Ternoa

Ternoa operates as a multi-network and cross-layer protocol that utilizes confidential computing technologies to improve blockchain security, privacy, and scalability. The project was initiated in 2020 by a team including CEO Mickaël Canu and CEO of Labs Clément Téqui. Canu is a serial entrepreneur with a history of founding tech companies like Netick and Syment. Téqui has a background in finance and strategy, co-founding Ternoa after his interest in blockchain's potential grew in 2018.

The company's architecture is composed of three interconnected networks. The first is the Ternoa Chain, a Layer 1 blockchain built on the Substrate framework, which has been live since April 2022. This network supports smart contracts written in languages like Rust, C++, and Typescript. The second component is Ternoa Fortress, a decentralized network using Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs) that functions as a key management system for encrypting off-chain data. Its mainnet launched in September 2023. The third part is a zkEVM Layer 2 validium, planned for a 2024 mainnet launch, which offers an environment equivalent to the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM).

Ternoa’s business model revolves around its native utility token, CAPS, which is used for paying transaction fees, creating and managing augmented Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), and participating in the network's Nominated Proof-of-Stake (NPoS) consensus mechanism through staking. The platform serves developers and businesses looking to build decentralized applications (dApps) with enhanced privacy features. A key feature is the ability to create NFTs with private, encrypted content, often referred to as "Time Capsules" or "Secret NFTs". These allow data to be stored within an NFT, with access restricted exclusively to the owner, enabling use cases like digital wills, secure data transmission, and on-chain loot boxes. Developers can access these features via a JavaScript SDK, lowering the barrier to entry for those without blockchain-specific language expertise. To foster ecosystem growth, Ternoa has established a grants program to fund projects building on its network.

Keywords: blockchain infrastructure, confidential computing, Layer 1 blockchain, zkEVM, Layer 2, Trusted Execution Environment, TEE, Substrate framework, augmented NFTs, utility NFTs, Secret NFTs, decentralized data storage, CAPS token, Nominated Proof-of-Stake, Mickaël Canu, Clément Téqui, data encryption, Web3 development, decentralized applications, PayFi, digital time capsules