Announcing the Filecoin Orbit University Challenge

We are excited to announce that Filecoin Foundation is hosting our first-ever Orbit University Challenge, a competition for university blockchain organizations to propose and design decentralized AI applications leveraging the Filecoin network. This challenge explores how decentralized storage can power AI models, enhance privacy, and drive impactful, real-world solutions. The winning team will receive two all-expenses-paid tickets to ETH Denver 2025 to present their idea and network with the global blockchain community.

Challenge Brief

Develop a concept for a decentralized AI application that uses Filecoin as the storage layer. Your proposal should demonstrate how Filecoin's decentralized storage infrastructure can solve challenges like:

Scalable data storage for AI models and datasets.

Privacy-preserving AI through encrypted, distributed data handling.

Data integrity and reliability using blockchain-based proofs to verify data availability.

Cost-efficiency for AI applications that require large-scale data and model storage.

Participants should focus on a real-world problem that can be addressed through this combination of AI and decentralized infrastructure.

Why DeAI?

More organizations are shifting toward closed and opaque training models, raising concerns about power concentration, and creating information silos and centralized control that expose data to vulnerabilities. The lack of transparency in these systems obscures crucial aspects of AI development, including details on data sources and training methodologies.

The Filecoin network offers an alternative to centralized models by enabling decentralization of resources and transparency into model data –– addressing the pressing need for open AI systems fortified by resilient digital infrastructure: the key to data provenance, authenticity, and verifiability in the high-frequency information age. Read more!

How to Participate

1. Develop Your Idea:

Create a concept for a decentralized AI application that leverages Filecoin’s storage network. Think creatively: The application could target healthcare, supply chain, media, finance, or research collaboration.

2. Submit Your Proposal:

Provide a 500-700 word summary of your concept, outlining:

• The problem being solved.
• The role of decentralized AI and Filecoin in your solution.
• Technical feasibility and impact of your project.

Submit the proposal in the portal and post a short description on X (formerly Twitter) with the hashtag #DecentralizedAIChallenge and tag @FilFoundation. Then, join the Filecoin Discord community.

Submission Deadline: All entries must be submitted by November 30, 2024.

3. Inspiration Examples

• Healthcare Federated Learning System: A privacy-preserving AI model trained across hospitals, with encrypted patient data stored on Filecoin.
• Supply Chain Forecasting Tool: An AI-powered system that analyzes supply chain data stored across decentralized nodes to predict demand and mitigate risks.
• Decentralized AI Model Repository: A platform where AI researchers share and retrieve models using Filecoin, ensuring availability and version control through blockchain-backed proofs.

Looking for more inspiration? Check out why leading AI projects choose Filecoin to advance AI, and how they're building on the network.

Judging Criteria

• Innovation: How creative and novel is the solution?
• Feasibility: Can this application be realistically built using Filecoin?
• Impact: Does the solution address a significant real-world problem?
• Technical Depth: How well does the proposal integrate AI with decentralized storage?
• Community Engagement: Social media activity will factor into judging, so teams are encouraged to share and promote their ideas.

Timeline

• Launch Date: November 1, 2024
• Submission Deadline: November 30, 2024
• Winner Announcement: December 15, 2024

Prizes

• Grand Prize: Two all expenses-paid tickets to ETH Denver 2025.*
• Opportunity to represent Filecoin Orbit Community at Filecoin Foundation ETH Denver booth
• Interview on Filecoin Foundation DWeb Decoded Podcast
• Mentions in Filecoin Foundation blog/social media/newsletters
• Endorsement for Filecoin Foundation grants funding
• Honorable Mentions: Swag and invitations to Filecoin meetups or workshops.*

Let the brainstorming begin! Submit your ideas and join us in building the future of AI on Filecoin! 🧠 #DecentralizedAIChallenge

**(Subject to rules below.)*

Rules

The following rules (the “Official Rules”) govern the submission of each entry to the Filecoin Orbit University Challenge (the “Competition”), sponsored by Filecoin Foundation (the “Foundation”).

Eligibility: The competition is open to anyone who is a member of a University blockchain organization with the exception that no previous or current employees of Filecoin Foundation (or their immediate families or current household members) may participate. Participants by the start of the competition must have reached the age of 18 or of majority in their state/country of residence. By proposing and submitting a design, participants are entering this contest and agree to abide by all rules and that all decisions of the Foundation are final. Void where prohibited by law.

Contest Schedule: Contest begins on or about 9:00am (PT) on November 5, 2024 and ends at 11:50pm PT on November 30, 2024. Only entries submitted during this period will be eligible to win.

Winners: Winners will be chosen by the Foundation based on quality of submissions and announced approximately 15 days after the competition has closed. If a winner cannot be reached or does not claim their prize within fourteen (14) days, another winner may be selected.The winner’s name and social media username may be posted on the social media profiles of the Foundation after the winner has been selected.

Rewards: Grand prize winner will receive 2 conference tickets to ETH Denver 2025 main event and reimbursement for travel expenses to the event up to $1500 USD. Grand prize winner will maintain, and make available to the Foundation upon request, accurate and complete records of receipts and expenditures.

Grand prize winner must be available to travel February 27 - March 2, 2025. If Grand Prize Winner cannot do so for any reason, Grand Prize will be forfeited without compensation of any kind, and an alternate winner may be selected. Grand Prize Winner is solely responsible for all other expenses related to the trip.

Honorable mentions will receive one item (up to $100) from swag.fil.org, terms and conditions apply.

Prizes are non-transferable and may not be redeemed for cash. The Foundation reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal value.

Multiple Entries: Participants may propose and submit multiple designs but may only win once, and participants may not utilize multiple accounts.

General Conditions: The Foundation reserves the right to modify the content, duration, and/or cancel the competition at its sole discretion, and to disqualify any entry for any reason at the Foundation’s sole discretion. Any personal information will be handled pursuant to the Foundation’s privacy policy. X/Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and any other 3rd party social media platforms, are not affiliated with this competition. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Foundation’s liability under or in connection with the competition or these terms and conditions shall be limited to the price of the prize in question.