Dfinity is a decentralized computing network currently in development using blockchain and algorithmic governance supported by the crypto studio String Labs based in Palo Alto, CA, USA. The Dfinity protocol is designed to be self governing through a network Dfinity calls a "Blockchain Nervous System", with a proof of stake consensus like consensus algorithm using a verifiable random function known as a randomness beacon. It was founded in 2014 and includes chief scientist and president Dominic Williams, CEO Tom Ding, Timo Hanke, Ben Lynn and others. The company is privately held with funding both from community fundraising as well as venture capital funding from Polychain Capital, Andreessen Horowitz and others.
Interview with Dominic Williams and Tom Ding of Dfinity. Source: Epicenter.tv
Consensus mechanism
Decentralized consensus is separated into four layers beginning with the identity layer, then the random beacon layer, then the blockchain layer, and finally a notary layer. Quorum selection is driven by a verifiable random function or randomness beacon, which produces a source of cryptographic randomness.
An explanation of Dfinity
Timeline
Dfinity launches an open source platform aimed at the social networking giants
Dfinity raises a $102,000,000 venture round from Polychain Capital, Village Global, Andreessen Horowitz, SV Angel, Amino Capital, Scalar Capital, Multicoin Capital and Aspect Ventures.
Dfinity announces a $61M fundraising round led by Polychain Capital and Andreessen Horowitz
The round $61M round led by Polychain Capital and Andreessen Horowitz, along with an DFINITY Ecosystem Venture Fund which will be used to support projects developing on the DFINITY platform, and an Ethereum based raise in 2017 brings the total funding for the project over $100 million. This is the first cryptocurrency token that Andressen Horowitz has invested in, led by Chris Dixon.
Ethereum based community seed round raises 4M Swiss francs (CHF)
The round was raised by the DFINITY Stiftung, a not-for-profit foundation entity based in Zug, Switzerland. The foundation held $10M of assets as of April 2017.
Funding rounds
People
Andreas Rossberg
Arthur Falls
Artia Moghbel
Ben Lynn
Blair Lewis
Bryan Ford
Cedric Waldburger
Cristina Basescu
David J. Namdar
Investor
Derek Minter
Employee
Dominic Williams
Eleftherios K'-Kogias
Enzo Haussecker
Ewa Syta
Linus Gasser
Maciej Wos
Mahnush Movahedi
Martin Becze
Michael Hunte
Nicolas Gailly
Norton Wang
Paul Liu
Philipp Jovanovic
Robert Lauko
Shigeo Mitsunari
Further reading
Blockchain Project Raises $61 Million from A16Z, Polychain Capital - CoinDesk
Stan Higgins
Dfinity raises $61 million for blockchain-based cloud
Mo Marshall
Dfinity raises $61 million for platform that rivals ethereum
Seema Mody
DFINITY Technology Overview Series Consensus System
Timo Hanke, Mahnush Movahedi, Dominic Williams
Dfinity: Inside the blockchain nervous system of the 'World Computer'
Ian Allison
Intro to dfinity concept
Dfinity
The DFINITY “Blockchain Nervous System” – DFINITY Blog – Medium
Dominic Williams
Documentaries, videos and podcasts
Companies
News
References
Dfinity
Company attributes
Cryptocurrency attributes
Other attributes
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Contributors
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Alex Dean
Healthcare Research Analyst @ Veradigm | Masters in Biostatistics/Epidemiology: UC Berkeley | BA in Biology: Wesleyan University - 2
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Seeking to explain science and technology through simple writing. - 4
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Special Projects & Business Development at Golden, Founder - Seed-DB. - 6
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I'm a knowledge seeker with a thirst to understand how the world is connected. - 7
Neelam Jhaveri
Techno Geek + Gamer + Fashionista + Sense of Humor = It's ME - 8
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Founder and CEO of Golden, Entrepreneur. Investor in 200+ companies. Cantabrigian (Gonville and Caius). Interested in the universe. - 9
Carla Faraguna
Golden People and Operations. - 10
Michael Mangus
Golden engineer. Former tech coordinator for UCSB Media Neuroscience Lab (PhD '15). Computational social scientist. NDT/CEDA 2A/1N. Patzer.
