From a1ebe5843f4ebc7a714227a5e6218723f68022ea Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Growwrapp <157356291+Growwrapp@users.noreply.github.com> Date: Wed, 8 Oct 2025 16:05:16 +0100 Subject: [PATCH 01/24] Create Growwr.md --- Growwr.md | 189 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 189 insertions(+) create mode 100644 Growwr.md diff --git a/Growwr.md b/Growwr.md new file mode 100644 index 00000000000..51e60603546 --- /dev/null +++ b/Growwr.md @@ -0,0 +1,189 @@ +# Name of your Project + +> [!NOTE] +> This document will be part of the terms and conditions of your agreement and, therefore, needs to contain all the required information about the project. Don't remove any of the mandatory parts presented in bold letters or as headlines (except for the title)! Lines starting with a `>` (such as this one) should be removed. Please use markdown instead of HTML (e.g., `![](image.png)` instead of ``). +> +> See the [Grants Program Process](https://grants.web3.foundation/docs/process) on how to submit a proposal. + +- **Team Name:** Legal name of your team (e.g. JsonCorp) +- **Payment Details:** + - **DOT**: For the **DOT** compensation, please provide a Polkadot address (e.g. 15oF4...). + - **Payment**: For the **USDC** portion of the payment, please provide a Polkadot AssetHub address and the currency (e.g. 15oF4... (USDC)). +- **[Level](https://grants.web3.foundation/docs/Introduction/levels):** 1, 2 or 3 + +> [!IMPORTANT] +> *The combination of your GitHub account submitting the application and the payment address above will be your unique identifier during the program. Please keep them safe.* + +## Project Overview :page_facing_up: + +If this application is in response to an RFP, please indicate this on the first line of this section. + +If this is an application for a follow-up grant (the continuation of an earlier, successful W3F grant), please provide the name and/or pull request of said grant on the first line of this section. + +### Overview + +Please provide the following: + +- If the name of your project is not descriptive, a tagline (one sentence summary). +- A brief description of your project. +- An indication of how your project relates to / integrates into Substrate / Polkadot / Kusama. +- An indication of why your team is interested in creating this project. + +### Project Details + +We expect the teams to already have a solid idea about your project's expected final state. Therefore, we ask the teams to submit (where relevant): + +- Mockups/designs of any UI components +- Data models / API specifications of the core functionality +- An overview of the technology stack to be used +- Documentation of core components, protocols, architecture, etc. to be deployed +- PoC/MVP or other relevant prior work or research on the topic +- What your project is *not* or will *not* provide or implement + - This is a place for you to manage expectations and clarify any limitations that might not be obvious + + +Things that shouldn’t be part of the application (see also our [FAQ](../docs/faq.md)): + +- The (future) tokenomics of your project +- For non-infrastructure projects—deployment and hosting costs, maintenance or audits +- Business-oriented activities (marketing, business planning), events or outreach + +### Ecosystem Fit + +Help us locate your project in the Polkadot/Substrate/Kusama landscape and what problems it tries to solve by answering each of these questions: + +- Where and how does your project fit into the ecosystem? +- Who is your target audience (parachain/dapp/wallet/UI developers, designers, your own user base, some dapp's userbase, yourself)? +- What need(s) does your project meet? +- How did you identify these needs? Please provide evidence in the form of (scientific) articles, forum discussions, case studies, or raw data. +- Are there any other projects similar to yours in the Substrate / Polkadot / Kusama ecosystem? + - If so, how is your project different? Please identify and assess any projects addressing the same need and explain how your project is distinct. Feel free to include applicable research data, statistics, or metrics. + - If not, please indicate why such a project might not have been possible, successful, or attempted. +- Are there any projects similar to yours in related ecosystems? + +## Team :busts_in_silhouette: + +> [!IMPORTANT] +> Please note that the data provided in this section is for administrative and informational purposes only. All beneficiaries of a grant must also be listed in the KYC/KYB process during the application phase. See our [FAQ](https://grants.web3.foundation/docs/faq#what-is-kyckyb-and-why-do-i-have-to-provide-this-data) for more info. + +### Team members + +- Name of team leader +- Names of team members + +### Contact + +- **Contact Name:** Full name of the contact person in your team +- **Contact Email:** Contact email (e.g. john@duo.com) +- **Website:** Your website + +### Legal Structure + +- **Registered Address:** Address of your registered legal entity, if available. Please keep it in a single line. (e.g. High Street 1, London LK1 234, UK) +- **Registered Legal Entity:** Name of your registered legal entity, if available. (e.g. Duo Ltd.) + +### Team's experience + +Please describe the team's relevant experience. If your project involves development work, we would appreciate it if you singled out a few interesting projects or contributions made by team members in the past. + +If anyone on your team has applied for a grant at the Web3 Foundation previously, please list the name of the project and legal entity here. + +### Team Code Repos + +- https://github.com/{your_organisation}/{project_1} +- https://github.com/{your_organisation}/{project_2} + +Please also provide the GitHub accounts of all team members. If they contain no activity, references to projects hosted elsewhere or live are also fine. + +- https://github.com/{team_member_1} +- https://github.com/{team_member_2} + +### Team LinkedIn Profiles (if available) + +- https://www.linkedin.com/{person_1} +- https://www.linkedin.com/{person_2} + + +## Development Status :open_book: + +If you've already started implementing your project or it is part of a larger repository, please provide a link and a description of the code here. In any case, please provide some documentation on the research and other work you have conducted before applying. This could be: + +- links to improvement proposals or [RFPs](https://grants.web3.foundation/docs/rfps) (requests for proposal), +- academic publications relevant to the problem, +- links to your research diary, blog posts, articles, forum discussions or open GitHub issues, +- references to conversations you might have had related to this project with anyone from the Web3 Foundation, +- previous interface iterations, such as mock-ups and wireframes. + +## Development Roadmap :nut_and_bolt: + +This section should break the development roadmap down into milestones and deliverables. To assist you in defining it, we have created a document with examples for some grant categories [here](../docs/Support%20Docs/grant_guidelines_per_category.md). Since these will be part of the agreement, it helps to describe *the functionality we should expect in as much detail as possible*, plus how we can verify and test that functionality. Whenever milestones are delivered, we refer to this document to ensure that everything has been delivered as expected. + +Below we provide an **example roadmap**. In the descriptions, it should be clear how your project is related to Substrate, Kusama or Polkadot. We *recommend* that teams structure their roadmap as 1 milestone ≈ 1 month. + +> [!CAUTION] +> If any of your deliverables are based on somebody else's work, make sure you work and publish *under the terms of the license* of the respective project and that you **highlight this fact in your milestone documentation** and in the source code if applicable! **Projects that submit other people's work without proper attribution will be immediately terminated.** + +### Overview + +- **Total Estimated Duration:** Duration of the whole project (e.g. 2 months) +- **Full-Time Equivalent (FTE):** Average number of full-time employees working on the project throughout its duration (see [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full-time_equivalent), e.g. 2 FTE) +- **Total Costs:** Requested amount in USD for the whole project (e.g. 12,000 USD). Note that the acceptance criteria and additional benefits vary depending on the [level](../README.md#level_slider-levels) of funding requested. +- **DOT %:** Percentage of Total Costs to be paid in (vested) DOT (≥ 50%) + +### Milestone 1 Example — Basic functionality + +- **Estimated duration:** 1 month +- **FTE:** 1,5 +- **Costs:** 8,000 USD + +> [!NOTE] +> **The default deliverables 0a-0d below are mandatory for all milestones**, and deliverable 0e at least for the last one. + +| Number | Deliverable | Specification | +| -----: | ----------- | ------------- | +| **0a.** | License | Apache 2.0 / GPLv3 / MIT / Unlicense. See the [delivery guidelines](https://grants.web3.foundation/docs/Support%20Docs/milestone-deliverables-guidelines#license) for details. | +| **0b.** | Documentation | We will provide both **inline documentation** of the code and a basic **tutorial** that explains how a user can (for example) spin up one of our Substrate nodes and send test transactions, which will show how the new functionality works. See the [delivery guidelines](https://grants.web3.foundation/docs/Support%20Docs/milestone-deliverables-guidelines#documentation) for details. | +| **0c.** | Testing and Testing Guide | Core functions will be fully covered by comprehensive unit tests to ensure functionality and robustness. In the guide, we will describe how to run these tests. See the [delivery guidelines](https://grants.web3.foundation/docs/Support%20Docs/milestone-deliverables-guidelines#testing-guide) for details. | +| **0d.** | Docker | We will provide a Dockerfile(s) that can be used to test all the functionality delivered with this milestone. | +| 0e. | Article | We will publish an **article**/workshop that explains [...] (what was done/achieved as part of the grant). (Content, language, and medium should reflect your target audience described above.) | +| 1. | Substrate module: X | We will create a Substrate module that will... (Please list the functionality that will be implemented for the first milestone. You can refer to details provided in previous sections.) | +| 2. | Substrate module: Y | The Y Substrate module will... | +| 3. | Substrate module: Z | The Z Substrate module will... | +| 4. | Substrate chain | Modules X, Y & Z of our custom chain will interact in such a way... (Please describe the deliverable here as detailed as possible) | +| 5. | Library: ABC | We will deliver a JS library that will implement the functionality described under "ABC Library" | +| 6. | Smart contracts: ... | We will deliver a set of ink! smart contracts that will... + + +### Milestone 2 Example — Additional features + +- **Estimated Duration:** 1 month +- **FTE:** 1,5 +- **Costs:** 8,000 USD + +... + + +## Future Plans + +Please include here + +- how you intend to finance the project's long-term maintenance and development, +- how you intend to use, enhance, and promote your project in the short term, and +- the team's long-term plans and intentions in relation to it. + +## Referral Program (optional) :moneybag: + +You can find more information about the program [here](https://grants.web3.foundation/docs/referral-program). + +- **Referrer:** Name of the Polkadot Ambassador or GitHub account of the Web3 Foundation grantee +- **Payment Address:** Polkadot/Kusama (USDC) payment address. Please also specify the currency. (e.g. 15oF4... (USDC)) + +## Additional Information :heavy_plus_sign: + +**How did you hear about the Grants Program?** Web3 Foundation Website / Medium / Twitter / Element / Announcement by another team / personal recommendation / etc. + +Here you can also add any additional information that you think is relevant to this application but isn't part of it already, such as: + +- Work you have already done. +- If there are any other teams who have already contributed (financially) to the project. +- Previous grants you may have applied for. From 7df66ce75e6edd64d2edc55dea674c44b4b6cd38 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Growwrapp <157356291+Growwrapp@users.noreply.github.com> Date: Fri, 10 Oct 2025 20:42:35 +0100 Subject: [PATCH 02/24] Update Growwr.md --- Growwr.md | 236 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-------- 1 file changed, 201 insertions(+), 35 deletions(-) diff --git a/Growwr.md b/Growwr.md index 51e60603546..8618f416aad 100644 --- a/Growwr.md +++ b/Growwr.md @@ -1,65 +1,231 @@ -# Name of your Project +# Growwr: Building the Future of Work on Polkadot > [!NOTE] > This document will be part of the terms and conditions of your agreement and, therefore, needs to contain all the required information about the project. Don't remove any of the mandatory parts presented in bold letters or as headlines (except for the title)! Lines starting with a `>` (such as this one) should be removed. Please use markdown instead of HTML (e.g., `![](image.png)` instead of ``). > > See the [Grants Program Process](https://grants.web3.foundation/docs/process) on how to submit a proposal. -- **Team Name:** Legal name of your team (e.g. JsonCorp) +- **Team Name:** Growwr Inc. - **Payment Details:** - - **DOT**: For the **DOT** compensation, please provide a Polkadot address (e.g. 15oF4...). - - **Payment**: For the **USDC** portion of the payment, please provide a Polkadot AssetHub address and the currency (e.g. 15oF4... (USDC)). -- **[Level](https://grants.web3.foundation/docs/Introduction/levels):** 1, 2 or 3 + - **DOT**: For the **DOT** compensation, DOT: 16AzsJCQCWsinV1RyBd3H4XRNE5XWUCWL9GfCZSt6u5vum8S + - **Payment**: (BTC) 15TKWqweL1W6tSik8xi4QmSfX1sdSWXrZb +- **[Level](https://grants.web3.foundation/docs/Introduction/levels):** Level 2 > [!IMPORTANT] > *The combination of your GitHub account submitting the application and the payment address above will be your unique identifier during the program. Please keep them safe.