SourceNode

Landing Page
Connect Wallet
Home Page
Scan for Originality
Create Ideas
Detailed Idea

Inspiration

The inspiration of SourceNode comes from constant frustation of innovators against complications that arise when one tries to protect his or her idea. Conventional systems are complex and for most creators to afford in safeguarding intellectual property, the cost is pretty high. With these systems in place, still many are running in great danger of losing their work. We wanted to create a place where one could simplify the idea protection process, break all barriers to entry, and find a secure, transparent space to collaborate. The blockchain based alternative to the outdated system of patents, through Sourcenode, empowers creators to protect their ideas with ease and confidence.

What it does

Sourcenode protects innovators' ideas from theft, securely proving ownership and a collaborative environment through blockchain. The concept of blockchain timestamping means everything is irrevocably documented to guarantee IP authenticity and ownership. Besides that, the platform matches innovators with potential investors who can bring those ideas to life and give credit where it's due.

How we built it

Sourcenode was built with blockchain to help in the security and verification of ideas. We have implemented smart contracts in Solidity, deploying on Ethereum for automating verification and ownership to keep track of tamper-proof records for each idea. We decided to add Gemini, a patent based search service that allows users to look through already registered patents so they can verify if their idea is original and doesn't conflict with some pre-existing intellectual property. This platform showcases a very intuitive, user-friendly interface built in Next.js for easy uploading, sharing, and collaboration of ideas by creators. We also implemented Cloudinary as secure storage of media files for the protection of intellectual property, ensuring images, documents, and other types of data are kept safe. In addition, the platform has been designed to grow with the scalability of future needs and accommodate new features. The system will handle an increasing number of users and ideas over time.

Challenges we ran into

The main challenges were incorporating blockchain technology into the process of securing and user friendliness. Blockchain is pretty complex, and making sure users can interact easily with the platform while the data integrity is kept is hard to balance. The education of users on why protection through decentralized ideas is so important takes time to gain trust. Also, ensuring the platform could scale up large volumes of data and users while maintaining a seamless experience presented technical challenges.

Another challenge was using the testnets due to a ban on cryptocurrency in Nepal. Because of this, we had to develop with and test our product on the testnets, which raised other challenges; for instance, waiting for free balance on testnets before any transaction could be performed. This delayed development and made us really patient and strategic in testing.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We successfully developed a platform that allows innovators to check the originality of their ideas and submit them securely to the blockchain for future verification. While the full functionality of idea collaboration is still in progress, we’re proud to have created a system where anyone can verify an idea's originality through a secure process. Verified ideas are then displayed in the "Verified" section, ensuring transparency and protection for creators. While originality checks and blockchain submissions have been the focus for the most part, more secure and collaborative features in functionality are laid out. This is an important first step toward equipping creators with the right tools to defend their intellectual property.

What we learned

From this project, we learned how to embed blockchain technology into a very usable platform with high levels of security. We also learned about the problems innovators face in trying to protect their ideas and the complexity of the traditional patent system. This experience highlighted the power of decentralized systems in offering real solutions to these challenges, thus noting also how important trust in building a successful platform can be.

What's next for SourceNode

Next, we plan to expand Sourcenode’s features to include full idea collaboration and additional verification processes. This will allow users not only to submit and verify ideas but also to collaborate securely with other innovators. We aim to improve the user experience by integrating advanced tools for managing and tracking ideas, as well as connecting creators with potential investors.

To ensure the platform remains secure and valuable, we will implement a merit-based system for spam control. This system will reward active and credible users while filtering out spam and low-quality submissions. The goal is to create a community where only original and valuable ideas are promoted, maintaining the platform’s integrity.

Additionally, we will focus on scaling the platform to handle more users and ideas, further enhancing the platform's ability to support a growing community. As we continue to build, we plan to refine the system for better performance and security, ensuring that Sourcenode becomes the go-to platform for decentralized idea protection and collaboration.

Built With

cloudinary
ethereum
gemini
mongodb
nextjs
remix
shadcn
solidity

Submitted to

Semicolon

Created by

I implemented the authentication system in the Next.js web application to securely manage user access. I contributed to the overall project structure, ensuring smooth integration between the front-end and blockchain components. I developed the smart contracts that secure and verify the ownership of ideas on the blockchain, providing tamper-proof records. I also handled the API calls, ensuring proper communication between the Next.js front-end and the blockchain, enabling users to submit ideas and check originality. Finally, I took charge of deploying both the web application and the blockchain components, including deploying the smart contracts on the Ethereum testnet. My contributions ensured that the platform functions securely, efficiently, and provides a reliable space for innovators to protect and collaborate on their ideas.

Jiniyas Shah
I contributed to the project by focusing on the Detailed idea section and the user interface (UI) Design. In the detailed idea section, I ensured that the core concept of the project was well-defined, innovative, and thoroughly documented, highlighting its unique value proposition and addressing potential challenges. For the UI, I designed an visually appealing interface, prioritizing user experience and accessibility to align with the project's goals. My efforts in these areas played a key role in shaping a clear vision for the project and delivering a user-centric design.

Smarika Ghimire
I contributed by creating the skeleton of the homepage, which is the core of our project's website. As well as doing so, in this time I worked on the UI/UX, making sure the design is easy to use, looks great and fits with our theme.

Sapanagautam
I worked on the "Idea Patent Checker" feature. It is built upon Next JS. It was my first time using Next JS. So, with the help of Next JS documentation and my teammates, I was able to prepare UI and also make it functional using the Google Gemini API model ". User could enter their idea in the idea field and check if the idea/patent already exists by clicking on the "Check Patents" button. The page can be accessed through the following URL:

https://sourcenode.vercel.app/verify-ideas

Bikalpa KC
I worked on the frontend of the project where I created an idea submission form. In that from the unique Ideas that to be registered under the user's name is filled and submitted which will be pushed to the Blockchain once the form is submitted. I also used React-Redux by creating a store and slice in my project for state management .

a-proton