a key component providing consensus and tamper resistant/evident audit trails. Consensus allows network nodes to agree on particular events/facts, and tamper resistance keeps them highly secure.

  • Peer-to-peer Networks and Decentralized Mesh Protocols – providing direct connectivity between DApp network nodes without requiring central routers or hubs

  • Digital Asset Wallets and Smart Contracts – providing repositories to store digital assets/tokens and processing logic to implement workflows for these assets.

  • Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Network (DePIN) platforms providing compute, storage and other resources and services, especially for data-centric applications, analytics and artificial intelligence.

  • Privacy-centric Synchronization Mechanisms – to allow multiple private data stores to maintain a common state.

  • Cross Chain Connectivity, Interoperability Approaches and Oracles – allowing blockchains to interact with one another, and with non-blockchain systems and external data sources.

  • Cryptography, Cryptographic Proofs, Zero Knowledge Proofs and Key Management – as well as being key to blockchain architectures, provide fundamental mechanisms for human and machine users to engage with decentralized systems, and improve l,usability of DApps.

  • ​Confidential and Multi-Party Computing – approaches to processing of sensitive data, provided by multiple network nodes, in a secure manner, especially for AI applications..​

  • Self-Sovereign Identity, Decentralized Identifier and Verifiable Credentials Approaches – allowing individuals and network nodes to maintain unique identities and personal attributes, and control who they are shared with, and for what purpose.

  • Token Standards, Platforms and Tools for the Exchange of Value – mechanisms to allow physical assets to be represented in digital (tokenized) form, and then processed in various ways, including supporting reward mechanisms for DApps and providing compliance for decentralized finance (DeFi) applications.

  • Edge Computing Devices, Operating Systems and Middleware – implementing the hardware and systems software environment for network nodes on which DApps run.

Another City project was focused on creating digital identities to secure electronic data lockers used to store and readily retrieve personal data and service records belonging to the homeless population. The Mayor of Austin’s office leant its support to this endeavor by promoting a hackathon event organized by the Collective and others, and the City acknowledged the overall support of the Collective in its successful $400,000 funding proposal to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, to develop a prototype. Because of its growing stature, the Collective was invited by South by Southwest to contribute to its programming for blockchain and Web3 and provided experts to SXSW’s mentor initiative. Relatedly, Collective members enjoyed significant discounts to attend the A-list event each spring. The Collective also worked closely with UT Austin, including its McCombs School of Business and Dell Medical School to provide specialist education and evangelism. For McCombs, the Collective was involved in lectures to a Fintech class and to the Supply Chain Center of Excellence. Across UT, the Collective established relationships with key members of faculty and with student societies that themselves were looking to work with local blockchain companies, not least for intern opportunities. Along with Dell Medical School, the Collective created a Healthcare Working Group of blockchain companies focused on healthcare or with applicable technology and advised Dell Med on its own blockchain projects. This engagement resulted in the creation of the Blockchain and Digital Transformation in Health symposium, which took place in February 2020. Featuring a program drawn from the healthtech industry (including IBM, ConsenSys Health, and Rymedi), and academia, the event program was heavily slanted towards Web3 issues, such a personal health data ownership and monetization. The Collective also discussed the opportunities of forming communities with other blockchain innovators outside of Austin. One group in the Dallas area showing a particular interest in establishing links with State legislature and influencing regulations. That group – now known as the Texas Blockchain Council – has since established itself as a key influencer, including at Federal level. Along the way, the Collective often met with companies from outside of Texas that were interested in what Austin had to offer as a potential location for a facility, research venture, or event. In fact, one conversation – in early 2020 with Coindesk’s Chief Content Officer Mike Casey – was a lengthy one about future city hosts its large Consensus festival. No surprise then that Consensus debuted in Austin in August of 2022 and has since returned twice. In 2024, it attracted around 15,000 attendees and delivered a substantial economic impact to the city and its businesses. During the pandemic and more recently, as the Austin technology scene became more closely involved with those in other Texas Triangle cities, the Austin Blockchain Collective spun out the global, virtual-first DecentraTech Collective, to promote a broad range of decentralization technologies. In particular, this new group is focusing on data integrity and privacy technologies essential for the implementation of accurate and responsible artificial intelligence.

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