* ## Project Overview :page_facing_up: -If this application is in response to an RFP, please indicate this on the first line of this section. +### Overview -If this is an application for a follow-up grant (the continuation of an earlier, successful W3F grant), please provide the name and/or pull request of said grant on the first line of this section. +**Tagline:** -### Overview +Empowering Africa’s workforce with AI and blockchain—building a transparent, trustless, and borderless future of work on Polkadot. + +**Description:** + +Growwr is an AI-powered work platform designed to connect verified African professionals with global businesses while ensuring trust, payment security, and transparency through blockchain technology. Today, 74% of freelancers across Africa experience payment delays of up to three months, and 16% never receive payment at all. Beyond that, millions remain excluded from financial systems—lacking access to credit, insurance, or even device financing. -Please provide the following: +Growwr solves these systemic challenges by merging AI and Web3. Our platform uses AI engines for talent verification, chemistry-fit matching, and performance intelligence, while integrating Polkadot’s blockchain to ensure trustless payments, on-chain work credentials, and transparent work histories. Every transaction and verified contribution will be recorded on Polkadot, creating an immutable professional identity that eliminates fraud, bias, and opacity in the hiring process. +By deploying on Polkadot, Growwr leverages its scalable multi-chain architecture, interoperability, and low-cost transactions to build a high-throughput infrastructure for millions of micro-transactions between businesses and workers. Our vision is to make Polkadot the core trust layer for the future of work across emerging markets—powering verified identity, instant cross-border payments, and decentralized professional reputation systems. -- If the name of your project is not descriptive, a tagline (one sentence summary). -- A brief description of your project. -- An indication of how your project relates to / integrates into Substrate / Polkadot / Kusama. -- An indication of why your team is interested in creating this project. +**Why We’re Building This:** +Our journey is deeply personal. In 2021, Growwr’s founder lost 17 international contracts simply because of nationality—a reflection of the systemic bias and payment insecurity facing over 300 million skilled professionals across emerging markets. That experience inspired the creation of Growwr: a platform that restores trust, opportunity, and inclusion using AI and blockchain. +Polkadot’s ecosystem offers the ideal foundation to scale this vision. With its Substrate framework and interoperable design, we can build a future-ready infrastructure that connects verified talent to global opportunities—securely, transparently, and without borders. ### Project Details -We expect the teams to already have a solid idea about your project's expected final state. Therefore, we ask the teams to submit (where relevant): +Growwr is building a trustless AI-powered work infrastructure on Polkadot, enabling verified identity, instant cross-border payments, and on-chain reputation for global talent. +We’re creating a decentralized layer that ensures freelancers and businesses across emerging markets can work and get paid instantly, securely, and transparently — powered by Polkadot’s scalability and interoperability. + +The final platform will consist of three main layers: + +**1. AI Work Intelligence Layer** + Powered by Growwr’s proprietary AI engines: +- **TalentVerify™** – verifies identity, credentials, and skills using cross-referenced digital fingerprints, behavioral data, and social proofs. +- **SmartMatch™** – uses AI to match verified talent with projects using performance, culture-fit, and skill data. +- **PerformanceIQ™** – analyzes on-chain records and project outcomes to predict reliability and work quality. + +**2. Blockchain Trust Layer (Polkadot/Substrate Integration)** +- **Decentralized Identity (DID)**: On-chain verified profiles for talent and businesses. +- **Smart Escrow Contracts:** Automate milestones, delivery, and secure payments using Polkadot stable assets. +- **Immutable Work Ledger**: Stores verified work transactions and performance metrics. +- **Reputation Protocol**: Builds transparent reputation scores based on verified contributions. + +**3. Application Layer (Web + API)** +- Unified web platform and API suite for businesses and freelancers to hire, collaborate, and transact seamlessly — entirely on-chain. + + +**Mockups / UI Components** + +Our UI is currently live and under continuous improvement. +Key interfaces include: +- **Employer Dashboard** – post roles, manage contracts, and execute escrow payments. +- **Talent Dashboard** – manage verified profiles, proposals, and track payouts. + +**Links** + +- Live Product: https://growwr.co/ +- Web App (Beta): https://growwr.co/join +- Product Demo: https://growwr.docsend.com/view/vabmpt9hjxerpppc/d/ne2iiusuqqpaj23k +- Pitch Deck: https://growwr.docsend.com/view/ixaq66mzknrpx5ji +- Product Roadmap: https://growwr.docsend.com/view/vabmpt9hjxerpppc/d/rttfdy7d7ix3ctge +- Technology Stack: https://growwr.docsend.com/view/vabmpt9hjxerpppc/d/kyrw5v9nx3iambym + +**Data Models / API Specifications** + +- User DID Registry to store decentralized identity linked to Polkadot address +- Smart Contract Layer to define project milestones, dispute logic, and escrow release +- Reputation Engine to aggregate work outcomes into on-chain performance index + +All blockchain interactions are managed using the Polkadot.js API and secured via Substrate-based pallets for escrow and identity. + +**Technology Stack** + +- Frontend: Next.js, React, Tailwind CSS +- Backend: Java (Spring Boot), Node.js +- Blockchain: Polkadot/Substrate, Ink! Smart Contracts, Polkadot.js +- AI: Python, Google Gemini API, Cursor +- Database: PostgreSQL, Redis, IPFS (for proof storage) +- Infrastructure: Google Cloud, Digital Ocean +- Payment: Cross-chain bridge to Polkadot stable assets + +**Proof of Concept / Prior Work** + +Growwr has already proven traction in Web2 and is now transitioning to Web3 infrastructure with Polkadot. + +**Web2 Traction:** + +- 19,000+ professionals vetted using Growwr AI +- 2,000+ global businesses served +- $1.5M+ processed in secure payouts +- Users across 13 countries, top markets include USA, Germany, South Africa, and Nigeria +- 0% payment failure rate + +**Live Analytics Dashboards:** https://infogram.com/growwr-public-analytics-dashboard-1h0n25ow3lw7l4p + +**Milestones & Accomplishments** + +Despite receiving only $6,000 in grant funding to date, we’ve achieved significant recognition and validation: + +- Winner: $6,000 grant from GET Accelerated Program 2024 +- Selected for TechCrunch Startup Battlefield Class of 2024 +- Shortlisted: VISA Accelerator Africa 2025 +- Top 5 Winner: AFRISE Challenge 2025 +- Finalist: Africa Fintech Summit, Washington DC 2025 +- Finalist: Pitchfest Nigeria 2025 +- 1st Runner-Up Winner: TERMII Conference Pitch Competition 2025 +- Finalist: Founders’ Connect Launchpad Competition 2025 +- Shortlisted: Verto Awards 2025 +- Finalist: Africa Ignite Competition, Cape Town +- Shortlisted: Startups Award at Moonshot + +These milestones highlight not just validation from African ecosystems but also recognition at global startup platforms. + +**Press coverage** (TechCrunch Startup Battlefield feature, pitch competition recognitions). + +- GET Accelerated Cohort 3 Awards N55m Equity‑free Funding to Startups (THISDAYLIVE, Jan 10, 2025) +Growwr won one of five N10m equity‑free grants awarded in GET Accelerated’s third cohort. +Link: https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2025/01/10/get-accelerated-cohort-3-awards-n55m-equity-free-funding-to-startups/ +- 8 African startups make TechCrunch Startup Battlefield (TechPoint Africa, Sep 12, 2024) +Listed among eight African startups selected for TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 200 at Disrupt 2024. +Link: https://techpoint.africa/insight/8-african-startups-make-techcrunch-startup-battlefield/ +- Nigerian Startup, Growwr, is building ‘Upwork for Africa’ (TechCabal, Feb 3, 2025) +Featured in TechCabal’s flagship news section, highlighting Growwr’s mission, traction, and impact metrics. +Link: https://techcabal.com/2025/02/03/nigerian-startup-growwr-is-building-upwork-for-africa/ +- 11 Startups Selected to Pitch at 13th Africa Fintech Summit in Washington D.C. (Africa Fintech Summit Pulse, Apr 2, 2025) +Announced as one of 11 innovative fintech startups shortlisted for the AFTS New Venture Pitch Competition. +Link: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/11-startups-selected-pitch-13th-africa-fintech-56ogf/ +- How Nigeria’s Growwr helps businesses hire, manage and pay vetted African tech talent +Link: https://disruptafrica.com/2025/10/09/how-nigerias-growwr-helps-businesses-hire-manage-and-pay-vetted-african-tech-talent/ +- Africa Ignite Pitch Competition 2024 Finalist (Informa Connect Limited, Oct 2, 2024) +Named a finalist in the Africa Ignite Pitch Competition 2024, earning the chance to advance to the Startup World Cup Grand Finale. +Link: https://africatechfestival.com/africaignite/pitch-competition/ +- AFRISE Challenge 2025 Cohort Announcement (Opportunity Desk, Mar 4, 2025) +Announced as part of the selected cohort for the AFRISE Challenge 2025 accelerator program. +Link: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/hindsight-ventures_afrise-cohort-2025-activity-7315999540644397056-LCvg/ +- Founder Institute Lagos Produces 11 New Technology Companies (Founder Institute, Feb 28, 2024) +Recognized Growwr as one of 11 alumni from the Lagos cohort of the Founder Institute’s pre‑seed accelerator. +Link: https://fi.co/insight/founder-institute-lagos-produces-11-new-technology-companies +- Selected for TechCrunch Disrupt 2024 Startup Battlefield (TechCrunch Disrupt 2024, Oct 28–30, 2024) +Included in the official Startup Battlefield roster at TechCrunch Disrupt 2024 in San Francisco. +Link: https://techcrunch.com/startup-battlefield/company/growwr/ +- Growwr | TechCrunch (TechCrunch, 2025) +Featured company profile on TechCrunch’s Startup Battlefield page, showcasing Growwr’s core product and founders. +Link: https://techcrunch.com/startup-battlefield/company/?status=all&pg=1&event=2725895&location=577037496 +- Verto Awards 2025 +Link: https://cityvoice.ng/2025/09/26/verto-announces-shortlisted-participants-for-verto-awards-2025/ + +**Scope Clarifications — What Growwr Will Not Implement** + +- Growwr will not issue or manage tokens during the grant phase. +- The project will not handle decentralized exchanges or speculative financial products. +- We will not allocate grant funds to marketing, PR, or hosting overheads; all funds will be directed towards development and integration on Polkadot. -- Mockups/designs of any UI components -- Data models / API specifications of the core functionality -- An overview of the technology stack to be used -- Documentation of core components, protocols, architecture, etc. to be deployed -- PoC/MVP or other relevant prior work or research on the topic -- What your project is *not* or will *not* provide or implement - - This is a place for you to manage expectations and clarify any limitations that might not be obvious +### Ecosystem Fit +**Where and how does your project fit into the Polkadot/Substrate/Kusama ecosystem?** -Things that shouldn’t be part of the application (see also our [FAQ](../docs/faq.md)): +Growwr fits into the Polkadot ecosystem as a decentralized, AI-powered work infrastructure layer that brings trustless talent verification, on-chain identity, and borderless payments to the future of work. We leverage Polkadot’s multi-chain architecture to build interoperable components that serve both the talent and enterprise sides of hiring. -- The (future) tokenomics of your project -- For non-infrastructure projects—deployment and hosting costs, maintenance or audits -- Business-oriented activities (marketing, business planning), events or outreach +Our integration leverages: -### Ecosystem Fit +- Substrate for building a decentralized Talent Identity Chain (TIC) — a registry of verified professionals, work history, and credentials. +- Polkadot parachains for cross-chain payment processing and smart contract settlement between clients and freelancers. +- Decentralized storage via IPFS for immutable portfolio records. +- Ink! smart contracts for escrow-backed milestone payments and automated performance releases. + + +**Who is your target audience?** + +Our project serves two main user groups within the Polkadot ecosystem: + +- Web3 companies and DAOs — who need verifiable, bias-free access to global talent (developers, designers, marketers, and community managers). +- Web3 professionals — who need on-chain proof-of-skill, verified reputation, and trustless payouts. + +Indirectly, our work also supports parachain developers, dapp creators, and wallet builders, as Growwr can integrate their APIs for payments, identity, or analytics — expanding real-world utility across the ecosystem. + +**What needs does your project meet?** + +Growwr addresses three critical gaps in the decentralized work economy: + +- Trustless Identity – Talent verification and credential validation on-chain, reducing fraud and bias. +- Secure Payments – Escrow-backed, automated payments for freelancers and employers across 180+ countries. +- On-Chain Reputation – Decentralized profiles showcasing verified work history, enabling transparent hiring and financing (credit, insurance, etc.). + +We are effectively building the decentralized LinkedIn + Upwork for Web3, powered by Polkadot. + +**How did you identify these needs?** + +Our team validated these problems through: +- First-hand experience: Our founders lost contracts due to regional bias and payment failure — a reality faced by millions. +- User data: 17,000+ talent applications and 3,000+ businesses onboarded in our Web2 MVP show deep demand for verifiable, borderless hiring. +- Market research: 70% of freelancers in emerging markets experience delayed or missing payments; 54% of employers report poor hiring accuracy (Source: World Bank & IFC 2023). +- Community signals: Web3 DAOs and remote-first teams repeatedly cite the lack of trusted work reputation and compliance tools as barriers to scaling decentralized hiring. + +**Are there similar projects in the Substrate / Polkadot / Kusama ecosystem?** + +To date, there are no direct equivalents of Growwr within the Polkadot ecosystem. However, partial analogues exist: +- TalentLayer (EVM) – a decentralized hiring protocol, but lacks integrated AI vetting and productivity management. +- Braintrust (non-Polkadot) – focuses on tokenized work, not verified identity or performance. +- Dock.io (credentialing) – provides decentralized credentials but not work matching or escrow. + +Growwr differs by offering an end-to-end AI + blockchain infrastructure covering: + +1. Talent verification +2. AI-based matching +3. Escrow-backed payments +4. Productivity and upskilling + +Verification systems were manual or non-scalable — Growwr’s AI engines automate that process. + +**Are there similar projects in related ecosystems?