KILT’s Path to Parachains

By Ingo Rübe, Founder of KILT Protocol and CEO of BOTLabs GmbH

Here’s a quick update on KILT’s plans for the next few months as we get closer to mainnet launch. We’ll continue to update you on milestones and partnerships via this blog, our Twitter and Telegram channels and our newsletter. But first, a brief overview.

KILT provides a base layer for verifiable credentials in the Web 3.0 world. We’re building a permissionless trust infrastructure for real-world business cases like our DeFi, genetics testing, cloud computing and energy partnerships. We’re also exploring collaborations in climate change and gaming.

Why does KILT need a parachain?
The opportunity to launch on Kusama and iterate with other fast-moving Polkadot projects is very attractive. A Kusama parachain could provide core functionality for KILT including:

1. The ability to finalise blocks and thus secure our network, even while KILT is backed by a relatively small collator network. This provides extra security to the KILT Blockchain.
2. KILT would be able to provide its DIDs (Decentralised Identifiers) and Verifiable Credentials through the Relay Chain to other parachain projects inside the ecosystem.
3. This would provide enormous network effects for the KILT Blockchain.
4. KILT would soon be able to utilise functionality from other parachains, such as smart contract systems and oracles.

We aim to go live with a Kusama parachain as soon as possible, because many ecosystem projects intend to use KILT functionality and we want to provide this at the earliest possible time.

Consequently we will participate in the first Kusama parachain auctions, and aim to start our mainnet on Kusama shortly after securing a parachain slot. We also anticipate the development of a Kusama to Polkadot bridge, which would enable us to provide the KILT functionality to Polkadot parachain projects.

For this reason we decided to switch around the launches of KILT and Polimec. KILT mainnet will now launch first. Later we plan to launch an upgraded version of Polimec that already incorporates KILT functionality.

What’s scheduled next

1. KILT secures parachain slot on Rococo (29 January 2021)
2. Parity team launches Kusama parachain auction timeline
3. KILT wins auction to secure parachain slot on Kusama
4. KILT implements mainnet, PoS migration and governance
5. Polimec upgraded version launches

KILT roadmap — how we plan to roll out KILT Protocol (click to enlarge or view on kilt.io)

With the Kusama parachain, KILT shall gradually go live as a fully decentralised protocol. We’re excited about the new possibilities for our partners, builders and the Polkadot ecosystem.

Later KILT may bid for a Polkadot parachain slot and move the KILT Parachain to the Polkadot network. This possible migration is one of the decisions to be made by the KILT community, via the protocol’s future governance model.

Initial KILT Collator Programme

And as we move from testnet to mainnet, KILT plans to start the Initial KILT Collator Programme in February. If you are interested in running a KILT collator node, please email us at collators@kilt.io.