| id | period | title | author | discussions-to | company_name | category | focus_area | open_source | funding_type | amount_requested | delivery_date | status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
192 |
4 |
PiPhi Network Smart Home Visualization Platform |
Justin Somerville <jsomerville@piphi.network>, Kelvin Sanyaolu (@KelvinSan) |
jsomerville@piphi.network |
PiPhi Network |
Other |
Other |
false |
Proactive |
396014 |
2025-04-30 |
Final |
Proposals that do not include information on all template sections will be rejected. Please, before submitting the grant proposal, review the contract template and ensure you're comfortable with its terms. Contract Template
This proposal is designed to further develop the Algorand ecosystem by increasing volume through service incentivization. PiPhi aims to propel Algorand-based tokens further into mainstream adoption by distributing an Algorand based token that can be paired with any and all measurable data. PiPhi software incentivizes sensor deployment and community developers through the distribution of proprietary tokens. These tokens ultimately generate value that is not based on the capture and aggregation of data but through deployment and growth of user sensor networks.
PiPhi Network aims to be the bridge between disparate systems and coding to allow users to customize any and all desired networks. PiPhi Network partners with community developers through an incentive program that encourages further development of the Algorand ecosystem through the contribution of additional sensors and features using PiPhi Network software.
Reference:
PiPhi Website - https://piphi.network
Dylan Phillips-Levine is an active-duty military member, naval aviator, and co-founder. He possesses a Bachelor of Science in Maritime Systems Engineering, published numerous papers regarding novel technology, and advised the Pentagon and the Defense Advanced Projects Agency (DARPA) on emerging concepts.
Kelvin Sanyaolu possesses a Master of Information Technology and is a co-founder. He serves as PiPhi’s Chief Technology Officer and CEO. To date, he has written 30,000+ lines of code as PiPhi’s primary developer.
Justin Somerville serves as a database administrator and is a co-founder. He has 17 years of experience in the IT industry, having the responsibility as an IT manager for all technical operations of a $55M company.
All members have worked together since PiPhi’s inception.
The evolution into PiPhi’s current state traces its origins back to October of 2021. During this time, one of the cofounders developed the first smart contract in the Algorand Test Net to test the viability of Algorand as the mechanism to allow PiPhi to execute its vision. Even in the early stages of this project, Algorand impressed all founding members of this team with its ease of use and seamless user development experience. During PiPhi’s embryonic stages, the founders continued to repeat a single refrain that captured this seamless user experience: “It just works.” To date, PiPhi through the Algorand blockchain has performed over 470,000,000 transactions and we’re firm believers that Algorand “just works.”
Supply Shortfall
In the previous crypto bull cycle 2021, low-priced IoT devices outstripped supply due to various supply chain issues and world events. Notably, dependency on overseas markets for many low-priced electronic components created backlogs that took months, and sometimes years, to correct that severely impacted hardware-centric processes.
The Solution
To avoid supply chain logistical pitfalls, PiPhi focused on developing propriety software compatible with commercially available products to develop its own DePIN network.
Software
First released in September 2022, PiPhi Mocha was distributive software active on the Algorand Test Net. It supported various commercially packaged and do-it-yourself bespoke indoor air quality sensors.
On February 17th, 2024, PiPhi released PiPhi Coconut to the community. PiPhi grew to integrate new sensors (20+ to date), including soil monitoring, weather, and energy consumption plugs. PiPhi's distributive software architecture allows future iterative releases to easily support and integrate community-demanded sensors.
This link shows PiPhi’s software development cycle that integrates developer and community requests and feedback. https://chibisafe.piphi.network/IeYjKxTtQRbI.png
Reception
Discord - https://chibisafe.piphi.network/aFFDbn98UZ0W.png
New Users - https://chibisafe.piphi.network/eydEGyX1m9QB.jpg
Explorer - https://chibisafe.piphi.network/35rOFHxG131V.png
After another year and half of development, PiPhi moved to Main Net with the full support of members from the PiPhi community, consisting of over 1,350 Discord members and 1,200Twitter followers. Through user feedback and iterative development, PiPhi continues development and releases updated software to meet the demands of the community and remains true to its pledge to be a community-oriented enterprise. To date, PiPhi has sold 600 licenses with over 400 connected devices generating $30,000 in revenue. This revenue, combined with the unwavering support from the community and team members, allowed PiPhi to self-fund its development.
Over two years, PiPhi Network developed and delivered a viable software product. This is evident in the increasing volume of users that is now taxing our normally responsive customer service center. As we look to rapidly expand operations and product development, we request our first cash injection. This cash will be used to support the hiring of dedicated developers and customer support staff to continue delivering on PiPhi Networks promise to the community.
PiPhi has grown to the point where serious consideration of direct and general and administrative costs must be given. Currently, technical support provided to customers averages between 20 and 35 support tickets per day. During surge periods, this number can rise to as many as 40 support tickets per day. The volume of support tickets detracts from developmental work, inhibiting company growth and innovation. In the company's early days, up to ten hours of development work per day was executed. Today, with the addition of numerous support tickets, that number is sometimes less than one hour per day.
PiPhi management believes that a one-year period of full-time and part-time hires is required to maintain stellar customer service and direct community engagement while continuing development work. Development work is expected to take 12 months.
Deliverables would include the development of the developer incentives focused framework, creating the opensource platform for developers, tinkerers and DIY enthusiasts to further inject value into the project by developing on that framework. This would also include the additional staffing to support the developer team to focus on building the product.
PiPhi Network plans to reward users for developing or integrating IoT devices with home automation to enable further distribution of the software making both PiPhi Network and Algorand a household name in the most literal sense. The strategic goal for PiPhi is to serve as the premier platform to aggregate data that spans the spectrum of IoT data from enterprise supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) to entry level tinkerers and DIY enthusiasts. To achieve this vision, PiPhi plans to implement an open-source funding program that allows developers inside or outside of the community to develop plugins for the PiPhi Network platform and receive rewards for plugin usage and installations. Imagine a Home Assistant platform with tokenized incentives to build. We believe this could be an innovative platform in becoming a truly community driven project in the DePIN/IoT web3 space.
https://chibisafe.piphi.network/Q9QBXgJ38Set.png
Beyond a customizable and centralized smart home visualization platform, cross platform compatibility for hardware distributed projects and partnerships, the Algorand community will benefit from the additional interest of developers. PiPhi Network software is a developer focused incentive framework. Developers are compensated through the PIPHIN token for participating in further development of the Algorand ecosystem and PiPhi network by writing code, adding new sensors, and/or features to the software.
The suggested XGov Injection term will cover a period of 12 months with quarterly injections. // Dates posted presume a July 1st 2024 date as the start of the first quarter.
Funding Allocation
PiPhi requests $77500 (396014 ALGO) in outside funding to support operations and development for the next 3 months. This amount will sustain the development and testing of new sensor integrations and develop additional features such as the remote visualization platform.
This milestone will be achieved at the time we hire our first salaried employee.
Employee 1 ($77500/Yr): Responsible for PiPhi development, coding, testing, error identification and error patching.