** -Help us locate your project in the Polkadot/Substrate/Kusama landscape and what problems it tries to solve by answering each of these questions: +Yes. In the broader Web3 space: +- Braintrust and TalentLayer target decentralized work but rely on self-attested data and don’t integrate AI. +- Deel and Remote.com solve cross-border payments but remain Web2, with no blockchain transparency. -- Where and how does your project fit into the ecosystem? -- Who is your target audience (parachain/dapp/wallet/UI developers, designers, your own user base, some dapp's userbase, yourself)? -- What need(s) does your project meet? -- How did you identify these needs? Please provide evidence in the form of (scientific) articles, forum discussions, case studies, or raw data. -- Are there any other projects similar to yours in the Substrate / Polkadot / Kusama ecosystem? - - If so, how is your project different? Please identify and assess any projects addressing the same need and explain how your project is distinct. Feel free to include applicable research data, statistics, or metrics. - - If not, please indicate why such a project might not have been possible, successful, or attempted. -- Are there any projects similar to yours in related ecosystems? +Growwr bridges both worlds, combining AI vetting + decentralized infrastructure, making it the first trustless, AI-powered, multi-chain hiring ecosystem. ## Team :busts_in_silhouette: From 144d1d4b3245752e59c0ca723fc0391ce7f9f699 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Growwrapp <157356291+Growwrapp@users.noreply.github.com> Date: Sat, 11 Oct 2025 11:40:21 +0100 Subject: [PATCH 03/24] Update Growwr.md --- Growwr.md | 228 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++---------------- 1 file changed, 162 insertions(+), 66 deletions(-) diff --git a/Growwr.md b/Growwr.md index 8618f416aad..4aa568f6fe7 100644 --- a/Growwr.md +++ b/Growwr.md @@ -234,122 +234,218 @@ Growwr bridges both worlds, combining AI vetting + decentralized infrastructure, ### Team members -- Name of team leader -- Names of team members +- Obinna Umeh - Co-founder & CEO +- Emmanuel Ajayi - Co-founder & CTO +- James Nottidge - Blockchain Engineer +- Caleb Okpahenom Okpaheifufue - Cybersecurity Engineer +- Opeyemi Jamiu - Product Designer +- Onuora Gaius - QA Engineer +- Oreoluwa Somuyiwa - Full-Stack Engineer ### Contact -- **Contact Name:** Full name of the contact person in your team -- **Contact Email:** Contact email (e.g. john@duo.com) -- **Website:** Your website +- **Contact Name:** Obinna Umeh +- **Contact Email:** obinna@growwr.co +- **Website:** [Growwr Website](https://growwr.co/) ### Legal Structure -- **Registered Address:** Address of your registered legal entity, if available. Please keep it in a single line. (e.g. High Street 1, London LK1 234, UK) -- **Registered Legal Entity:** Name of your registered legal entity, if available. (e.g. Duo Ltd.) +- **Registered Address:** 651 N Broad St, Suite 201, Middletown, Delaware, 19709, USA +- **Registered Legal Entity:** Growwr Inc. ### Team's experience -Please describe the team's relevant experience. If your project involves development work, we would appreciate it if you singled out a few interesting projects or contributions made by team members in the past. +Growwr is built by an experienced team with strong backgrounds in fintech, blockchain, AI, and Web3 product development. Our core team has shipped products that scaled to 100K+ users, handled millions in payments, and integrated with crypto networks and financial APIs. +We have not previously applied for a Web3 Foundation grant. -If anyone on your team has applied for a grant at the Web3 Foundation previously, please list the name of the project and legal entity here. +**Leadership:** -### Team Code Repos +- Obinna Umeh (CEO & Co-Founder) – Nottingham Law School alumnus with honors, Obinna is a growth and product marketing expert with deep expertise in crypto, Web3, and fintech. He previously scaled Breet, a Web3 crypto company in Africa, to over 100,000 users in less than 6 months, and has led growth for global fintech and Web3 companies including WPMU Dev, Web2 Ranker, Cardtonic, and Dandy Writers (which scaled to ₦20M revenue in 10 months). +https://www.linkedin.com/in/obinnaumeh/ +https://obinnaumeh.webflow.io/ -- https://github.com/{your_organisation}/{project_1} -- https://github.com/{your_organisation}/{project_2} +- Emmanuel Ajayi (CTO & Co-Founder) – First-class graduate of Covenant University, Emmanuel brings strong blockchain network and product expertise. He has built and scaled products for companies like Trove Finance and Flexip Group, and founded Product Kitchen, delivering high-impact software solutions. Emmanuel leads the architecture of Growwr’s blockchain integrations, ensuring robust scalability and Stellar network alignment. +https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmanuel-ajayi-aj +https://github.com/emma-ajay -Please also provide the GitHub accounts of all team members. If they contain no activity, references to projects hosted elsewhere or live are also fine. +**Engineering & Design:** -- https://github.com/{team_member_1} -- https://github.com/{team_member_2} +- James (Blockchain Engineer) – Ex-Software Engineer at Quidax (crypto fintech) and alumnus of Covenant University, James has deep blockchain and Web3 development expertise. He has contributed to projects with Headstart Lab and Google Developer Studio, building secure and scalable blockchain-based systems. +- Ore (Full-Stack Engineer) – Ex-Engineer with experience at First Bank, Sterling Bank, and MoniePoint (Africa’s latest unicorn), Ore specializes in payments and scalable Web2/Web3 integrations across fintech and banking. +- Opeyemi (Senior Product Designer) – With experience leading product design for Polaris Bank and First Bank, Opeyemi ensures Growwr’s user experience is seamless, intuitive, and scalable across devices. +- Caleb (Cybersecurity Engineer) – A cybersecurity engineer currently pursuing a Master’s in Computer Science & Cybersecurity at George Washington University, Caleb ensures that Growwr’s infrastructure, blockchain contracts, and payment systems are secure, compliant, and resilient. +- Gaius (QA Engineer) – QA engineer and alumnus of Covenant University, with prior expertise at SystemSpecs Group. Gaius drives quality assurance and testing to ensure reliable, bug-free deployments of Growwr’s Web2 and Web3 components. -### Team LinkedIn Profiles (if available) +### Team Code Repos -- https://www.linkedin.com/{person_1} -- https://www.linkedin.com/{person_2} +Please also provide the GitHub accounts of all team members. If they contain no activity, references to projects hosted elsewhere or live are also fine. +### Team LinkedIn Profiles (if available) ## Development Status :open_book: -If you've already started implementing your project or it is part of a larger repository, please provide a link and a description of the code here. In any case, please provide some documentation on the research and other work you have conducted before applying. This could be: +Growwr Web3 is not live yet. It will be open source. +Github repo: https://github.com/Growwr + +Researches that helps: + +- [How Much Can Freelancers Make in 2025? - Upwork](https://www.upwork.com/resources/how-much-do-freelancers-make) +- [What is the gig economy and what's the deal for gig workers? | World Economic Forum](https://www.weforum.org/stories/2024/11/what-gig-economy-workers/) +- [Nigeria's Gig-economy: The Rise of Independent Workers](https://www.verivafrica.com/insights/nigerias-gig-economy-the-rise-of-independent-workers) +- [Freelancing in Africa: A Growing Trend On the Continent](https://africa.com/freelancing-africa-growing-trend-continent/) + +Just this week, I have connected with 2 Nigerians who suffered same issue: + +- [Read Ridwan’s story](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ridwan-akinfenwa_techjourney-software-engineering-activity-7369804640403488768-gJ5x?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAADm9NOUB9nZSMXq6VmGJgcLXlWxbuEH3RxA) +- [Read the comments here to see more stories](https://x.com/EOEboh/status/1965144928113344569) -- links to improvement proposals or [RFPs](https://grants.web3.foundation/docs/rfps) (requests for proposal), -- academic publications relevant to the problem, -- links to your research diary, blog posts, articles, forum discussions or open GitHub issues, -- references to conversations you might have had related to this project with anyone from the Web3 Foundation, -- previous interface iterations, such as mock-ups and wireframes. +Supporting research articles: + +- [9 of 10 Africans unqualified for Jobs apply to - Research - P.M. News](https://pmnewsnigeria.com/2018/12/13/9-of-10-africans-unqualified-for-jobs-apply-to-research/) +- [The 'wicked problems’ of talent management](https://www.edgecumbe.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/Wicked-Problems-FINAL-07-11-22.pdf) +- [New Report Finds 59% of Freelancers Are Owed $50,000 or More by Late Paying Clients](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2022/02/17/2387268/0/en/New-Report-Finds-59-of-Freelancers-Are-Owed-50-000-or-More-by-Late-Paying-Clients.html) ## Development Roadmap :nut_and_bolt: -This section should break the development roadmap down into milestones and deliverables. To assist you in defining it, we have created a document with examples for some grant categories [here](../docs/Support%20Docs/grant_guidelines_per_category.md). Since these will be part of the agreement, it helps to describe *the functionality we should expect in as much detail as possible*, plus how we can verify and test that functionality. Whenever milestones are delivered, we refer to this document to ensure that everything has been delivered as expected. +We’ll assume: + +Total Duration: 3 months + +FTE: ~3.5 full-time engineers + 1 product manager + +Total Costs: $26,000 (50% vested in DOT) + +Focus: Building Growwr’s Substrate-powered escrow & reputation engine integrated into the existing Growwr ecosystem. + +**Overview** + +| Item | Description | +| ------------------------------ | --------------------------- | +| **Total Estimated Duration** | 3 months | +| **Full-Time Equivalent (FTE)** | 2.5 | +| **Total Costs** | $26,000 USD | +| **DOT % (vested)** | 50% (equivalent to $13,000) | +| **Deliverables** | 3 core milestones | + +**Milestone 1 — Substrate Smart Escrow Module** + +Estimated duration: 1 month +FTE: 2.5 +Costs: $10,000 USD + +**Objective** -Below we provide an **example roadmap**. In the descriptions, it should be clear how your project is related to Substrate, Kusama or Polkadot. We *recommend* that teams structure their roadmap as 1 milestone ≈ 1 month. +Develop a Substrate-based trustless escrow engine that securely holds payments between clients and freelancers until predefined project milestones are achieved. This will serve as the foundational blockchain layer for Growwr’s payment architecture. + +| No. | Deliverable | Specification | +| --- | -------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | +| 1. | License | MIT | +| 2. | Documentation | Inline Rust documentation for Substrate modules + basic user setup guide showing how to deploy a local node and execute a sample escrow transaction. | +| 3. | Testing & Guide | Unit tests covering escrow initiation, milestone validation, and payment release; 90%+ test coverage. | +| 4. | Docker | Dockerfile for launching the node and running all tests locally. | +| 5. | Substrate Module: **Escrow Engine** | Implements payment locking/unlocking logic with milestone-based release. Uses Substrate’s balances and contracts pallets. | +| 6. | Smart Contracts: **Payment Validator** | ink! smart contract that automatically releases funds based on validated completion hashes from Growwr’s API. | +| 7. | Integration | Initial API endpoint for interaction between Growwr Web2 backend and Substrate node. | + +**Milestone 2 — On-Chain Identity & Reputation System** + +Estimated duration: 1 month +FTE: 1 +Costs: $6,000 USD + +**Objective** + +Develop an on-chain identity (DID) and reputation engine to verify and store freelancer credentials, ratings, and work history in a decentralized, tamper-proof format. + +| No. | Deliverable | Specification | +| --- | -------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | +| 1. | License | MIT | +| 2. | Documentation | Comprehensive README and user guide explaining DID registration, credential verification, and reputation scoring. | +| 3. | Testing & Guide | Unit and integration tests for identity registration, verification, and retrieval endpoints. | +| 4. | Docker | Docker container to spin up the reputation system locally with mock Growwr API integration. | +| 5. | Substrate Module: **DID & Reputation** | Module to register on-chain identities linked to Growwr user IDs. Uses verifiable credentials and stores performance metrics. | +| 6. | Library: **Reputation JS SDK** | JS library enabling Growwr frontend to fetch and display reputation scores from the Substrate node. | +| 7. | Integration | Connect Growwr’s AI models to auto-score performance (via Gemini + Cursor) and log reputation proofs on-chain. | + +**Milestone 3 — AI-Powered Project Scoring + Polkadot Integration** + +Estimated duration: 1 month +FTE: 2 +Costs: $10,000 USD + +**Objective** + +Integrate Growwr’s AI engines (Gemini + Cursor) into the blockchain layer to provide AI-verified project scoring and skill matching, then connect the entire system to Polkadot’s relay chain for scalability and cross-chain identity. + +| No. | Deliverable | Specification | +| --- | --------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | +| 1. | License | MIT | +| 2. | Documentation | Setup guide explaining end-to-end workflow from AI evaluation → Substrate module update → on-chain verification. | +| 3. | Testing & Guide | End-to-end testing of AI prediction integration and Polkadot relay communication. | +| 4. | Docker | Combined image for AI layer + Substrate node. | +| 5. | AI Integration Module | Connects Growwr’s machine learning models for performance prediction to Substrate events. | +| 6. | Cross-Chain Bridge | Uses Polkadot’s relay chain to connect Growwr’s Substrate parachain to other identity networks for verifiable credentials. | +| 7. | Article | Publish a technical post on *“Building Trustless AI-Powered Work Systems on Polkadot”* detailing architecture, achievements, and next steps. | + +**Expected Outcomes** + +- Fully operational trustless work engine on Substrate +- Seamless integration of AI-based skill scoring and milestone validation +- Decentralized identity and reputation tracking system for global freelancers +- Strengthened Polkadot ecosystem adoption through new users and real work-related transactio > [!CAUTION] > If any of your deliverables are based on somebody else's work, make sure you work and publish *under the terms of the license* of the respective project and that you **highlight this fact in your milestone documentation** and in the source code if applicable! **Projects that submit other people's work without proper attribution will be immediately terminated.