This document is for anyone considering applying to the Unova Grant Program. It explains what Unova is, what we are looking for, how the two tracks work, what the prizes are, and how to submit. If you have questions after reading this, join our Discord and ask in the #Grant-Program-Support channel.
Unova is a distributed data infrastructure layer that enables organizations to exchange, verify, and act on data across organizational boundaries without surrendering ownership, privacy, or control of that data.
At its core, Unova is built in three layers: A Layer-1 blockchain provides decentralized identity, cryptographic verification, and an immutable audit trail. Above it, each participating organization runs its own enterprise node, where data stays local and the organization decides exactly what gets shared and with whom. On top of that, an optional AI layer lets organizations run models directly where their data lives, with no centralization and no leakage.
Compliance and trust are built into the protocol itself. Every data exchange is verifiable and auditable by design.
Developers can build applications on top of this infrastructure using the Unova SDK and enterprise node architecture. Hubwatch, the first application built on Unova, is already live in production handling supply chain traceability and EUDR compliance for real enterprise customers, tracking products from raw material to end consumer with every step verified on the network.
In short: Unova is the infrastructure that lets data move between organizations safely. Building on Unova means building something that could not exist before, because the trust layer it depends on did not exist.
These are the categories where Unova infrastructure is most directly applicable. Your submission does not need to fit neatly into one of these, but they are the most credible starting points.
Supply chain traceability and provenance. Knowing where a product came from, who handled it, and whether every step in the chain meets regulatory or quality standards, with verifiable proof rather than self-reported documentation.
Compliance and audit workflows. Replacing manual, duplicated compliance processes with automated, verifiable data exchange between companies, auditors, and regulators. EUDR, ESG reporting, and Digital Product Passports are live examples of this today.
Cross-organizational data collaboration. Any situation where two or more organizations need to work with shared data without either of them surrendering control of it. Healthcare research, financial services reconciliation, and multi-party contract verification are examples.
Private AI across organizational boundaries. Running AI models on data from multiple organizations without that data ever leaving its owner's environment. Federated intelligence for industries where data sensitivity prevents the usual centralized AI approach.
Digital identity and credentials for organizations, suppliers, and products. Verifiable credentials that prove who a supplier is, what certifications a product holds, or what access rights an organization has, without relying on a central authority to issue or maintain them.
This track is for individuals or teams who want to build a working application on top of Unova infrastructure.
We are looking for ideas grounded in a real problem, built on Unova in a way that demonstrates what the infrastructure can actually do. The best submissions will be ones where Unova infrastructure is not an afterthought but the reason the solution is possible at all.
What we want you to build: A solution that addresses a real enterprise challenge in one of the categories above, using Unova's enterprise node architecture, data verification layer, or AI add-on capabilities. The solution should be specific: pick one problem, one industry, one workflow, and solve it well rather than trying to cover everything.