Network

Vana is a decentralized data network designed to unlock the value of private, user-owned data. The network consists of two primary layers that ensure data ownership, security, and usability:

Data Liquidity Layer, where DataDAOs operate. Designed to introduce data on-chain as transferable digital assets.
Data Portability Layer for user-owned data applications powered by verified data.

The Vana L1 is used as a permissionless, real-time map of data flowing through the ecosystem.

Data Liquidity Layer

Overview

The Data Liquidity Layer is the foundational layer in Vana that enables data to be treated as a liquid asset. It allows data to be securely validated, tokenized, and traded through decentralized mechanisms. This layer introduces DataDAOs, which aggregate similar types of data from various contributors, creating decentralized, trustless markets for data.

Key Functions

Data Validation: Data submitted by contributors is validated using the Proof of Contribution (PoC) mechanism, ensuring the authenticity, ownership, quality, and uniqueness of the data.
Data Tokenization: Once validated, data is tokenized and can be traded or used within the network. Each DataDAO issues its own tokens, rewarding contributors for providing valuable data.
Trading and Governance: DataDAO tokens allow users to participate in data governance and trade data as an asset within the Vana ecosystem.

DataDAOs

DataDAOs act as decentralized marketplaces for data:

Data Contributors submit their data to DataDAOs and receive governance rights and rewards.
Data is verified in the Satya network, a cluster of secure compute nodes, ensuring the quality and integrity of the data.
Data Consumers can access these validated datasets for AI training or other use cases.
DataDAOs incentivize high-quality data contributions and provide transparent mechanisms for data use and training.

Data Portability Layer

Overview

The Data Portability Layer is the application layer of Vana, enabling decentralized datasets to be accessed, shared, and used across various platforms and applications. This layer ensures that user-owned data remains interoperable across different services and systems while maintaining privacy and security.

Key Functions

Cross-Application Data Sharing: This layer enables seamless movement of data between applications while maintaining full user control. Users can authorize which applications access their data, ensuring privacy and security.
Interoperability: The layer is designed to be compatible with multiple platforms, protocols, and applications, enabling data to be used across ecosystems. For example, AI models trained on Vana’s decentralized datasets can be accessed by various AI applications.
Governance & Access Control: Data owners retain control over their data, including deciding how it is used and by whom. Contributors can also participate in governance through DataDAO tokens, which allows them to influence decisions on how data is shared.

Decentralized Applications (dApps)

The Data Portability Layer supports decentralized applications (dApps) that can interact with validated datasets:

AI Models: Developers can build AI models that access and train on decentralized datasets, ensuring ethical use of data.
Data-Driven Apps: Applications that rely on user-generated data can leverage Vana’s secure and interoperable datasets to provide better user experiences and data insights.

This layer ensures that data remains useful and accessible across the decentralized web, unlocking its full potential for users and developers.