** ### Overview -- **Total Estimated Duration:** Duration of the whole project (e.g. 2 months) -- **Full-Time Equivalent (FTE):** Average number of full-time employees working on the project throughout its duration (see [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full-time_equivalent), e.g. 2 FTE) -- **Total Costs:** Requested amount in USD for the whole project (e.g. 12,000 USD). Note that the acceptance criteria and additional benefits vary depending on the [level](../README.md#level_slider-levels) of funding requested. -- **DOT %:** Percentage of Total Costs to be paid in (vested) DOT (≥ 50%) -### Milestone 1 Example — Basic functionality +## Future Plans -- **Estimated duration:** 1 month -- **FTE:** 1,5 -- **Costs:** 8,000 USD +**Long-Term Maintenance & Financing** -> [!NOTE] -> **The default deliverables 0a-0d below are mandatory for all milestones**, and deliverable 0e at least for the last one. +Growwr’s long-term maintenance and development are structured around a hybrid sustainability model that blends revenue from our Web2 operations with decentralized growth incentives. +Currently, our Web2 platform already generates steady transaction-based revenue from client-talent escrow fees (20% blended take-rate). With over 19,000 vetted talents, 2,000 businesses, and $1.5M+ processed, this revenue supports ongoing operations and feature development. -| Number | Deliverable | Specification | -| -----: | ----------- | ------------- | -| **0a.** | License | Apache 2.0 / GPLv3 / MIT / Unlicense. See the [delivery guidelines](https://grants.web3.foundation/docs/Support%20Docs/milestone-deliverables-guidelines#license) for details. | -| **0b.** | Documentation | We will provide both **inline documentation** of the code and a basic **tutorial** that explains how a user can (for example) spin up one of our Substrate nodes and send test transactions, which will show how the new functionality works. See the [delivery guidelines](https://grants.web3.foundation/docs/Support%20Docs/milestone-deliverables-guidelines#documentation) for details. | -| **0c.** | Testing and Testing Guide | Core functions will be fully covered by comprehensive unit tests to ensure functionality and robustness. In the guide, we will describe how to run these tests. See the [delivery guidelines](https://grants.web3.foundation/docs/Support%20Docs/milestone-deliverables-guidelines#testing-guide) for details. | -| **0d.** | Docker | We will provide a Dockerfile(s) that can be used to test all the functionality delivered with this milestone. | -| 0e. | Article | We will publish an **article**/workshop that explains [...] (what was done/achieved as part of the grant). (Content, language, and medium should reflect your target audience described above.) | -| 1. | Substrate module: X | We will create a Substrate module that will... (Please list the functionality that will be implemented for the first milestone. You can refer to details provided in previous sections.) | -| 2. | Substrate module: Y | The Y Substrate module will... | -| 3. | Substrate module: Z | The Z Substrate module will... | -| 4. | Substrate chain | Modules X, Y & Z of our custom chain will interact in such a way... (Please describe the deliverable here as detailed as possible) | -| 5. | Library: ABC | We will deliver a JS library that will implement the functionality described under "ABC Library" | -| 6. | Smart contracts: ... | We will deliver a set of ink! smart contracts that will... +To sustain and scale our Web3 modules, we’re financing future development through three pillars: +- Escrow and transaction fees on Polkadot will partially fund long-term maintenance. +- A developer bounty pool will be established, directing a fraction of transaction fees toward community contributors for bug fixes, security, and upgrades. +- Licensing and SDK revenue from Growwr’s AI engine and on-chain reputation layer, enabling other platforms to integrate our infrastructure through APIs. -### Milestone 2 Example — Additional features +In parallel, Growwr is closing its pre-seed round to cover our current financial burn rate, extend runway, and accelerate growth. This raise will strengthen our developer pipeline, enhance product infrastructure, and increase revenue growth in preparation for our seed stage. -- **Estimated Duration:** 1 month -- **FTE:** 1,5 -- **Costs:** 8,000 USD +Growwr’s long-term goal is to become the AI-powered trust and identity layer for the global future of work, built securely on Polkadot. -... +Over the next 3 years, we aim to: +- Expand into enterprise and DAO workforce management, enabling transparent, cross-border collaborations. +- Launch the Growwr SDK, allowing developers to embed AI-driven performance and milestone validation in any Web3 or traditional application. +- Progressively decentralize governance, empowering verified users, developers, and partners to shape roadmap decisions and funding priorities. -## Future Plans - -Please include here +Drive adoption at scale: onboard 1 million verified freelancers and 10,000 businesses, creating a measurable transaction footprint across Polkadot. -- how you intend to finance the project's long-term maintenance and development, -- how you intend to use, enhance, and promote your project in the short term, and -- the team's long-term plans and intentions in relation to it. +Our vision is to make Growwr the decentralized standard for proof-of-work, proof-of-skill, and proof-of-payment — positioning Polkadot as the infrastructure powering the borderless digital economy of the future. ## Referral Program (optional) :moneybag: You can find more information about the program [here](https://grants.web3.foundation/docs/referral-program). -- **Referrer:** Name of the Polkadot Ambassador or GitHub account of the Web3 Foundation grantee -- **Payment Address:** Polkadot/Kusama (USDC) payment address. Please also specify the currency. (e.g. 15oF4... (USDC)) +N/A ## Additional Information :heavy_plus_sign: **How did you hear about the Grants Program?** Web3 Foundation Website / Medium / Twitter / Element / Announcement by another team / personal recommendation / etc. -Here you can also add any additional information that you think is relevant to this application but isn't part of it already, such as: +Work Completed So Far + +Growwr has already developed and deployed a functional Web2 platform, now serving as the foundation for our transition into a Web3-enabled infrastructure. +Key milestones achieved include: + +- 19,000+ vetted African professionals onboarded +- 2,000+ businesses actively hiring and managing teams +- $1.5M+ processed in transactions via secure escrow +- Core product built using Next.js, Java Spring Boot, PostgreSQL, Redis, and WebSocket real-time infrastructure +- Integrated with Stripe, Paystack, and Brex for local and global payments -- Work you have already done. -- If there are any other teams who have already contributed (financially) to the project. -- Previous grants you may have applied for. +We are now extending this infrastructure onto Polkadot/Substrate, incorporating on-chain escrow, identity, and reputation modules to enable trustless collaboration globally. From 12db0b9c18845b353263a1ddd618bff26a52de3e Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Growwrapp <157356291+Growwrapp@users.noreply.github.com> Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2025 11:34:46 +0100 Subject: [PATCH 04/24] Update Growwr.md --- Growwr.md | 34 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++-------- 1 file changed, 26 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-) diff --git a/Growwr.md b/Growwr.md index 4aa568f6fe7..e923c9bb1f1 100644 --- a/Growwr.md +++ b/Growwr.md @@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ - **Team Name:** Growwr Inc. - **Payment Details:** - **DOT**: For the **DOT** compensation, DOT: 16AzsJCQCWsinV1RyBd3H4XRNE5XWUCWL9GfCZSt6u5vum8S - - **Payment**: (BTC) 15TKWqweL1W6tSik8xi4QmSfX1sdSWXrZb + - **Payment**: --- - **[Level](https://grants.web3.foundation/docs/Introduction/levels):** Level 2 > [!IMPORTANT] @@ -311,9 +311,9 @@ We’ll assume: Total Duration: 3 months -FTE: ~3.5 full-time engineers + 1 product manager +FTE: ~3 full-time engineers + 1 product manager across a 3 month build cycle -Total Costs: $26,000 (50% vested in DOT) +Total Costs: $26,000 Focus: Building Growwr’s Substrate-powered escrow & reputation engine integrated into the existing Growwr ecosystem. @@ -322,15 +322,14 @@ Focus: Building Growwr’s Substrate-powered escrow & reputation engine integrat | Item | Description | | ------------------------------ | --------------------------- | | **Total Estimated Duration** | 3 months | -| **Full-Time Equivalent (FTE)** | 2.5 | +| **Full-Time Equivalent (FTE)** | 4 | | **Total Costs** | $26,000 USD | -| **DOT % (vested)** | 50% (equivalent to $13,000) | | **Deliverables** | 3 core milestones | **Milestone 1 — Substrate Smart Escrow Module** Estimated duration: 1 month -FTE: 2.5 +FTE: 3 Costs: $10,000 USD **Objective** @@ -350,7 +349,7 @@ Develop a Substrate-based trustless escrow engine that securely holds payments b **Milestone 2 — On-Chain Identity & Reputation System** Estimated duration: 1 month -FTE: 1 +FTE: 2 Costs: $6,000 USD **Objective** @@ -370,7 +369,7 @@ Develop an on-chain identity (DID) and reputation engine to verify and store fre **Milestone 3 — AI-Powered Project Scoring + Polkadot Integration** Estimated duration: 1 month -FTE: 2 +FTE: 3 Costs: $10,000 USD **Objective** @@ -399,6 +398,9 @@ Integrate Growwr’s AI engines (Gemini + Cursor) into the blockchain layer to p ### Overview +Escrow Module: Reviewers can create, release, and refund escrow via Asset Hub using the demo UI or API endpoint; all transactions are verifiable on-chain. + +Identity (PoP) Module: Reviewers can register a test identity, link it to a Growwr user, and verify attestation references. ## Future Plans @@ -427,6 +429,22 @@ Drive adoption at scale: onboard 1 million verified freelancers and 10,000 busin Our vision is to make Growwr the decentralized standard for proof-of-work, proof-of-skill, and proof-of-payment — positioning Polkadot as the infrastructure powering the borderless digital economy of the future. +**Code Repos & Licensing:** + +We’ll share two open-source modules: + +- growwr-escrow-module (MIT License) + +- growwr-identity-adapter (Apache 2.0 License) + +Each will include documentation, examples, and Docker scripts for local testing. + +Public repos will be available at: + +https://github.com/growwrhq/growwr-escrow-module + +https://github.com/growwrhq/growwr-identity-adapter + ## Referral Program (optional) :moneybag: You can find more information about the program [here](https://grants.web3.foundation/docs/referral-program). From b4327cb1adc445e21d12b0b41e2061fdb655605f Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Growwrapp <157356291+Growwrapp@users.noreply.github.com> Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2025 12:38:53 +0100 Subject: [PATCH 05/24] Update Growwr.md --- Growwr.md | 4 ++-- 1 file changed, 2 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-) diff --git a/Growwr.md b/Growwr.md index e923c9bb1f1..5fddb321d57 100644 --- a/Growwr.md +++ b/Growwr.md @@ -441,9 +441,9 @@ Each will include documentation, examples, and Docker scripts for local testing. Public repos will be available at: -https://github.com/growwrhq/growwr-escrow-module +- https://github.com/Growwr/growwr-escrow-module -https://github.com/growwrhq/growwr-identity-adapter +- https://github.com/Growwr/growwr-identity-adapter ## Referral Program (optional) :moneybag: From 71da4750fb4e7cfc693f1c1ff47db3fe353ddbfb Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Growwrapp <157356291+Growwrapp@users.noreply.github.com> Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2025 12:57:26 +0100 Subject: [PATCH 06/24] Update Growwr.md --- Growwr.md | 91 ++++++++++++------------------------------------------- 1 file changed, 20 insertions(+), 71 deletions(-) diff --git a/Growwr.md b/Growwr.md index 5fddb321d57..24e6e50ca19 100644 --- a/Growwr.md +++ b/Growwr.md @@ -1,19 +1,11 @@ # Growwr: Building the Future of Work on Polkadot -> [!NOTE] -> This document will be part of the terms and conditions of your agreement and, therefore, needs to contain all the required information about the project. Don't remove any of the mandatory parts presented in bold letters or as headlines (except for the title)! Lines starting with a `>` (such as this one) should be removed. Please use markdown instead of HTML (e.g., `![](image.png)` instead of ``). -> -> See the [Grants Program Process](https://grants.web3.foundation/docs/process) on how to submit a proposal. - - **Team Name:** Growwr Inc. - **Payment Details:** - **DOT**: For the **DOT** compensation, DOT: 16AzsJCQCWsinV1RyBd3H4XRNE5XWUCWL9GfCZSt6u5vum8S - **Payment**: --- - **[Level](https://grants.web3.foundation/docs/Introduction/levels):** Level 2 -> [!IMPORTANT] -> *The combination of your GitHub account submitting the application and the payment address above will be your unique identifier during the program. Please keep them safe.