-
-
User Stories & Stakeholders
-
Tech Stack Diagram
-
Example of data
-
-
Python fastapi microservice backend deployed to Vultr
-
-
MongoDB Atlas Collections
-
Minted NFTs on Solana wallet
Inspiration
Traditional academic verification is broken. Graduates wait weeks for physical transcripts, and employers rely on easily forged PDFs. We wanted to build a "one-click" fulfillment system where a university can issue a permanent, on-chain record that is as easy to verify as a FedEx tracking number.
What it does
diplomaNFT is a dual-sided platform for students and registrars:
Students: Request official transcripts to be sent to employers or institutions.
Registrars: Review requests and mint Metaplex Core NFTs directly to the student’s wallet as a "Digital Asset" proof.
Instant Verification: Every NFT generates a unique 6-digit receipt code. Anyone can enter this code on our portal to verify the record's authenticity against the Solana blockchain without needing a crypto wallet.
AI Integration: Features a Gemini-powered chatbot to guide users through the credentialing process and ElevenLabs integration to transcribe and vocalize academic status reports.
How we built it
Blockchain: Solana Devnet using Metaplex Core for lightweight, efficient NFT minting.
Frontend: Next.js 15 with Tailwind CSS and Shadcn UI for a high-contrast, "brutalist" design.
Backend: FastAPI (Python) for automated SMTP email delivery and MongoDB for real-time request tracking.
AI/Voice: Gemini 2.5 Flash for intelligent user support and ElevenLabs for high-fidelity voice synthesis and transcription of academic records.
MLH track - Solana
We utilized the Solana Devnet and the Metaplex Core standard to create a high-speed, low-cost academic credentialing system that bridges the gap between institutional authority and student ownership.
Wallet Auth Management as Login
Secure Institutional Auth Management with Phantom Wallet We implemented a robust gatekeeping system using the Phantom Wallet Adapter.
The Logic: Instead of traditional passwords, we use a "Verified Registrar" lookup. When a user connects via Phantom, our system cross-references their public key against a whitelist of authorized school wallets stored in MongoDB Atlas.
The Result: Only verified registrars can access the "Issue Credential" and "Fulfill Request" modules, ensuring that every diploma minted on-chain has a cryptographically proven origin.
Solana Memo System
Permanent Data Anchoring with the Solana Memo System To ensure every graduation record is immutable and easy to audit, we utilized the Solana SPL Memo Program.
The Logic: During the minting process, we attach a JSON-stringified metadata payload—including the student's name, degree, GPA, and graduation date—directly to the transaction instruction.
The Result: This creates a permanent "on-chain audit trail." Even without a frontend, anyone can look up the transaction signature on a block explorer and see the raw, unalterable graduation data anchored to the Solana ledger.
Minting Solana NFT
Metaplex Core NFT Minting as a "Proof of Delivery" Receipt We moved beyond simple records by implementing the Metaplex Core standard to mint actual Digital Assets.
The Innovation: When a student requests their transcript be sent to an employer, the school "fulfills" this by minting a unique NFT directly into the Student’s Wallet.
The Receipt: We dynamically generate a unique 6-digit Receipt Code (e.g., #335281) and embed it into the NFT's title. This NFT serves as the student's permanent "Digital Receipt," proving that their official records were successfully delivered to the requested recipient.
Student Ownership: By minting the NFT to the studentWallet as the owner, the student gains a portable, verified asset they can display in any Solana-compatible gallery or wallet.
MLH track - Vultr
To ensure our platform remains highly available and scalable, we deployed our FastAPI (Python) Backend on a Vultr Cloud Compute instance.
The Tech: Our Vultr-hosted instance (207.148.10.134) acts as our specialized "Communication Engine."
The Impact: By hosting our SMTP services and credential-routing logic on Vultr, we decoupled the blockchain interaction from the delivery system, ensuring that even during high network traffic, our automated email receipts are dispatched with zero latency to institutions and employers.
MLH track - MongoDB Atlas
MongoDB Atlas serves as the "Source of Truth" for our request-to-fulfillment lifecycle.
The Tech: We used a serverless MongoDB Atlas cluster to manage our transcriptRequests and verifiedSchools collections.
The Innovation: We implemented a real-time status-tracking system where student requests move from pending to delivered. When a registrar mints an NFT, Atlas stores the Solana Transaction Signature and our custom 6-digit Receipt Code, enabling our "Receipt Lookup" feature to perform lightning-fast queries without hitting the blockchain for every search.
MLH track - Gemini
We integrated Gemini 2.5 Flash to transform a complex Web3 experience into a user-friendly dialogue.
The Tech: Using the Gemini API, we built an intelligent "Registrar Assistant."
The Impact: The chatbot helps students understand how to connect their Phantom Wallet and explains the implications of on-chain credentials. It also assists school administrators by summarizing incoming requests and providing guidance on how to fulfill "Digital Asset" deliveries, making the transition to blockchain technology seamless for non-technical users.
MLH track - ElevenLabs
To push the boundaries of accessibility, we integrated ElevenLabs to provide a voice-first experience for academic records.
The Tech: We used ElevenLabs' high-fidelity text-to-speech models to vocalize verified transcript data.
The Impact: When a receipt is verified via our 6-digit code system, the platform can generate a "Vocalized Verification Report." This allows users with visual impairments to hear their official graduation status and degree details, ensuring that the future of digital credentials on Solana is inclusive for everyone.
Challenges we ran into
Metaplex Core Integration: Moving from simple Memo instructions to full Digital Assets required handling Umi identities and wallet adapter compatibility.
Environment Hurdles: We battled local disk space issues and dependency conflicts between React 19 and older Web3 libraries, which we solved using the --legacy-peer-deps strategy.
Cross-Stack Communication: Synchronizing the Solana transaction signature from the frontend to the Python backend to ensure the verification email contained the correct on-chain link.
Accomplishments that we're proud of The 6-Digit Receipt System: We successfully bridged the gap between complex blockchain hashes and human-readable verification.
Direct-to-Wallet Minting: Implementing logic that allows the School to pay the gas but the Student to own the asset.
Multi-Modal AI: Seamlessly integrating voice and chat to make a "technical" Web3 app feel accessible to non-technical users.
What we learned
Metaplex Core is powerful: It’s significantly faster and cheaper than the legacy NFT standards.
Atomic Updates: The importance of keeping MongoDB and Solana in sync—if the transaction fails on-chain, the database must reflect that.
AI Accessibility: Voice synthesis (ElevenLabs) can make blockchain data feel much more personal and less intimidating.
What's next for diplomaNFT
Soulbound Tokens (SBTs): Transitioning these NFTs into non-transferable tokens so academic achievements cannot be sold or traded.
Bulk Issuance: Allowing registrars to upload a CSV of 1,000 graduates and minting them all in a single batch.
On-Chain Metadata Storage: Moving from Arweave/IPFS placeholders to fully dynamic on-chain metadata.
Built With
Solana (Blockchain)
Metaplex Core (NFT Standard)
Next.js / TypeScript (Frontend)
FastAPI / Python (Backend)
MongoDB (Database)
Gemini (AI Chat)
ElevenLabs (Voice Synthesis)
Phantom (Wallet)
Log in or sign up for Devpost to join the conversation.