Difference between revisions of "DFINITY Foundation"

Revision as of 21:07, 20 October 2021

DFINITY is a name for the DFINITY Foundation, or more correctly, “DFINITY Stiftung”, a not-for-profit organization based in Zürich, Switzerland, that was founded in October 2016.

The purpose of DFINITY is to contribute technology to the Internet Computer blockchain, and to support the blockchain's ecosystem and advocate for its mission. DFINITY holds an endowment of ICP tokens, worth several billion dollars, which it sells to fund its operations. While it has no shareholders or members, it acts competitively, like a startup, with a mission to drive a blockchain singularity, in which the majority of humanity’s information systems and services are rebuilt and reimagined upon the Internet Computer using a new form of smart contracts called canisters. DFINITY is held to the purpose defined in its notarial deed by a framework regulated by the Central Switzerland BVG and Foundation Supervisory Authority (ZBSA).

The organization can be described as Blockchain Maximalist, decentralization forward, and tech forward. DFINITY arguably runs the largest and most highly-powered R&D team in blockchain, and employs more famous cryptographers than any other tech organization. Currently the team is around 200 strong, and works from several dedicated research centers in different parts of the world, including Zürich, Switzerland, and locations in California, which are supplemented by many remote teams. DFINITY is constantly integrating new talent into its world-class team and scaling its R&D effort. By its own estimates, it will grow to employ thousands of cryptographers, computer science researchers, and engineers, as well as operations staff.

The name DFINITY derives from Decentralized inFINITY, and was first used by its founder Dominic Williams in 2015 to refer to applied cryptography research he had performed with the hope of enabling Ethereum to become a real world computer blockchain. In the end, it became apparent that many years of R&D at scale would be required to truly realize the world computer vision, which led to DFINITY becoming a standalone project. The Internet Computer represents a totally rethought blockchain, which provides new technical capabilities that are unmatched today.

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 '''DFINITY''' is a name for the '''DFINITY Foundation''', or more correctly, '''“DFINITY Stiftung”''', a not-for-profit organization based in Zürich, Switzerland, that was founded in October 2016.
-The purpose of DFINITY is to contribute technology to the [[Internet Computer]] blockchain, and to support the blockchain's ecosystem and advocate for its mission. DFINITY holds an endowment of [[ICP tokens]], worth several billion dollars, which it sells to fund its operations. While it has no shareholders or members, it acts competitively, like a startup, with a mission to drive a [[blockchain singularity]], in which the majority of humanity’s information systems and services are rebuilt and reimagined upon the [[Internet Computer]] using a novel advanced form of [[smart contracts]] called [[canisters]]. DFINITY is held to the purpose defined in its [[notarial deed]] by a framework regulated by the [[Central Switzerland BVG and Foundation Supervisory Authority (ZBSA)]].
+The purpose of DFINITY is to contribute technology to the [[Internet Computer]] blockchain, and to support the blockchain's ecosystem and advocate for its mission. DFINITY holds an endowment of [[ICP tokens]], worth several billion dollars, which it sells to fund its operations. While it has no shareholders or members, it acts competitively, like a startup, with a mission to drive a [[blockchain singularity]], in which the majority of humanity’s information systems and services are rebuilt and reimagined upon the [[Internet Computer]] using a new form of [[smart contracts]] called [[canisters]]. DFINITY is held to the purpose defined in its [[notarial deed]] by a framework regulated by the [[Central Switzerland BVG and Foundation Supervisory Authority (ZBSA)]].
 The organization can be described as [[Blockchain Maximalist]], decentralization forward, and tech forward. DFINITY arguably runs the largest and most highly-powered R&D team in blockchain, and employs more famous [[cryptographers]] than any other tech organization. Currently the team is around 200 strong, and works from several dedicated research centers in different parts of the world, including Zürich, Switzerland, and locations in California, which are supplemented by many remote teams. DFINITY is constantly integrating new talent into its world-class team and scaling its R&D effort. By its own estimates, it will grow to employ thousands of [[cryptographers]], computer science researchers, and engineers, as well as operations staff.
 The name DFINITY derives from '''D'''ecentralized in'''FINITY''', and was first used by its founder [[Dominic Williams]] in 2015 to refer to applied cryptography research he had performed with the hope of enabling Ethereum to become a real [[world computer]] blockchain. In the end, it became apparent that many years of R&D at scale would be required to truly realize the [[world computer]] vision, which led to DFINITY becoming a standalone project. The [[Internet Computer]] represents a totally rethought blockchain, which provides new technical capabilities that are unmatched today.