* - ## Project Overview :page_facing_up: ### Overview @@ -70,7 +62,8 @@ Key interfaces include: - Product Demo: https://growwr.docsend.com/view/vabmpt9hjxerpppc/d/ne2iiusuqqpaj23k - Pitch Deck: https://growwr.docsend.com/view/ixaq66mzknrpx5ji - Product Roadmap: https://growwr.docsend.com/view/vabmpt9hjxerpppc/d/rttfdy7d7ix3ctge -- Technology Stack: https://growwr.docsend.com/view/vabmpt9hjxerpppc/d/kyrw5v9nx3iambym +- Technology Stack: https://growwr.docsend.com/view/vabmpt9hjxerpppc/d/kyrw5v9nx3iambym +- Performance Dashboard: https://infogram.com/growwr-public-analytics-dashboard-1h0n25ow3lw7l4p **Data Models / API Specifications** @@ -102,8 +95,6 @@ Growwr has already proven traction in Web2 and is now transitioning to Web3 infr - Users across 13 countries, top markets include USA, Germany, South Africa, and Nigeria - 0% payment failure rate -**Live Analytics Dashboards:** https://infogram.com/growwr-public-analytics-dashboard-1h0n25ow3lw7l4p - **Milestones & Accomplishments** Despite receiving only $6,000 in grant funding to date, we’ve achieved significant recognition and validation: @@ -122,40 +113,6 @@ Despite receiving only $6,000 in grant funding to date, we’ve achieved signifi These milestones highlight not just validation from African ecosystems but also recognition at global startup platforms. -**Press coverage** (TechCrunch Startup Battlefield feature, pitch competition recognitions). - -- GET Accelerated Cohort 3 Awards N55m Equity‑free Funding to Startups (THISDAYLIVE, Jan 10, 2025) -Growwr won one of five N10m equity‑free grants awarded in GET Accelerated’s third cohort. -Link: https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2025/01/10/get-accelerated-cohort-3-awards-n55m-equity-free-funding-to-startups/ -- 8 African startups make TechCrunch Startup Battlefield (TechPoint Africa, Sep 12, 2024) -Listed among eight African startups selected for TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 200 at Disrupt 2024. -Link: https://techpoint.africa/insight/8-african-startups-make-techcrunch-startup-battlefield/ -- Nigerian Startup, Growwr, is building ‘Upwork for Africa’ (TechCabal, Feb 3, 2025) -Featured in TechCabal’s flagship news section, highlighting Growwr’s mission, traction, and impact metrics. -Link: https://techcabal.com/2025/02/03/nigerian-startup-growwr-is-building-upwork-for-africa/ -- 11 Startups Selected to Pitch at 13th Africa Fintech Summit in Washington D.C. (Africa Fintech Summit Pulse, Apr 2, 2025) -Announced as one of 11 innovative fintech startups shortlisted for the AFTS New Venture Pitch Competition. -Link: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/11-startups-selected-pitch-13th-africa-fintech-56ogf/ -- How Nigeria’s Growwr helps businesses hire, manage and pay vetted African tech talent -Link: https://disruptafrica.com/2025/10/09/how-nigerias-growwr-helps-businesses-hire-manage-and-pay-vetted-african-tech-talent/ -- Africa Ignite Pitch Competition 2024 Finalist (Informa Connect Limited, Oct 2, 2024) -Named a finalist in the Africa Ignite Pitch Competition 2024, earning the chance to advance to the Startup World Cup Grand Finale. -Link: https://africatechfestival.com/africaignite/pitch-competition/ -- AFRISE Challenge 2025 Cohort Announcement (Opportunity Desk, Mar 4, 2025) -Announced as part of the selected cohort for the AFRISE Challenge 2025 accelerator program. -Link: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/hindsight-ventures_afrise-cohort-2025-activity-7315999540644397056-LCvg/ -- Founder Institute Lagos Produces 11 New Technology Companies (Founder Institute, Feb 28, 2024) -Recognized Growwr as one of 11 alumni from the Lagos cohort of the Founder Institute’s pre‑seed accelerator. -Link: https://fi.co/insight/founder-institute-lagos-produces-11-new-technology-companies -- Selected for TechCrunch Disrupt 2024 Startup Battlefield (TechCrunch Disrupt 2024, Oct 28–30, 2024) -Included in the official Startup Battlefield roster at TechCrunch Disrupt 2024 in San Francisco. -Link: https://techcrunch.com/startup-battlefield/company/growwr/ -- Growwr | TechCrunch (TechCrunch, 2025) -Featured company profile on TechCrunch’s Startup Battlefield page, showcasing Growwr’s core product and founders. -Link: https://techcrunch.com/startup-battlefield/company/?status=all&pg=1&event=2725895&location=577037496 -- Verto Awards 2025 -Link: https://cityvoice.ng/2025/09/26/verto-announces-shortlisted-participants-for-verto-awards-2025/ - **Scope Clarifications — What Growwr Will Not Implement** - Growwr will not issue or manage tokens during the grant phase. @@ -229,9 +186,6 @@ Growwr bridges both worlds, combining AI vetting + decentralized infrastructure, ## Team :busts_in_silhouette: -> [!IMPORTANT] -> Please note that the data provided in this section is for administrative and informational purposes only. All beneficiaries of a grant must also be listed in the KYC/KYB process during the application phase. See our [FAQ](https://grants.web3.foundation/docs/faq#what-is-kyckyb-and-why-do-i-have-to-provide-this-data) for more info. - ### Team members - Obinna Umeh - Co-founder & CEO @@ -284,26 +238,7 @@ Please also provide the GitHub accounts of all team members. If they contain no ## Development Status :open_book: -Growwr Web3 is not live yet. It will be open source. -Github repo: https://github.com/Growwr - -Researches that helps: - -- [How Much Can Freelancers Make in 2025? - Upwork](https://www.upwork.com/resources/how-much-do-freelancers-make) -- [What is the gig economy and what's the deal for gig workers? | World Economic Forum](https://www.weforum.org/stories/2024/11/what-gig-economy-workers/) -- [Nigeria's Gig-economy: The Rise of Independent Workers](https://www.verivafrica.com/insights/nigerias-gig-economy-the-rise-of-independent-workers) -- [Freelancing in Africa: A Growing Trend On the Continent](https://africa.com/freelancing-africa-growing-trend-continent/) - -Just this week, I have connected with 2 Nigerians who suffered same issue: - -- [Read Ridwan’s story](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ridwan-akinfenwa_techjourney-software-engineering-activity-7369804640403488768-gJ5x?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAADm9NOUB9nZSMXq6VmGJgcLXlWxbuEH3RxA) -- [Read the comments here to see more stories](https://x.com/EOEboh/status/1965144928113344569) - -Supporting research articles: - -- [9 of 10 Africans unqualified for Jobs apply to - Research - P.M. News](https://pmnewsnigeria.com/2018/12/13/9-of-10-africans-unqualified-for-jobs-apply-to-research/) -- [The 'wicked problems’ of talent management](https://www.edgecumbe.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/Wicked-Problems-FINAL-07-11-22.pdf) -- [New Report Finds 59% of Freelancers Are Owed $50,000 or More by Late Paying Clients](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2022/02/17/2387268/0/en/New-Report-Finds-59-of-Freelancers-Are-Owed-50-000-or-More-by-Late-Paying-Clients.html) +Github: https://github.com/Growwr ## Development Roadmap :nut_and_bolt: @@ -393,9 +328,6 @@ Integrate Growwr’s AI engines (Gemini + Cursor) into the blockchain layer to p - Decentralized identity and reputation tracking system for global freelancers - Strengthened Polkadot ecosystem adoption through new users and real work-related transactio -> [!CAUTION] -> If any of your deliverables are based on somebody else's work, make sure you work and publish *under the terms of the license* of the respective project and that you **highlight this fact in your milestone documentation** and in the source code if applicable! **Projects that submit other people's work without proper attribution will be immediately terminated.** - ### Overview Escrow Module: Reviewers can create, release, and refund escrow via Asset Hub using the demo UI or API endpoint; all transactions are verifiable on-chain. @@ -467,3 +399,20 @@ Key milestones achieved include: - Integrated with Stripe, Paystack, and Brex for local and global payments We are now extending this infrastructure onto Polkadot/Substrate, incorporating on-chain escrow, identity, and reputation modules to enable trustless collaboration globally. +Researches that helps: + +- [How Much Can Freelancers Make in 2025? - Upwork](https://www.upwork.com/resources/how-much-do-freelancers-make) +- [What is the gig economy and what's the deal for gig workers? | World Economic Forum](https://www.weforum.org/stories/2024/11/what-gig-economy-workers/) +- [Nigeria's Gig-economy: The Rise of Independent Workers](https://www.verivafrica.com/insights/nigerias-gig-economy-the-rise-of-independent-workers) +- [Freelancing in Africa: A Growing Trend On the Continent](https://africa.com/freelancing-africa-growing-trend-continent/) + +Just this week, I have connected with 2 Nigerians who suffered same issue: + +- [Read Ridwan’s story](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ridwan-akinfenwa_techjourney-software-engineering-activity-7369804640403488768-gJ5x?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAADm9NOUB9nZSMXq6VmGJgcLXlWxbuEH3RxA) +- [Read the comments here to see more stories](https://x.com/EOEboh/status/1965144928113344569) + +Supporting research articles: + +- [9 of 10 Africans unqualified for Jobs apply to - Research - P.M. News](https://pmnewsnigeria.com/2018/12/13/9-of-10-africans-unqualified-for-jobs-apply-to-research/) +- [The 'wicked problems’ of talent management](https://www.edgecumbe.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/Wicked-Problems-FINAL-07-11-22.pdf) +- [New Report Finds 59% of Freelancers Are Owed $50,000 or More by Late Paying Clients](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2022/02/17/2387268/0/en/New-Report-Finds-59-of-Freelancers-Are-Owed-50-000-or-More-by-Late-Paying-Clients.html) From 8d5f69708f7657934b18f95e50e5dfe510b975b8 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Growwrapp <157356291+Growwrapp@users.noreply.github.com> Date: Fri, 17 Oct 2025 15:40:46 +0100 Subject: [PATCH 07/24] Update Growwr.md --- Growwr.md | 61 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++------------------------- 1 file changed, 33 insertions(+), 28 deletions(-) diff --git a/Growwr.md b/Growwr.md index 24e6e50ca19..b601bd0f740 100644 --- a/Growwr.md +++ b/Growwr.md @@ -32,20 +32,14 @@ We’re creating a decentralized layer that ensures freelancers and businesses a The final platform will consist of three main layers: -**1. AI Work Intelligence Layer** - Powered by Growwr’s proprietary AI engines: -- **TalentVerify™** – verifies identity, credentials, and skills using cross-referenced digital fingerprints, behavioral data, and social proofs. -- **SmartMatch™** – uses AI to match verified talent with projects using performance, culture-fit, and skill data. -- **PerformanceIQ™** – analyzes on-chain records and project outcomes to predict reliability and work quality. +**1. AI Work Intelligence Layer:** +Uses Growwr’s AI systems (TalentVerify™, SmartMatch™, and PerformanceIQ™) to verify talent, match them with projects, and predict reliability. -**2. Blockchain Trust Layer (Polkadot/Substrate Integration)** -- **Decentralized Identity (DID)**: On-chain verified profiles for talent and businesses. -- **Smart Escrow Contracts:** Automate milestones, delivery, and secure payments using Polkadot stable assets. -- **Immutable Work Ledger**: Stores verified work transactions and performance metrics. -- **Reputation Protocol**: Builds transparent reputation scores based on verified contributions. +**2. Blockchain Trust Layer:** +Integrates Polkadot for decentralized identity (DID), smart escrow payments using stable assets, and on-chain reputation tracking. -**3. Application Layer (Web + API)** -- Unified web platform and API suite for businesses and freelancers to hire, collaborate, and transact seamlessly — entirely on-chain. +**3. Application Layer:** +A seamless web and API interface enabling businesses and freelancers to hire, collaborate, and transact securely — fully powered by Polkadot. **Mockups / UI Components** @@ -123,14 +117,25 @@ These milestones highlight not just validation from African ecosystems but also **Where and how does your project fit into the Polkadot/Substrate/Kusama ecosystem?** -Growwr fits into the Polkadot ecosystem as a decentralized, AI-powered work infrastructure layer that brings trustless talent verification, on-chain identity, and borderless payments to the future of work. We leverage Polkadot’s multi-chain architecture to build interoperable components that serve both the talent and enterprise sides of hiring. +Growwr is building a Web2-to-Web3 bridge for global work infrastructure — integrating Polkadot’s scalable, interoperable network to power trustless payments, verified digital identity, and on-chain reputation for African and global talent. -Our integration leverages: +We’re not creating a new parachain; instead, we’re leveraging existing Polkadot primitives such as Asset Hub, and Proof of Personhood (PoP) for the following purposes: -- Substrate for building a decentralized Talent Identity Chain (TIC) — a registry of verified professionals, work history, and credentials. -- Polkadot parachains for cross-chain payment processing and smart contract settlement between clients and freelancers. -- Decentralized storage via IPFS for immutable portfolio records. -- Ink! smart contracts for escrow-backed milestone payments and automated performance releases. +- Cross-border payments: Integrating USDC on Asset Hub for instant, low-cost, and borderless transactions between freelancers and clients. + +- Decentralized identity: Using Proof of Personhood to issue on-chain DIDs linked to verified Growwr profiles, enabling transparent work histories. + +This integration transforms Growwr from a centralized Web2 platform into a trustless, interoperable dApp, contributing directly to Polkadot’s ecosystem growth. By embedding Polkadot into our live product, we bring over 50,000 existing users (talent and businesses) into the DOT economy — increasing real-world DOT and stable asset utility. + +In summary, Growwr strengthens the Polkadot ecosystem by: + +- Driving user adoption (50k+ users and growing), + +- Increasing stablecoin and DOT-based transaction volume, + +- Demonstrating a high-impact real-world use case (cross-border work + identity verification), and + +- Serving as a reusable integration model for other Web2 platforms entering Web3. **Who is your target audience?