René Krikke

From 26/10/2024 to 25/04/2025

Open Ideas

PRIDE – Privacy, Resilience and Integrations for Decentralized Ecosystems

Arizona State University

René Krikke is a seasoned entrepreneur with over two decades of professional experience in Business & IT, aligning people, processes and systems across industries, leveraging and expanding his expertise in many capacities, including Systems Administration, Education, Sustainable Development, Learning & Collaboration, Human Technology, Quality & Security, and much more. As a multidisciplinary e.g. process, service, product and project manager, as well as an acknowledged Blockchain Executive, he is dedicated to improving organizational and digital systems in collaboration with international partners. René’s leads the ‘PRIDE’ project, and its mission is to address data, security, and compliance challenges across sectors, with a focus on AI-powered Quality Assurance (QA), in particular for smart contract security, and on DLT-powered decentralization of AI capabilities.

The PRIDE project addresses the growing challenges posed by increased digitalization in various sectors, particularly those involving data management and security. As complex systems become more prevalent, they often lack transparency, making it difficult to identify potential issues or bottlenecks. Moreover, these systems face significant risks from cyber threats and must comply with specific regulations.

In particular, the project focuses on improving smart contract security using AI-powered Quality Assurance methods and Blockchain or at least Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT). Smart contracts provide numerous advantages but are prone to security vulnerabilities even after rigorous testing and auditing. The PRIDE project aims to address these issues by developing (primarily fuzzing-based) Quality Assurance processes that leverage (Local) Large Language Models (LLMs) to support the identification and reduction of vulnerabilities in smart contracts.

Furthermore, Blockchain or DLT can help create more robust AI networks through the creation of resilient AI networks of ‘Independent Intelligence’ or by ensuring the integrity of data used by (Local) LLMs. This notion of ‘Decentralized AI’ is essential for the privacy and security of self-sovereign AI systems, and to ensure that our Digitalization proceeds in the most human-centric manner/s possible.

Beyond these two primary goals, PRIDE also seeks to optimize work processes via Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs), which can provide a more efficient and transparent way of decision-making and resource allocation.

The key results of the PRIDE project involve the development of tools and knowledge that support standards and integrations for (Local) Large Language Models (LLMs), decentralized networks in general, and smart contracts in particular, in order to meet both industry and broader societal demand for quality, privacy, security, cost-effectiveness, and automation. These outcomes are expected to be achieved through various deliverables, including operational blockchain network nodes, Local LLM setups, smart contracts to be audited by those LLMs, several automations, network and other integrations, and both reports and new initiatives promoting collaborations, dissemination and commercialization.

The project aims to commercialize these outcomes by creating a startup or platform offering ‘Resilience & Integration Systems as a Service.’ The PRIDE project creates competitive advantages via its multidisciplinary approach, offers benefits via sharded storage and compute resources within the Unigrid network, and produces general (Transatlantic and broader) network effects by generating new business, funding, and job opportunities. Engagement with regulators will facilitate compliance, leading to increased societal impact. Broader integrations within specific contexts like critical infrastructure and the Matrix protocol may also be pursued for, respectively, improved security, and freedom while interacting online. Ultimately, the PRIDE project helps improve security and resilience that improves the competitiveness of all Transatlantic partners, especially the EU and the US, while simultaneously providing benefits by maintaining an open source and human-centric approach.

The PRIDE project is impactful by developing innovative technologies, such as AI and Blockchain/DLT systems that enhance security, privacy, interoperability, and automation in many different environments, e.g. those relating to supply chains, public safety, healthcare, education, media, and housing. Strengthening collaboration on innovation with the US & Canada is another critical aspect of the project’s vital impact, and fostered by a broad variety of Transatlantic partnerships, accelerating R&D engagements, and facilitating business collaborations for developed technologies. Another major impact is the likelihood of developing advanced fundraising efforts by submitting proposals for innovation to public organisations in Europe, and quite possibly even in the USA and/or Canada.

Dissemination at events, workshops/webinars, as well as engagement within different e.g. the NGI, Gaia-X, and EBSI communities facilitates solid connections and partnerships between Europe, the US and likely Canada. Business plan creation and potential start-up establishment with a focus on offering ‘Resilience & Integration Systems as a Service’ are further essential aspects that contribute to the long-term sustainability of the PRIDE project’s developments.

Finally, the project seeks to create a conducive environment for necessary impact through improved economic opportunities and general growth enabled by the PRIDE project and its associated initiatives. Potential impact includes more secure (collaborative) environments, interoperability, and compliance, and additional synergies for further innovation, for example to support Sustainable Development.