Art Abal and Anna Kazlauskas are changing how data is controlled. Instead of letting a few big tech companies control users’ data, they are creating a system where no single entity has all the power. This will ensure that data continues to be a tool for empowerment.
Having this vision in mind, these Harvard and MIT graduates came together to co-found VANA. It is a startup that aims to assess the value of each person’s digital footprint using blockchain technology.
Derived from ‘Nirvana,’ VANA aims to be the top digital playground for AI, promoting independent relationships and economic activity outside Big Tech’s influence. Its decentralized platform allows users to regain control of their data and use it across various applications. By far, Paradigm and Polychain are backing the duo with their attractive business idea of decentralizing data.
Anna and Art’s journey began at MIT’s Media Lab. They launched TOCA, a project aimed at involving people in low-income areas by having them label data using their phones. The success of TOCA in the Philippines demonstrated the potential to bridge the AI divide. Their studies at MIT took priority, putting TOCA on hold, but this pause allowed them to refine their vision. Thus, their new journey in developing VANA.
Filipinos are top social media users worldwide, creating valuable data that should be utilized for the country’s benefit. VANA is committed to empowering Filipinos with control over their data through ethical sourcing and user consent, promoting fairness, and embodying Filipino values. It uses blockchain to give users control over their data, improving AI while protecting privacy.
The platform has had global success, with initiatives like the Reddit Data DAO drawing over 140,000 participants in a week, showing people’s frustration with data exploitation.
“This is one direct way in which Filipinos can really participate in this emerging data economy,” expressed Art.
To learn more about this startup, visit https://www.vana.org/.
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