** @@ -156,7 +161,7 @@ We are effectively building the decentralized LinkedIn + Upwork for Web3, powere Our team validated these problems through: - First-hand experience: Our founders lost contracts due to regional bias and payment failure — a reality faced by millions. -- User data: 17,000+ talent applications and 3,000+ businesses onboarded in our Web2 MVP show deep demand for verifiable, borderless hiring. +- User data: 19,000+ talent applications and 2,000+ businesses onboarded in our Web2 MVP show deep demand for verifiable, borderless hiring. - Market research: 70% of freelancers in emerging markets experience delayed or missing payments; 54% of employers report poor hiring accuracy (Source: World Bank & IFC 2023). - Community signals: Web3 DAOs and remote-first teams repeatedly cite the lack of trusted work reputation and compliance tools as barriers to scaling decentralized hiring. @@ -248,7 +253,7 @@ Total Duration: 3 months FTE: ~3 full-time engineers + 1 product manager across a 3 month build cycle -Total Costs: $26,000 +Total Costs: $22,000 Focus: Building Growwr’s Substrate-powered escrow & reputation engine integrated into the existing Growwr ecosystem. @@ -258,26 +263,26 @@ Focus: Building Growwr’s Substrate-powered escrow & reputation engine integrat | ------------------------------ | --------------------------- | | **Total Estimated Duration** | 3 months | | **Full-Time Equivalent (FTE)** | 4 | -| **Total Costs** | $26,000 USD | +| **Total Costs** | $22,000 USD | | **Deliverables** | 3 core milestones | -**Milestone 1 — Substrate Smart Escrow Module** +**Milestone 1 — Cross-Border Payment Integration (DOT and Stable Assets)** Estimated duration: 1 month FTE: 3 -Costs: $10,000 USD +Costs: $11,000 USD **Objective** -Develop a Substrate-based trustless escrow engine that securely holds payments between clients and freelancers until predefined project milestones are achieved. This will serve as the foundational blockchain layer for Growwr’s payment architecture. +Enable transparent cross-border payments in DOT or stable assets through Growwr. | No. | Deliverable | Specification | | --- | -------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | 1. | License | MIT | -| 2. | Documentation | Inline Rust documentation for Substrate modules + basic user setup guide showing how to deploy a local node and execute a sample escrow transaction. | -| 3. | Testing & Guide | Unit tests covering escrow initiation, milestone validation, and payment release; 90%+ test coverage. | -| 4. | Docker | Dockerfile for launching the node and running all tests locally. | -| 5. | Substrate Module: **Escrow Engine** | Implements payment locking/unlocking logic with milestone-based release. Uses Substrate’s balances and contracts pallets. | +| 2. | Documentation | Inline Rust documentation for basic user setup guide showing how to deploy a local node and execute a sample escrow transaction. | +| 3. | Testing & Guide | Unit tests covering payment; 90%+ test coverage. | +| 4. | Asset Hub Integration | Integrate Asset Hub assets (DOT + stable assets) for escrow funding and settlement. | +| 5. | Payment Flow Setup | Build payment logic for deposits and withdrawals using DOT or supported stablecoins. | | 6. | Smart Contracts: **Payment Validator** | ink! smart contract that automatically releases funds based on validated completion hashes from Growwr’s API. | | 7. | Integration | Initial API endpoint for interaction between Growwr Web2 backend and Substrate node. | From b1e5d73a96194bb87eb0a2f2e024f0282927fe86 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Growwrapp <157356291+Growwrapp@users.noreply.github.com> Date: Fri, 17 Oct 2025 15:56:09 +0100 Subject: [PATCH 08/24] Update Growwr.md --- Growwr.md | 88 +++++++++++++++++++++++-------------------------------- 1 file changed, 37 insertions(+), 51 deletions(-) diff --git a/Growwr.md b/Growwr.md index b601bd0f740..8ff1d92f5d4 100644 --- a/Growwr.md +++ b/Growwr.md @@ -255,18 +255,9 @@ FTE: ~3 full-time engineers + 1 product manager across a 3 month build cycle Total Costs: $22,000 -Focus: Building Growwr’s Substrate-powered escrow & reputation engine integrated into the existing Growwr ecosystem. - **Overview** -| Item | Description | -| ------------------------------ | --------------------------- | -| **Total Estimated Duration** | 3 months | -| **Full-Time Equivalent (FTE)** | 4 | -| **Total Costs** | $22,000 USD | -| **Deliverables** | 3 core milestones | - -**Milestone 1 — Cross-Border Payment Integration (DOT and Stable Assets)** +**Milestone 1 — Cross-Border Payment Integration** Estimated duration: 1 month FTE: 3 @@ -274,19 +265,19 @@ Costs: $11,000 USD **Objective** -Enable transparent cross-border payments in DOT or stable assets through Growwr. +Enable seamless cross-border payments using Polkadot’s Asset Hub and supported stable assets (e.g., USDC/USDT), integrated into Growwr’s escrow system. -| No. | Deliverable | Specification | -| --- | -------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -| 1. | License | MIT | -| 2. | Documentation | Inline Rust documentation for basic user setup guide showing how to deploy a local node and execute a sample escrow transaction. | -| 3. | Testing & Guide | Unit tests covering payment; 90%+ test coverage. | -| 4. | Asset Hub Integration | Integrate Asset Hub assets (DOT + stable assets) for escrow funding and settlement. | -| 5. | Payment Flow Setup | Build payment logic for deposits and withdrawals using DOT or supported stablecoins. | -| 6. | Smart Contracts: **Payment Validator** | ink! smart contract that automatically releases funds based on validated completion hashes from Growwr’s API. | -| 7. | Integration | Initial API endpoint for interaction between Growwr Web2 backend and Substrate node. | +| Number | Deliverable | Specification | +| :----- | :------------------------- | :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | +| 0a. | License | MIT | +| 0b. | Documentation | Inline technical documentation explaining escrow and payment workflows. | +| 0c. | Testing Guide | Comprehensive test guide for deposit, release, and refund functions using Asset Hub assets. | +| 1. | Asset Hub Integration | Integrate Asset Hub stable assets (DOT + USDC/USDT equivalents) for escrow funding and settlement. | +| 2. | Escrow Contract Connection | Connect existing open-source escrow contract (ink! based) for secure project payments. | +| 3. | Payment Flow Logic | Implement DOT-based and stablecoin-based transaction flows between clients and talent. | +| 4. | Demo Transaction | Complete 3 verified cross-border test transactions on Westend. | -**Milestone 2 — On-Chain Identity & Reputation System** +**Milestone 2 — Web2-to-Web3 Connection** Estimated duration: 1 month FTE: 2 @@ -294,50 +285,45 @@ Costs: $6,000 USD **Objective** -Develop an on-chain identity (DID) and reputation engine to verify and store freelancer credentials, ratings, and work history in a decentralized, tamper-proof format. +Connect Growwr’s existing Web2 infrastructure to Polkadot using the Polkadot.js API for user identity, payments, and verification. -| No. | Deliverable | Specification | -| --- | -------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -| 1. | License | MIT | -| 2. | Documentation | Comprehensive README and user guide explaining DID registration, credential verification, and reputation scoring. | -| 3. | Testing & Guide | Unit and integration tests for identity registration, verification, and retrieval endpoints. | -| 4. | Docker | Docker container to spin up the reputation system locally with mock Growwr API integration. | -| 5. | Substrate Module: **DID & Reputation** | Module to register on-chain identities linked to Growwr user IDs. Uses verifiable credentials and stores performance metrics. | -| 6. | Library: **Reputation JS SDK** | JS library enabling Growwr frontend to fetch and display reputation scores from the Substrate node. | -| 7. | Integration | Connect Growwr’s AI models to auto-score performance (via Gemini + Cursor) and log reputation proofs on-chain. | +| Number | Deliverable | Specification | +| :----- | :---------------------- | :---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | +| 0a. | License | MIT | +| 0b. | Documentation | Guide detailing integration between Growwr backend and Polkadot.js API. | +| 0c. | Testing Guide | Include steps for testing DID creation, wallet connection, and API calls. | +| 1. | Polkadot.js Integration | Integrate wallet connection and transaction signing for escrow and identity operations. | +| 2. | DID Integration | Implement decentralized identity linking to user Polkadot address. | +| 3. | API Connection Layer | Build a lightweight API bridge connecting Growwr’s backend to Polkadot blockchain calls. | +| 4. | Web Interface Update | Enable end-users to trigger on-chain interactions directly from Growwr.co dashboard. | -**Milestone 3 — AI-Powered Project Scoring + Polkadot Integration** + +**Milestone 3 — Production Deployment + Public Demo** Estimated duration: 1 month FTE: 3 -Costs: $10,000 USD +Costs: $5,000 USD **Objective** -Integrate Growwr’s AI engines (Gemini + Cursor) into the blockchain layer to provide AI-verified project scoring and skill matching, then connect the entire system to Polkadot’s relay chain for scalability and cross-chain identity. - -| No. | Deliverable | Specification | -| --- | --------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -| 1. | License | MIT | -| 2. | Documentation | Setup guide explaining end-to-end workflow from AI evaluation → Substrate module update → on-chain verification. | -| 3. | Testing & Guide | End-to-end testing of AI prediction integration and Polkadot relay communication. | -| 4. | Docker | Combined image for AI layer + Substrate node. | -| 5. | AI Integration Module | Connects Growwr’s machine learning models for performance prediction to Substrate events. | -| 6. | Cross-Chain Bridge | Uses Polkadot’s relay chain to connect Growwr’s Substrate parachain to other identity networks for verifiable credentials. | -| 7. | Article | Publish a technical post on *“Building Trustless AI-Powered Work Systems on Polkadot”* detailing architecture, achievements, and next steps. | +Integrate Growwr’s AI engines (Gemini + Cursor) into the blockchain layer and deploy full Polkadot integration (payments, identity, verification) into Growwr’s live platform and showcase a working demo. -**Expected Outcomes** +| Number | Deliverable | Specification | +| :----- | :----------------- | :------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | +| 0a. | License | MIT | +| 0b. | Documentation | Publish end-to-end implementation documentation and user guide. | +| 0c. | Testing Guide | Include mainnet test scenarios and validation checklists. | +| 1. | Mainnet Deployment | Deploy escrow, payment, and DID integration on Growwr.co production. | +| 2. | Public Demo | Launch live demo showcasing cross-border payment and identity flow on Polkadot. | +| 3. | User Migration | Onboard 50,000+ users to Growwr’s Polkadot-integrated infrastructure. | +| 4. | Report | Provide transaction data, analytics, and verification of DOT and asset usage. | -- Fully operational trustless work engine on Substrate -- Seamless integration of AI-based skill scoring and milestone validation -- Decentralized identity and reputation tracking system for global freelancers -- Strengthened Polkadot ecosystem adoption through new users and real work-related transactio ### Overview -Escrow Module: Reviewers can create, release, and refund escrow via Asset Hub using the demo UI or API endpoint; all transactions are verifiable on-chain. +- Reviewers can create, release, and refund escrow via Asset Hub using the demo UI or API endpoint; all transactions are verifiable on-chain. -Identity (PoP) Module: Reviewers can register a test identity, link it to a Growwr user, and verify attestation references. +- Reviewers can register a test identity, link it to a Growwr user, and verify attestation references. ## Future Plans From 43d132b869591c98a44d8f7142e7e8bf890dcbb1 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Growwrapp <157356291+Growwrapp@users.noreply.github.com> Date: Fri, 17 Oct 2025 16:18:28 +0100 Subject: [PATCH 09/24] Update Growwr.md --- Growwr.md | 20 +++++++++++--------- 1 file changed, 11 insertions(+), 9 deletions(-) diff --git a/Growwr.md b/Growwr.md index 8ff1d92f5d4..7a0bfdd73b2 100644 --- a/Growwr.md +++ b/Growwr.md @@ -19,11 +19,12 @@ Empowering Africa’s workforce with AI and blockchain—building a transparent, Growwr is an AI-powered work platform designed to connect verified African professionals with global businesses while ensuring trust, payment security, and transparency through blockchain technology. Today, 74% of freelancers across Africa experience payment delays of up to three months, and 16% never receive payment at all. Beyond that, millions remain excluded from financial systems—lacking access to credit, insurance, or even device financing. Growwr solves these systemic challenges by merging AI and Web3. Our platform uses AI engines for talent verification, chemistry-fit matching, and performance intelligence, while integrating Polkadot’s blockchain to ensure trustless payments, on-chain work credentials, and transparent work histories. Every transaction and verified contribution will be recorded on Polkadot, creating an immutable professional identity that eliminates fraud, bias, and opacity in the hiring process. -By deploying on Polkadot, Growwr leverages its scalable multi-chain architecture, interoperability, and low-cost transactions to build a high-throughput infrastructure for millions of micro-transactions between businesses and workers. Our vision is to make Polkadot the core trust layer for the future of work across emerging markets—powering verified identity, instant cross-border payments, and decentralized professional reputation systems. +By integrating with Polkadot, Growwr benefits from interoperability, scalability, and low-cost transactions, enabling fast, secure micro-payments across borders. Our goal is to make Polkadot the trust layer for the future of work in emerging markets—powering verified identity, instant payments, and transparent reputation systems. **Why We’re Building This:** Our journey is deeply personal. In 2021, Growwr’s founder lost 17 international contracts simply because of nationality—a reflection of the systemic bias and payment insecurity facing over 300 million skilled professionals across emerging markets. That experience inspired the creation of Growwr: a platform that restores trust, opportunity, and inclusion using AI and blockchain. -Polkadot’s ecosystem offers the ideal foundation to scale this vision. With its Substrate framework and interoperable design, we can build a future-ready infrastructure that connects verified talent to global opportunities—securely, transparently, and without borders. + +Polkadot’s ecosystem provides the ideal foundation to scale this vision. Its interoperable and secure design allows Growwr to connect verified talent to global opportunities—ensuring trust, transparency, and borderless collaboration. ### Project Details @@ -65,13 +66,13 @@ Key interfaces include: - Smart Contract Layer to define project milestones, dispute logic, and escrow release - Reputation Engine to aggregate work outcomes into on-chain performance index -All blockchain interactions are managed using the Polkadot.js API and secured via Substrate-based pallets for escrow and identity. +All blockchain interactions are managed using the Polkadot.js API, integrating Polkadot’s identity and escrow standards for trustless verification and payments. **Technology Stack** - Frontend: Next.js, React, Tailwind CSS - Backend: Java (Spring Boot), Node.js -- Blockchain: Polkadot/Substrate, Ink! Smart Contracts, Polkadot.js +- Blockchain: Polkadot, Ink! Smart Contracts, Polkadot.js - AI: Python, Google Gemini API, Cursor - Database: PostgreSQL, Redis, IPFS (for proof storage) - Infrastructure: Google Cloud, Digital Ocean @@ -119,7 +120,7 @@ These milestones highlight not just validation from African ecosystems but also Growwr is building a Web2-to-Web3 bridge for global work infrastructure — integrating Polkadot’s scalable, interoperable network to power trustless payments, verified digital identity, and on-chain reputation for African and global talent. -We’re not creating a new parachain; instead, we’re leveraging existing Polkadot primitives such as Asset Hub, and Proof of Personhood (PoP) for the following purposes: +We’re leveraging existing Polkadot primitives such as Asset Hub, and Proof of Personhood (PoP) for the following purposes: - Cross-border payments: Integrating USDC on Asset Hub for instant, low-cost, and borderless transactions between freelancers and clients. @@ -140,12 +141,13 @@ In summary, Growwr strengthens the Polkadot ecosystem by: **Who is your target audience?** -Our project serves two main user groups within the Polkadot ecosystem: +Growwr serves two primary user groups within the Polkadot ecosystem: + +- Web3 Companies and DAOs – who require verifiable, bias-free access to global talent across roles such as developers, designers, marketers, and community managers. -- Web3 companies and DAOs — who need verifiable, bias-free access to global talent (developers, designers, marketers, and community managers). -- Web3 professionals — who need on-chain proof-of-skill, verified reputation, and trustless payouts. +- Web3 Professionals – who need on-chain proof-of-skill, verified reputation, and trustless payouts to build transparent work histories and financial inclusion. -Indirectly, our work also supports parachain developers, dapp creators, and wallet builders, as Growwr can integrate their APIs for payments, identity, or analytics — expanding real-world utility across the ecosystem. +Indirectly, Growwr also supports developers, dApp creators, and wallet providers by integrating their APIs for payments, identity, and analytics, helping expand real-world utility and interoperability across the Polkadot ecosystem. **What needs does your project meet?** From 973307d5bcb7925c883eb59b4440cf950621425e Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Growwrapp <157356291+Growwrapp@users.noreply.github.com> Date: Fri, 17 Oct 2025 16:20:38 +0100 Subject: [PATCH 10/24] Update Growwr.md --- Growwr.md | 1 - 1 file changed, 1 deletion(-) diff --git a/Growwr.md b/Growwr.md index 7a0bfdd73b2..63ec7e0c5dc 100644 --- a/Growwr.md +++ b/Growwr.md @@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ - **Team Name:** Growwr Inc. - **Payment Details:** - **DOT**: For the **DOT** compensation, DOT: 16AzsJCQCWsinV1RyBd3H4XRNE5XWUCWL9GfCZSt6u5vum8S - - **Payment**: --- - **[Level](https://grants.web3.foundation/docs/Introduction/levels):** Level 2 ## Project Overview :page_facing_up: From c22e1a2fdcaaeab97532e7c53772bdcdd793bb46 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Growwrapp <157356291+Growwrapp@users.noreply.github.com> Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2025 17:52:06 +0100 Subject: [PATCH 11/24] Update Growwr.md --- Growwr.md | 1 + 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+) diff --git a/Growwr.md b/Growwr.md index 63ec7e0c5dc..53cd7f2d961 100644 --- a/Growwr.md +++ b/Growwr.md @@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ - **Team Name:** Growwr Inc. - **Payment Details:** - **DOT**: For the **DOT** compensation, DOT: 16AzsJCQCWsinV1RyBd3H4XRNE5XWUCWL9GfCZSt6u5vum8S + - **USDC**: For the **USDC** (Asset Hub Polkadot) compensation, USDC: 16BSWkFeXcAB32mPsMXgKcZu3GZWyAj71JKSTjfJLcAj6eGP - **[Level](https://grants.web3.foundation/docs/Introduction/levels):** Level 2 ## Project Overview :page_facing_up: From 447c25910d177d4c334ff974427a3723f6034d7f Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Growwrapp <157356291+Growwrapp@users.noreply.github.com> Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2025 18:11:11 +0100 Subject: [PATCH 12/24] Update Growwr.md --- Growwr.md | 11 +++++------ 1 file changed, 5 insertions(+), 6 deletions(-) diff --git a/Growwr.md b/Growwr.md index 53cd7f2d961..b8002d742cc 100644 --- a/Growwr.md +++ b/Growwr.md @@ -249,13 +249,12 @@ Github: https://github.com/Growwr ## Development Roadmap :nut_and_bolt: -We’ll assume: - -Total Duration: 3 months - -FTE: ~3 full-time engineers + 1 product manager across a 3 month build cycle +**Overview** -Total Costs: $22,000 +- Total Duration: 3 months +- FTE: ~3 full-time engineers + 1 product manager across a 3 month build cycle +- Total Costs: $22,000 +- DOT %: 40% **Overview** From ae0363f4153d554f62941562b78a7df350725cf9 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Growwrapp <157356291+Growwrapp@users.noreply.github.com> Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2025 18:23:58 +0100 Subject: [PATCH 13/24] Update Growwr.md --- Growwr.md | 41 +++++++++++++++++++++-------------------- 1 file changed, 21 insertions(+), 20 deletions(-) diff --git a/Growwr.md b/Growwr.md index b8002d742cc..f0cb35438fa 100644 --- a/Growwr.md +++ b/Growwr.md @@ -256,8 +256,6 @@ Github: https://github.com/Growwr - Total Costs: $22,000 - DOT %: 40% -**Overview** - **Milestone 1 — Cross-Border Payment Integration** Estimated duration: 1 month @@ -268,15 +266,17 @@ Costs: $11,000 USD Enable seamless cross-border payments using Polkadot’s Asset Hub and supported stable assets (e.g., USDC/USDT), integrated into Growwr’s escrow system. -| Number | Deliverable | Specification | -| :----- | :------------------------- | :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -| 0a. | License | MIT | -| 0b. | Documentation | Inline technical documentation explaining escrow and payment workflows. | -| 0c. | Testing Guide | Comprehensive test guide for deposit, release, and refund functions using Asset Hub assets. | -| 1. | Asset Hub Integration | Integrate Asset Hub stable assets (DOT + USDC/USDT equivalents) for escrow funding and settlement. | -| 2. | Escrow Contract Connection | Connect existing open-source escrow contract (ink! based) for secure project payments. | -| 3. | Payment Flow Logic | Implement DOT-based and stablecoin-based transaction flows between clients and talent. | -| 4. | Demo Transaction | Complete 3 verified cross-border test transactions on Westend. | +| Number | Deliverable | Specification | +| :----- | :------------------------- | :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | +| 0a. | License | MIT | +| 0b. | Documentation | Inline technical documentation explaining escrow and payment workflows. | +| 0c. | Testing Guide | Comprehensive test guide for deposit, release, and refund functions using Asset Hub assets. | +| 0d. | Docker | Provide a Dockerfile and container setup for running the escrow and payment integration module locally, including setup instructions and dependencies. | +| 1. | Asset Hub Integration | Integrate Asset Hub stable assets (DOT + USDC/USDT equivalents) for escrow funding and settlement. | +| 2. | Escrow Contract Connection | Connect existing open-source escrow contract (ink! based) for secure project payments. | +| 3. | Payment Flow Logic | Implement DOT-based and stablecoin-based transaction flows between clients and talent. | +| 4. | Demo Transaction | Complete 3 verified cross-border test transactions on Westend. | + **Milestone 2 — Web2-to-Web3 Connection** @@ -288,15 +288,16 @@ Costs: $6,000 USD Connect Growwr’s existing Web2 infrastructure to Polkadot using the Polkadot.js API for user identity, payments, and verification. -| Number | Deliverable | Specification | -| :----- | :---------------------- | :---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -| 0a. | License | MIT | -| 0b. | Documentation | Guide detailing integration between Growwr backend and Polkadot.js API. | -| 0c. | Testing Guide | Include steps for testing DID creation, wallet connection, and API calls. | -| 1. | Polkadot.js Integration | Integrate wallet connection and transaction signing for escrow and identity operations. | -| 2. | DID Integration | Implement decentralized identity linking to user Polkadot address. | -| 3. | API Connection Layer | Build a lightweight API bridge connecting Growwr’s backend to Polkadot blockchain calls. | -| 4. | Web Interface Update | Enable end-users to trigger on-chain interactions directly from Growwr.co dashboard. | +| Number | Deliverable | Specification | +| :----- | :---------------------- | :--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | +| 0a. | License | MIT | +| 0b. | Documentation | Guide detailing integration between Growwr backend and Polkadot.js API. | +| 0c. | Testing Guide | Include steps for testing DID creation, wallet connection, and API calls. | +| 0d. | Docker | Provide a Dockerfile and container setup for running the Web2-to-Web3 integration module locally, including Polkadot.js connection and API bridge configuration. | +| 1. | Polkadot.js Integration | Integrate wallet connection and transaction signing for escrow and identity operations. | +| 2. | DID Integration | Implement decentralized identity linking to user Polkadot address. | +| 3. | API Connection Layer | Build a lightweight API bridge connecting Growwr’s backend to Polkadot blockchain calls. | +| 4. | Web Interface Update | Enable end-users to trigger on-chain interactions directly from Growwr.co dashboard. | **Milestone 3 — Production Deployment + Public Demo** From 7ed92003a9c0a2aa2ea74c4697e3001f10127e0c Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Growwrapp <157356291+Growwrapp@users.noreply.github.com> Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2025 18:26:26 +0100 Subject: [PATCH 14/24] Update Growwr.md --- Growwr.md | 19 ++++++++++--------- 1 file changed, 10 insertions(+), 9 deletions(-) diff --git a/Growwr.md b/Growwr.md index f0cb35438fa..300a0e785ef 100644 --- a/Growwr.md +++ b/Growwr.md @@ -310,15 +310,16 @@ Costs: $5,000 USD Integrate Growwr’s AI engines (Gemini + Cursor) into the blockchain layer and deploy full Polkadot integration (payments, identity, verification) into Growwr’s live platform and showcase a working demo. -| Number | Deliverable | Specification | -| :----- | :----------------- | :------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | -| 0a. | License | MIT | -| 0b. | Documentation | Publish end-to-end implementation documentation and user guide. | -| 0c. | Testing Guide | Include mainnet test scenarios and validation checklists. | -| 1. | Mainnet Deployment | Deploy escrow, payment, and DID integration on Growwr.co production. | -| 2. | Public Demo | Launch live demo showcasing cross-border payment and identity flow on Polkadot. | -| 3. | User Migration | Onboard 50,000+ users to Growwr’s Polkadot-integrated infrastructure. | -| 4. | Report | Provide transaction data, analytics, and verification of DOT and asset usage. | +| Number | Deliverable | Specification | +| :----- | :----------------- | :-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | +| 0a. | License | MIT | +| 0b. | Documentation | Publish end-to-end implementation documentation and user guide. | +| 0c. | Testing Guide | Include mainnet test scenarios and validation checklists. | +| 0d. | Docker | Provide a Dockerfile and container setup for deploying the full Growwr-Polkadot integration stack (escrow, DID, and AI verification modules) in a reproducible environment for testing and demo purposes. | +| 1. | Mainnet Deployment | Deploy escrow, payment, and DID integration on Growwr.co production. | +| 2. | Public Demo | Launch live demo showcasing cross-border payment and identity flow on Polkadot. | +| 3. | User Migration | Onboard 50,000+ users to Growwr’s Polkadot-integrated infrastructure. | +| 4. | Report | Provide transaction data, analytics, and verification of DOT and asset usage. | ### Overview From 366ee9ef2499fc12927530f1b69d7222b2a513a0 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Growwrapp <157356291+Growwrapp@users.noreply.github.com> Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2025 18:40:06 +0100 Subject: [PATCH 15/24] Update Growwr.md --- Growwr.md | 10 +++++++++- 1 file changed, 9 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-) diff --git a/Growwr.md b/Growwr.md index 300a0e785ef..32c928949f1 100644 --- a/Growwr.md +++ b/Growwr.md @@ -239,7 +239,15 @@ https://github.com/emma-ajay ### Team Code Repos -Please also provide the GitHub accounts of all team members. If they contain no activity, references to projects hosted elsewhere or live are also fine. +Source codes will reside in + +- https://github.com/Growwr + +Repos for further reference + +- https://github.com/Growwr/growwr-escrow-module + +- https://github.com/Growwr/growwr-identity-adapter ### Team LinkedIn Profiles (if available) From fd7121a2ecd70d4ca6c9b6216012f8f12a9cdc7e Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Growwrapp <157356291+Growwrapp@users.noreply.github.com> Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2025 18:50:14 +0100 Subject: [PATCH 16/24] Update Growwr.md --- Growwr.md | 4 ++-- 1 file changed, 2 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-) diff --git a/Growwr.md b/Growwr.md index 32c928949f1..49a972faa81 100644 --- a/Growwr.md +++ b/Growwr.md @@ -245,9 +245,9 @@ Source codes will reside in Repos for further reference -- https://github.com/Growwr/growwr-escrow-module +- https://github.com/Growwr/growwr-escrow-module (MIT License) -- https://github.com/Growwr/growwr-identity-adapter +- https://github.com/Growwr/growwr-identity-adapter (Apache 2.0 License) ### Team LinkedIn Profiles (if available) From 35f6bfbb59cfb8e197a0d4d88d8602eced416271 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Growwrapp <157356291+Growwrapp@users.noreply.github.com> Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2025 18:58:30 +0100 Subject: [PATCH 17/24] Update Growwr.md --- Growwr.md | 12 ++++++------ 1 file changed, 6 insertions(+), 6 deletions(-) diff --git a/Growwr.md b/Growwr.md index 49a972faa81..e56f2ebce59 100644 --- a/Growwr.md +++ b/Growwr.md @@ -222,12 +222,8 @@ We have not previously applied for a Web3 Foundation grant. **Leadership:** - Obinna Umeh (CEO & Co-Founder) – Nottingham Law School alumnus with honors, Obinna is a growth and product marketing expert with deep expertise in crypto, Web3, and fintech. He previously scaled Breet, a Web3 crypto company in Africa, to over 100,000 users in less than 6 months, and has led growth for global fintech and Web3 companies including WPMU Dev, Web2 Ranker, Cardtonic, and Dandy Writers (which scaled to ₦20M revenue in 10 months). -https://www.linkedin.com/in/obinnaumeh/ -https://obinnaumeh.webflow.io/ -- Emmanuel Ajayi (CTO & Co-Founder) – First-class graduate of Covenant University, Emmanuel brings strong blockchain network and product expertise. He has built and scaled products for companies like Trove Finance and Flexip Group, and founded Product Kitchen, delivering high-impact software solutions. Emmanuel leads the architecture of Growwr’s blockchain integrations, ensuring robust scalability and Stellar network alignment. -https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmanuel-ajayi-aj -https://github.com/emma-ajay +- Emmanuel Ajayi (CTO & Co-Founder) – First-class graduate of Covenant University, Emmanuel brings strong blockchain network and product expertise. He has built and scaled products for companies like Trove Finance and Flexip Group, and founded Product Kitchen, delivering high-impact software solutions. Emmanuel leads the architecture of Growwr’s blockchain integrations, ensuring robust scalability and Stellar network alignment. **Engineering & Design:** @@ -246,11 +242,15 @@ Source codes will reside in Repos for further reference - https://github.com/Growwr/growwr-escrow-module (MIT License) - - https://github.com/Growwr/growwr-identity-adapter (Apache 2.0 License) +- https://github.com/emma-ajay ### Team LinkedIn Profiles (if available) +- Obinna Umeh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/obinnaumeh/ +- Obinna Umeh (Work Portfolio): https://obinnaumeh.webflow.io/ +- Emmanuel Ajayi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmanuel-ajayi-aj + ## Development Status :open_book: Github: https://github.com/Growwr From 99003b73de98cc2636b1ef62fedea05b47a0a2e4 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Growwrapp <157356291+Growwrapp@users.noreply.github.com> Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2025 19:06:23 +0100 Subject: [PATCH 18/24] Update Growwr.md --- Growwr.md | 29 +++-------------------------- 1 file changed, 3 insertions(+), 26 deletions(-) diff --git a/Growwr.md b/Growwr.md index e56f2ebce59..56617f41e12 100644 --- a/Growwr.md +++ b/Growwr.md @@ -329,13 +329,6 @@ Integrate Growwr’s AI engines (Gemini + Cursor) into the blockchain layer and | 3. | User Migration | Onboard 50,000+ users to Growwr’s Polkadot-integrated infrastructure. | | 4. | Report | Provide transaction data, analytics, and verification of DOT and asset usage. | - -### Overview - -- Reviewers can create, release, and refund escrow via Asset Hub using the demo UI or API endpoint; all transactions are verifiable on-chain. - -- Reviewers can register a test identity, link it to a Growwr user, and verify attestation references. - ## Future Plans **Long-Term Maintenance & Financing** @@ -363,22 +356,6 @@ Drive adoption at scale: onboard 1 million verified freelancers and 10,000 busin Our vision is to make Growwr the decentralized standard for proof-of-work, proof-of-skill, and proof-of-payment — positioning Polkadot as the infrastructure powering the borderless digital economy of the future. -**Code Repos & Licensing:** - -We’ll share two open-source modules: - -- growwr-escrow-module (MIT License) - -- growwr-identity-adapter (Apache 2.0 License) - -Each will include documentation, examples, and Docker scripts for local testing. - -Public repos will be available at: - -- https://github.com/Growwr/growwr-escrow-module - -- https://github.com/Growwr/growwr-identity-adapter - ## Referral Program (optional) :moneybag: You can find more information about the program [here](https://grants.web3.foundation/docs/referral-program). @@ -387,9 +364,9 @@ N/A ## Additional Information :heavy_plus_sign: -**How did you hear about the Grants Program?** Web3 Foundation Website / Medium / Twitter / Element / Announcement by another team / personal recommendation / etc. +**How did you hear about the Grants Program?** I heard about you from an online search via [this article](https://rocknblock.io/blog/blockchain-ecosystem-grants-list#celo-community-fund-grant). -Work Completed So Far +**Work Completed So Far** Growwr has already developed and deployed a functional Web2 platform, now serving as the foundation for our transition into a Web3-enabled infrastructure. Key milestones achieved include: @@ -413,7 +390,7 @@ Just this week, I have connected with 2 Nigerians who suffered same issue: - [Read Ridwan’s story](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ridwan-akinfenwa_techjourney-software-engineering-activity-7369804640403488768-gJ5x?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAADm9NOUB9nZSMXq6VmGJgcLXlWxbuEH3RxA) - [Read the comments here to see more stories](https://x.com/EOEboh/status/1965144928113344569) -Supporting research articles: +**Supporting research articles:** - [9 of 10 Africans unqualified for Jobs apply to - Research - P.M. News](https://pmnewsnigeria.com/2018/12/13/9-of-10-africans-unqualified-for-jobs-apply-to-research/) - [The 'wicked problems’ of talent management](https://www.edgecumbe.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/Wicked-Problems-FINAL-07-11-22.pdf) From 49bd4d9b2f828882c96d071cd8e0f0ea5577ceda Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Growwrapp <157356291+Growwrapp@users.noreply.github.com> Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2025 19:12:05 +0100 Subject: [PATCH 19/24] Update Growwr.md --- Growwr.md | 2 +- 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-) diff --git a/Growwr.md b/Growwr.md index 56617f41e12..caeb0ac00bf 100644 --- a/Growwr.md +++ b/Growwr.md @@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ Repos for further reference ## Development Status :open_book: -Github: https://github.com/Growwr +Growwr’s core Web2 platform is fully developed and live with over 50,000 talents and 2,000 businesses across 13 countries. The next phase focuses on integrating Polkadot for decentralized identity, escrow payments, and verification — connecting our existing infrastructure to Web3. Support researches, blogs and articles can be found on the "Additional Information" section. I have sent proof of analytics and user base privately via email. ## Development Roadmap :nut_and_bolt: From de8959f8cf013ecc83e52d39760090a6d6ee6f72 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Growwrapp <157356291+Growwrapp@users.noreply.github.com> Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2025 19:22:37 +0100 Subject: [PATCH 20/24] Update Growwr.md --- Growwr.md | 2 +- 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-) diff --git a/Growwr.md b/Growwr.md index caeb0ac00bf..2ca664a49b4 100644 --- a/Growwr.md +++ b/Growwr.md @@ -364,7 +364,7 @@ N/A ## Additional Information :heavy_plus_sign: -**How did you hear about the Grants Program?** I heard about you from an online search via [this article](https://rocknblock.io/blog/blockchain-ecosystem-grants-list#celo-community-fund-grant). +**How did you hear about the Grants Program?** I heard about you from an online search via [this article](https://rocknblock.io/blog/blockchain-ecosystem-grants-list). **Work Completed So Far** From 21abfef647fb3b87b91353cadbdec32753e88a66 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Growwrapp <157356291+Growwrapp@users.noreply.github.com> Date: Thu, 23 Oct 2025 16:15:37 +0100 Subject: [PATCH 21/24] Update Growwr.md --- Growwr.md | 2 +- 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-) diff --git a/Growwr.md b/Growwr.md index 2ca664a49b4..efbeb8c0ddf 100644 --- a/Growwr.md +++ b/Growwr.md @@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ Growwr’s core Web2 platform is fully developed and live with over 50,000 talen - Total Duration: 3 months - FTE: ~3 full-time engineers + 1 product manager across a 3 month build cycle - Total Costs: $22,000 -- DOT %: 40% +- DOT %: 60% **Milestone 1 — Cross-Border Payment Integration** From 4989726ab07c51cfb8897cd999a6795964dd4359 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Growwrapp <157356291+Growwrapp@users.noreply.github.com> Date: Thu, 23 Oct 2025 16:27:10 +0100 Subject: [PATCH 22/24] Update Growwr.md --- Growwr.md | 2 +- 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-) diff --git a/Growwr.md b/Growwr.md index efbeb8c0ddf..d13204393e5 100644 --- a/Growwr.md +++ b/Growwr.md @@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ Despite receiving only $6,000 in grant funding to date, we’ve achieved signifi These milestones highlight not just validation from African ecosystems but also recognition at global startup platforms. -**Scope Clarifications — What Growwr Will Not Implement** +**What your project is not or will not provide/implement** - Growwr will not issue or manage tokens during the grant phase. - The project will not handle decentralized exchanges or speculative financial products. From db4ed97372d8afad056a1aff1517267b8aaf4d53 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Growwrapp <157356291+Growwrapp@users.noreply.github.com> Date: Thu, 23 Oct 2025 21:21:42 +0100 Subject: [PATCH 23/24] Update Growwr.md --- Growwr.md | 2 +- 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-) diff --git a/Growwr.md b/Growwr.md index d13204393e5..325401c33bc 100644 --- a/Growwr.md +++ b/Growwr.md @@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ Empowering Africa’s workforce with AI and blockchain—building a transparent, **Description:** -Growwr is an AI-powered work platform designed to connect verified African professionals with global businesses while ensuring trust, payment security, and transparency through blockchain technology. Today, 74% of freelancers across Africa experience payment delays of up to three months, and 16% never receive payment at all. Beyond that, millions remain excluded from financial systems—lacking access to credit, insurance, or even device financing. +Growwr is an AI-powered work platform designed to connect verified African professionals with global businesses while ensuring trust, payment security, and transparency through blockchain technology. In 2021, I lost 17 international contracts simply because I am Nigerian, the deal breaker was losing a $50,000 contract because I could not receive my payment from Washington. This is still a systematic problem that over 300 million skilled professionals across emerging markets face - marginalization, payment insecurity, and bias. For many, the promise of the remote economy is overshadowed by delayed or lost payments—affecting more than 70% of freelancersToday, 74% of freelancers across Africa experience payment delays of up to three months, and 16% never receive payment at all. Beyond that, millions remain excluded from financial systems—lacking access to credit, insurance, or even device financing. Growwr solves these systemic challenges by merging AI and Web3. Our platform uses AI engines for talent verification, chemistry-fit matching, and performance intelligence, while integrating Polkadot’s blockchain to ensure trustless payments, on-chain work credentials, and transparent work histories. Every transaction and verified contribution will be recorded on Polkadot, creating an immutable professional identity that eliminates fraud, bias, and opacity in the hiring process. By integrating with Polkadot, Growwr benefits from interoperability, scalability, and low-cost transactions, enabling fast, secure micro-payments across borders. Our goal is to make Polkadot the trust layer for the future of work in emerging markets—powering verified identity, instant payments, and transparent reputation systems. From 6ecadd430034c033ec161b6f9e000f1c1889ff1d Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Growwrapp <157356291+Growwrapp@users.noreply.github.com> Date: Thu, 23 Oct 2025 21:23:29 +0100 Subject: [PATCH 24/24] Update Growwr.md --- Growwr.md | 2 +- 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-) diff --git a/Growwr.md b/Growwr.md index 325401c33bc..14462a88dfb 100644 --- a/Growwr.md +++ b/Growwr.md @@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ Empowering Africa’s workforce with AI and blockchain—building a transparent, **Description:** -Growwr is an AI-powered work platform designed to connect verified African professionals with global businesses while ensuring trust, payment security, and transparency through blockchain technology. In 2021, I lost 17 international contracts simply because I am Nigerian, the deal breaker was losing a $50,000 contract because I could not receive my payment from Washington. This is still a systematic problem that over 300 million skilled professionals across emerging markets face - marginalization, payment insecurity, and bias. For many, the promise of the remote economy is overshadowed by delayed or lost payments—affecting more than 70% of freelancersToday, 74% of freelancers across Africa experience payment delays of up to three months, and 16% never receive payment at all. Beyond that, millions remain excluded from financial systems—lacking access to credit, insurance, or even device financing. +Growwr is an AI-powered work platform designed to connect verified African professionals with global businesses while ensuring trust, payment security, and transparency through blockchain technology. In 2021, I lost 17 international contracts simply because I am Nigerian, the deal breaker was losing a $50,000 contract because I could not receive my payment from Washington. This is still a systematic problem that over 300 million skilled professionals across emerging markets face - marginalization, payment insecurity, and bias. For many, the promise of the remote economy is overshadowed by delayed or lost payments—affecting more than 70% of freelancers. Today, 74% of freelancers across Africa experience payment delays of up to three months, and 16% never receive payment at all. Beyond that, millions remain excluded from financial systems—lacking access to credit, insurance, or even device financing. Growwr solves these systemic challenges by merging AI and Web3. Our platform uses AI engines for talent verification, chemistry-fit matching, and performance intelligence, while integrating Polkadot’s blockchain to ensure trustless payments, on-chain work credentials, and transparent work histories. Every transaction and verified contribution will be recorded on Polkadot, creating an immutable professional identity that eliminates fraud, bias, and opacity in the hiring process. By integrating with Polkadot, Growwr benefits from interoperability, scalability, and low-cost transactions, enabling fast, secure micro-payments across borders. Our goal is to make Polkadot the trust layer for the future of work in emerging markets—powering verified identity, instant payments, and transparent reputation systems.